Tools for Children
On this page, we have listed a choice of tools from our shop that we think would be suitable for children to use. Learning to use tools sensibly like adults can help children develop dexterity and a sense of responsibility.
It is a mistake to believe that tools for children must not, or should not, be sharp, so they cannot hurt themselves. On the contrary: dull tools are more dangerous because the child cannot develop a good feel for the correct way to use the tool. Even a dull knife or saw or chisel can cause a nasty wound, and this becomes more likely if the child becomes frustrated and impatient because a cutting tool does not cut, and so uses too much force or loses his concentration. Far better to teach careful, deliberate work habits using tools that work as they should.
All this means that one must think carefully about when children should be taught to use the different kinds of tools. A sharp tool in the hands of a child is always dangerous. Give tools appropriate to the age, but first and foremost, the maturity of the child. One child may well be patient and mature enough to use a carving knife or saw, but another of the same age may not be. This is a bad thing to be overly ambitious or optimistic about. Every child develops at a different rate. So we cannot give good advice about what tools are suitable for children at a certain age. This must be left up to you.
Important!: Children should use tools only under close adult supervision, and when not in use, the tools be kept where the child cannot get at them until one is sure the child will use them responsibly.
It is also a bad idea to buy cheap tools, like those often marketed in "children's tool kits." Bad tools, that break or bend or go dull quickly, are at least as frustrating for children as they are for adults. This makes it very hard to have fun using them, can turn children off working with their hands, and as mentioned above, frustration and too much force can be dangerous. The joy of developing hand skills can be killed from the outset: the opposite to the effect one is normally looking for. This does not mean that one must go out and spend a lot of money. It takes time to learn to use tools, and a few good quality tools will produce better work and more satisfaction, and can cost less, than an elaborate set of cheap ones. Less is very often more in this case.
Drilling
Sawing
Carving
Chisels
Hammers
Clamping
Gardening
Clicking on the photos will take you to a page with larger photos. From there you can follow the link "Price" if you like and the link will take you to a page with a selection of similar tools. To return to the children's tools page, click on the back button on your browser.
Small This wheel brace made by SCHRÖDER in Wuppertal accepts bits up to 6 mm or 1/4". Extremely useful for small jobs. Overall length 235 mm, handle made of wood. Order nr. 304044 Price € 16.90
This wheel brace made by SCHRÖDER in Wuppertal accepts bits up to 6 mm (1/4 in.). Extremely useful for small jobs. Overall length 235 mm, handle made of wood.
Order nr. 304044
Price € 16.90
from FAMAG, Series 1590 with centering point, and two edge spurs to cut clean, even holes in softwoods and some European hardwoods. Manufactured from very fine-grained tool steel!
Highly recommended for the hand drill listed above!
| Diameter | Order nr. | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 3 mm | 304503 |
€ 3.30 |
| 4 mm | 304504 |
€ 3.35 |
| 5 mm | 304505 |
€ 3.50 |
| 6 mm | 304506 |
€ 3.50 |
These handy and quick-working gimlets are made in Japan. The central screw and the wide handle makes controlling these drills almost child's play. They can also be very useful for adults: they cut fast, require no power, and are compact enough to fit one or two into the smallest tool kits.
They come with plastic grip.
| Diameter | Order nr. | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 3 mm | 312620 |
€ 5.95 |
| 4 mm | 312621 |
€ 5.95 |
| 5 mm | 312622 |
€ 5.95 |
| 6 mm | 312623 |
€ 5.95 |
We were lucky enough to buy the remaining stock from the toolmaker Herberts, based in the Eifel region near Cologne in Germany. These drills are unused, but in some cases have been stored for several decades in their warehouse, so we hesitate to call them "new". There are sometimes a few minor spots of surface rust, but they all cut like they were made yesterday.
You need to stick a piece of dowel through the eye at the top of the shaft, and then they are turned by hand. These very traditional tools are recommended for children because they built to last and easy to control.
| Diameter | Order nr. | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 8 mm | 308308 |
€ 6.90 |
| 10 mm | 308310 |
€ 7.90 |
It is hard to believe how quickly and precisely this small brace cuts. It has an overall length of 225 mm, and takes 6.35 mm (1/4 inch) hexagonal bits. There are five different wood drills (drilling depth 32 mm, 1-1/8 inch) in 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8 mm, along with two slightly conical pilot drills in 3 and 6 mm. Look at other photos and a size comparison with a normal-sized brace.
Other drill bits with a 6.35 mm hexagonal shaft.
Order nr. 312200
Price € 39.90
This fretsaw is made by GROBET in Switzerland and is of the highest quality.
Bow Depth: 75 mm
Order nr. 301800
Price: € 22.80
Saw blades not included! Don’t forget to order saw blades (see below).
This fretsaw from Pebaro does away with the fiddly blade installation and tensioning usual in these saws. The handle folds down and relaxes the tension on the blade. The two levers turn 360 degrees to release the old blade, you pop the new one in, and the levers are retightened to clamp it firmly in place. The handle is then pivoted back to tension the blade. You can adjust the position of the levers to keep the saw's throat clear by pulling them straight out, which disengages them from the tensioning screws. Manufactured in Germany! To see the instructions, click on the picture!
Bow depth: 335 mm
For fretsaw blades up to 130 mm long
Delivered without saw blades
Order nr.: 301810
Price: € 20.50
Don't forget to order saw blades with this saw!
Fretsaws with deep or shallow bows?
