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POLICY INFORMATION

Whilst role play is an important activity, enabling children to rehearse and replay events and to extend their imagination, there is no substitute for experience of the real world. Woodwork provides an exciting opportunity for children to learn about the properties of wood as a material, how to manipulate tools and how to keep themselves safe. Clearly there are some obvious risks associated with this activity but with the right level of supervision, adult modelling and guidance, even very young children can be trusted to use real tools.

We believe that the rewards and benefits of woodwork are well worth our investment of planning, set up and supervision. And we should always bear in mind that this is one activity where the process is far more important than the product.

Setting up

Safety is the primary consideration. This starts with planning and proper set up. Our woodwork kit includes a child-sized workbench, a vice, eye protection and appropriate tools. Planning for this activity should ensure that the adult is familiar with the equipment and trained to use it safely and confidently themselves before attempting any activity with children. The woodwork area should be protected from approach by unsupervised children. The workbench should be sited on a flat stable surface. A separate area for hammering can be set up away from the workbench (see below).

After set up is complete and the children arrive, the first task is to show them how to hold and use the tools and to explain the safety rules. You will need to keep reminding them as the activity progresses. Demonstrate the correct way to hold tools and then be vigilant. We want to teach the children to use tools independently but always under strict supervision and obviously matched to each individual’s level of development.

Eye Protection

Children should wear eye protection against flying nails, splinters or saw dust. Our safety goggles have adjustable straps and are curved back to cover the side of the eye. The straps allow the goggles to be tightened so they will fit small heads properly and won’t fall off.

Rules

Woodworking requires children to remember many new things. It is unrealistic to expect they will remember everything related to safety the first time. Reminders are necessary.

• Wear eye protection.
• Use a tool or put it down.
• Put wood in a vice before sawing or drilling.
• Two hands on the saw handle.
• One child at a time at the hammering block.

Airborne Sawdust

We need to be mindful of the possibility of a child suffering an allergic reaction to wood dust. Given the small amount of sawdust children produce and the short time they are exposed to it, the risk is probably negligible and much less than for other airborne particles children might be exposed to.

Nevertheless, for a child with a chemical sensitivity or with asthma, reactions to wood dust are conceivable. We don’t propose any additional protection eg masks but we should be keeping an eye out for any adverse reaction.