Wood Carving with Kids: When and How to Get Them Started
I started carving with an old electrician's knife when I was about 10 or 11 years old.
To me, it opened up a whole new world.
I wasn't making anything particularly impressive. Sometimes I was probably making little more than wood chips.
But that didn't matter.
I had a piece of wood, a knife, and the opportunity to see what I could make with my own hands.
I still remember that feeling.
When I tell parents I started carving that young, I sometimes get a look that says:
"You gave a kid a knife?"
I understand the reaction.
A carving knife is a sharp tool and needs to be treated that way. But I also think there's something valuable about teaching a youngster how to use a real tool responsibly rather than simply telling them not to touch it.
Kids enjoy learning when the experience is interesting.
They need instruction, supervision, and tools appropriate for what they're ready to do.
And sometimes the best place to begin isn't with wood at all.
Learning From Someone Who Has Taught Kids to Carve
I've spent plenty of years around carving knives, but when it comes to actually teaching groups of children, I thought it was worth asking someone with more experience.
So I talked with my friend Monte Draper.
Monte has taught wood carving to both children and adults for many years, including working with elementary and middle-school students. He's had the opportunity to see what works, what doesn't, and what young carvers need before they're ready to work with a knife.
Instead of trying to speak for him, I thought I'd let Monte answer the questions himself.
How Old Should a Child Be Before Learning to Carve?
One of the first questions parents usually have is age.
There isn't a magic birthday that suddenly makes a child ready to handle a carving knife.
Maturity, attention span, hand strength, and the ability to follow instructions all matter.
When I asked Monte about his experience, he said:
How long have you been carving with kids?
I have been carving with the kids for fifteen years. It started with 4-5th graders in the elementary schools then it evolved into teaching at the Middle School for an exploritory class. Unfortunately, the HIV scare and 9/11 took way the use of sharp tools in the schools.
How old should a child be to start carving?
I feel a student should be in fifth grade, no younger. It seems they have more hand strength and seem to stay focused longer.
That's an important point.
Age is part of the equation, but focus and physical control matter just as much.
A youngster needs to be able to listen, follow directions, control the tool, and stay focused on what they're doing.
If they aren't ready for that yet, there's no reason to rush.
Wood will still be there when they are.
What About Giving a Kid a Sharp Knife?
This is the part that makes parents nervous.
Understandably so.
Carving knives are sharp.
They need to be.
Trying to make a carving knife safer by making it dull can actually create another problem. A dull knife requires more force to make a cut, and more force generally means less control.
Protective equipment is also worth considering.
Here's what Monte had to say:
What about giving a kid a sharp knife? Is there a way to prevent cuts?
Knives are very sharp. I’ve purchase a lot of extra small carving gloves in my career. The gloves work great and keep the project clean. You can still puncture yourself but gloves take away the slice.
A carving glove isn't a substitute for supervision or good knife technique.
But it adds another layer of protection while a youngster is learning.
Start With Something Other Than Wood
Here's an idea I particularly like.
The first thing a child carves doesn't necessarily need to be a block of wood.
Softer materials give them an opportunity to learn the motions of carving before dealing with wood grain and the additional pressure wood can require.
I asked Monte what he likes to use.
There are other materials that Kids can carve other than wood. What materials do you like for a beginner?
I have carved in soap and apples. The apples are really fun. They change as they age-transform.
Soap and apples let a youngster practice basic cutting motions while requiring considerably less force than most wood.
They're also inexpensive.
If the first project doesn't turn out quite as planned, you're not out much.
More importantly, the child gets to experience the fun part immediately:
Making something.
Teach the Cutting Motion Before the Project
One of the most important things a beginning carver can learn is that a carving knife shouldn't be forced through the wood.
This applies whether the carver is 10 or 70.
Good carving is about controlled slicing.
Monte has a simple way of explaining it:
Any advice on teaching a youngster to carve?
Never force a tool to make a cut. Think of cutting a loaf of bread, the knife will flatten the loaf as you put pressure on it but if you use your knife like a saw, moving it from the handle to the tip you’ll experience better success. That movement should be very slight but it does make a difference. Dull tools are dangerous in so many ways. Dull tools are the cause of the majority of cuts. Beginners have to be reminded wood carving knifes are sharper than those in your kitchen.
That's a good lesson for any beginning carver.
The knife should slice, not simply be pushed.
A slight movement of the cutting edge across the material lets the edge do the work instead of relying on force.
Supervision Matters
Giving a youngster a carving knife and sending them off to figure it out isn't teaching.
Especially in the beginning, an adult should be right there.