Fretsaws with a deep bow allow one to work on much larger pieces of wood. It is important to note that for small children, a large bow can make it difficult to maintain the saw's balance when cutting. So we recommend the smaller saws for children.
Thick or thin sawblades?
A thin blade makes a finer cut. But bigger blades will generally last longer because they are thicker.
made of Beech wood. Very stable because it is held fast with two clamps.
220 x 90 x 15 mm
Max. table-top thickness 40 mm
Order nr.: 301812
Price: € 7.95
This nice little knife is made of high-carbon steel, and so not stainless. There is a large hand guard, and a relatively small grip, making the knife suitable for people with small hands. Comes with nice, well-made leather sheath.
We advise you to round off the blade tip with a grinding stone before you give this knife to a child. It should be used only under close supervision.
Blade Length 75 mm
Order nr.: 307384
Price: € 21,90
These chisels are only 165 mm long, including the 75 mm handles. They were designed to be used in small spaces, but their size makes them an ideal fit for a child's hand, too.
| Blade width | Order nr. | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 6 mm | 303985 |
€ 18.50 |
| 12 mm | 303986 |
€ 19.60 |
| 20 mm | 303987 |
€ 21.20 |
| 26 mm | 303988 |
€ 23.90 |
| Set of 4 6/12/20/26 mm in paper box |
303989 |
€ 76.50 |
This mallet is the perfect tool for the small Two Cherries chisels mentioned above and other cutting tools. The grip is of ash, and the head of super-hard hornbeam. This elegant little mallet makes chiselling holes a pleasure. The chisels shown in the picture must be ordered separately.
Diameter 80 mm
Total Length 22 cm
Weight 300 g
Order nr. 304283
Price € 13.90
This hammer is designed to drive nails.
Head Weight 125 g
Total Length 300 mm
Order nr. 309741
Price € 17.90
This small brass-headed mallet from Veritas can be used like a normal mallet, or for more control over delicate work, nestled entirely into the hand. The grip receives a final turning and polishing after it is fitted to the brass head, ensuring a perfectly smooth, edgeless fit. This helps it feel more like an extension of one's hand when using it to drive small chisels and woodcarving tools.
Head Diameter 41 mm
Total Length 150 mm
Weight 560 g
Order nr.: 307959
Price: € 24.50
This miniature vice in cast iron is designed for work on relatively small items. Very often vises like this are produced in aluminium or sheet metal, but for a firm grip and good work, cast iron is the best material. One horizontal and one vertical v-groove let into the faces allows this vice to solidly hold round objects. Cheek width 45 mm, Jaw opening 50 mm, weight 0.6 kg, Total length closed only 100 mm. Maximum table thickness, 30 mm!
Order nr. 307770
Price € 27,50
The table top is made of solid nordic birch, the trestle made of pine. The trestle can be mounted for a working height of 650 or 860 mm. So even grownups can work comfortably, if they do not have the space for a large workbench. The bench dogs are made of plastic to take care of workpieces and tools. Made in Sweden.
Order nr. 303100
Price € 239,--
| Length of bench top not incl. tail vise | |
| Length of bench top incl. front vise (and head of spindle) | 1000 mm |
| Width of bench top not incl. front vise | 360 mm |
| Width of bench top incl. front vise (and head of spindle) | 490 mm |
| Thickness of bench top | 27 mm |
| Thickness of the bench dog board | 70 mm |
| Height of upper edge of bench top (working height) | 660 und 860 mm |
| Maximum clamping width of the front vise | 120 mm |
| Maximum clamping width of the front vise | 120 mm |
| Total weight | 23 kg |
Gardening Tools for Children
There are heaps of things that are great fun to grow – the biggest sunflower in the world? Delicious cherry tomatoes? Brilliantly coloured nasturtiums? Here are just the perfect tools to help budding gardeners on their way.
Important!: Children should use tools only under close adult supervision, and when not in use, the tools be kept where the child cannot get at them until one is sure the child will use them responsibly.
made by Burgon & Ball
Rubberwood handle, with solid stainless ferrule for maximum durability.
Long angled neck (tang) for ergonomic working. Dished body with minimum interference from the tang to carry full loads.
Sturdy and attractive hanging thong.
Total length 22 cm
Dish width 6 cm
Weight 120 g
Order nr. 300848
Price € 7.90
made by Burgon & Ball
Rubberwood handle, with solid stainless ferrule for maximum durability.
Long angled neck (tang) for ergonomic working. Hardened & tempered prongs to withstand tough digging.
Sturdy and attractive hanging thong. Total length 21 cm
Fork width 6 cm
3 prongs
Weight 120 g
Order nr. 300849
Price € 7.90
made by Burgon & Ball
Comfortable "Y" handle, made from strong Ash wood and through-riveted for long life Riveted socket for extra strength.
Polished stainless steel for easy movement through soil and rust resistance.
Total length 82 cm
Head width 14 mm
Weight 1100 g
Not in stock. We are waiting for new delivery.
Order nr. 300850
Price € 19.90
made by Burgon & Ball
Comfortable "Y" handle, made from strong Ash wood and through-riveted for long life Riveted socket for extra strength.
Polished stainless steel for easy movement through soil and rust resistance.
Total length 82 cm
Head width 14 mm
4 prongs
Weight 1100 g
Not in stock. We are waiting for new delivery.
Order nr. 300851
Price € 19.90
made by Burgon & Ball
The essential gardener’s accessory- for carrying tools, cut flowers or even weeds!
Handles fold down for display or storage.
28 cm long, 21 cm wide, 9 cm high
Weight 150 g
Order nr. 300853
Price € 9.95
