Upcoming project with 7 yr old girl

[RickR]

My daughter and her fiancé will be coming from CT for a visit along with his 7 yr old daughter, Emma. As we are in a rural area, I was worried that she’d be bored so I proposed a project for her and me to work on while she is here. The doll-sized rocking bench shown here is a scaled version of a chair I saw online. It is made from poplar so it is very light and amenable to painting. All else being equal I would have used a hardwood but that would limit what Emma could help with. After I apply sanding sealer / primer we will disassemble, sand, paint, and re-assemble it together before shipping it home to CT. Overall size is 14in high, 12 in deep, and 18in wide.

 

[Raymond]

I think you are about to become Grandpa #1 !!

 

[DSWalker]

Very nice. My granddaughter loves rubbing in the mineral oil on cutting boards.

 

[TBoomz]

I did a similar project w/my niece and nephew [when they were 10 & 12 y.o. respectively]. Neither could get the hang of using a handsaw, so I introduced them to Mr. Bandsaw and Ms. Drillpress....& a hammer. I too, used poplar. Their project was to make (their own) bench w/back that was sized to fit them.

My niece had to stand on a box to reach the drillpress handle; but it became her favorite tool.
After the holes were drilled, I had them first, glue the bench together and then, screw it tight. [Yes, I used clamps.]
**I gave up on letting them hammer it together: too many dents, too many bent nails.

My niece opted for a clear finish. So, after sanding, a light coat of waterbased sanding sealer followed up w/polyurethane. My nephew discovered a small can of flat black enamel paint - I couldn't dissuade him.

While my sister, liked both finished benches, she told her kids [& me] that she had no room to spare in the house.
Really?!
So, I told the two youngn's that the next craft show I did, I would try and sell their benches.
And they would get ALL the money.
I still have the boy's. Folks were put off by the black paint. I was offered $35? for my niece's, barely an hour into start of festival [ greensboro 4th of july ]. I took it. The next time I saw them (they live out of state), I told my sister - Hands off! All the money was my niece's to do with as she pleased. Sis said, OK. ...(Really?!!)

As compensation to my nephew, I told him, he'd get $20 for xmas.

I showed my nephew [@ 14] how to deal with Mr. RAS... My niece is just too short for it; plus it intimidates her.

My niece has said she's built shelves and stuff for her dorm room. IKEA, I think. But she has that confidence to do it on her own,..and with only with a screwdriver. Imagine that.
My nephew has made some stands for his computer and gaming stuff. And they both helped my sister install wood flooring and helped with the staining/finishing.

So, to Rick. may you enjoy doing future projects with your granddaughter as she's growing up.