Monte added:
I remind them every time they pick up the knife. Also, separate young boys. ( I can attest to this. There’s a lot more messing around, and not a lot of carving)
That last part still makes me smile.
Anyone who has spent time teaching a group of youngsters probably understands exactly what he means.
Carving requires concentration.
Keep early sessions short enough that the child remains interested and focused. If attention starts wandering, it's probably time to put the knives away and come back another day.
There is no prize for finishing a project in one sitting.
Let It Be Their Carving
There's another part of teaching kids that doesn't have anything to do with knives.
Adults have a tendency to want to help.
Then we help a little more.
Before long, we're making the project ourselves.
Monte learned something important about that from his wife Charlene:
How has teaching kids changed over the years?
Paul, as you have witnessed the classes Charlene and I teach are either sand paper then paint or just paint. Because of the cost of insurance, festival organizers requested we do not use knives. It means more prep work on my end but to see the kids walking around showing people their projects makes it worth it. The toughest thing for me I want them to be perfect but my bride has pointed out “it is their project, let it go.” Great advice!
"It is their project, let it go."
I think there's a lot of wisdom in that.
The goal isn't to send a child home with a perfect carving.
The goal is for them to look at something they made and say:
I did that.
The uneven cut or crooked line that bothers us may be the very thing they're proudest of.
Let it belong to them.
Deepwoods Tip
When teaching a youngster to carve, don't begin by worrying about the finished project.
Teach one safe cut.
Then another.
Let them make some chips.
Once they learn that they can control the knife and change the shape of something with their own hands, the project will take care of itself.
A Few Things I've Learned
Between my own experience starting young and Monte's years of teaching children, I'd keep the basics pretty simple:
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Don't rush a child into carving before they're ready.
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Supervise every session closely.
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Keep early carving sessions short.
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Consider beginning with soap or apples before moving to wood.
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Use appropriate hand protection.
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Teach slicing rather than forcing the knife.
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Keep carving tools properly sharp.
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Remind young carvers that a carving knife is considerably sharper than an ordinary kitchen knife.
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Keep distractions to a minimum.
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Let the finished project belong to the child.
Most importantly, make the experience enjoyable.
A youngster doesn't need to understand blade geometry, steel types, or sharpening angles on the first afternoon.
They need to experience the satisfaction of making something.
The rest can come later.
From My Shop
I sometimes wonder what would have happened if somebody had looked at that 10- or 11-year-old kid with the electrician's knife and told him he wasn't old enough to make wood chips.
Fortunately, nobody did.
That little knife introduced me to something that would remain part of my life for a very long time.
Not every youngster who tries carving is going to become a lifelong woodcarver.
That's okay.
Maybe they'll carve one little figure.
Maybe they'll make a spoon.
Maybe they'll carve an apple and never touch a carving knife again.
But they will have experienced something that's becoming increasingly uncommon:
Taking a simple tool in their hands and learning how to make something themselves.
I think that's worth passing along.
About Monte Draper
If the Draper name sounds familiar to Deepwoods customers, there's a reason.
The Draper Detailer carving knife was named after my friend Monte.
Beyond his years as a woodcarver and carving instructor, Monte worked as a photographer for the Bemidji Pioneer. His experience teaching youngsters to carve is the reason I wanted his perspective included here.
Thanks again, Monte, for sharing what you've learned.
Frequently Asked Questions
What age should a child start wood carving?
There isn't one age that's appropriate for every child. In his experience teaching young carvers, Monte Draper recommends fifth grade or older because students at that age tend to have greater hand strength and a longer attention span. Individual maturity and the ability to follow safety instructions should also be considered.
Should kids learn to carve with a dull knife?
No. A carving knife needs to cut efficiently so the user doesn't have to compensate with excessive force. Young carvers should instead be taught proper technique and closely supervised while using an appropriately sharp tool.
Should children wear carving gloves?
A properly fitted cut-resistant carving glove can provide an additional layer of protection while a child is learning. It doesn't eliminate the possibility of injury and shouldn't replace supervision or proper knife technique.
What can kids carve before trying wood?
Soap and apples are two options Monte has used when teaching children. They're softer than wood and allow beginners to practice basic cutting motions before moving on to wood carving.
What's a good first wood carving project for a child?
Keep the first project simple. The goal should be learning a few controlled cuts and enjoying the process rather than completing something complicated. Choose a project that can be finished during relatively short, supervised carving sessions.
What's most important when teaching a child to carve?
Close supervision, a properly maintained tool, appropriate hand protection, controlled slicing cuts, short sessions, and keeping the experience enjoyable are good foundations. The child should also be mature enough to remain focused and follow instructions.
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