Woodworking Projects and Acivities for the Family

 Written by Lew Amicone

Woodworking is a great skill to learn. Not only will you be able to make everyday objects that are useful to you and everybody around you, but knowing how to use tools is an incredibly useful skill that everybody should learn. Many woodworking projects seem difficult in theory, but when they're broken down into smaller steps, they are easy to manage. Soon, you could end up with plenty of cool gifts, toys, and furniture that you made with your own hands.

• Amateur Woodworker: Paper Towel Holder: Try this easy-to-follow paper towel holder plan for beginner woodworkers to make a useful kitchen fixture.
• Bluebird House Plans: This page offers an overview and step-by-step explanation of how to build a birdhouse.
• The Definitive Guide to Building Your Own Birdhouse: A backyard birder created this detailed guide to building birdhouses that birds will flock to.
• DIY Tree Swing: It's surprisingly easy to create your own wooden swing, and the whole family can enjoy it when it's done.
• Sturdy Footstool: This document offers an explanation of how to make a footstool. Not only is the project fun, but it's useful, too!
• DIY Marionette: Make your own puppet or try one of the simpler woodworking projects outlined on this page.
• Alligator Wood Puzzle: Create an alligator puzzle with only a few different tools and materials!
• Create Your Own Chess Board: Whether you like chess or checkers, you can create your very own board to play it on with the instructions on this page.
• American Woodshop: Shaker Rockers : Follow along with this video to learn how to make a classic rocking chair.
• Make a Wooden Sword: Create your own sword for a swashbuckling adventure! This is a great starting point for new woodworkers that also creates something fun to use as a toy or a cosplay prop.
• Create Your Own Pinewood Derby Car: This page offers an overview of how to make your own Pinewood Derby car with only a few tools and materials.
• How to Make a Puppet Theater: Give your puppet shows some extra style by following this guide to create your own puppet stage.
• Ten Woodworking Projects for Kids: This page lists a variety of different woodworking projects and details about how much they cost to make, how long it takes to make them, and how to go about crafting them.
• Build Your Own Bookend: Keep your books organized and standing up straight by making your own custom bookends, which can be both practical and decorative.
• Desk Organizer: Build your own desk organizer out of a single piece of wood to keep everything you need for schoolwork at your fingertips.
• Easy DIY Earring Stand: A handcrafted earring stand would make a great gift for anyone with pierced ears.
• Found Object Robots: This is a great project for woodworking beginners that can be made out of leftover wood pieces from other projects. The instructions are easy to follow, and there are plenty of pictures included so you have an idea of what the finished product could look like.
• Small Wooden Storage Box Follow these plans to build a box with a sliding lid that's great for storing pencils, pens, or markers.

More Resources

• Woodworking Tips for Families
• The Great Book of Woodworking Tips
• Woodworking in the Classroom
• Essential Woodworking Tools
• Learning Beginning Carpentry Skills
• Best Practices for Building With Kids
• Glossary of Woodworking Terms
• Basic Tools for New Woodworkers
• What Is Woodworking? A Beginner's Guide
• Understanding Wood Finishing
• High Performance Wood and Composite Deck Screws