Image Source: popularwoodworking.com
Ask today’s kids what they want to be in the future. Would a kid want to become a woodworker someday? Most of them would probably answer what popular notion has made them to believe is dream-worthy: to be a pop star, a CEO, a doctor, a computer programmer.
Most children nowadays spend more time playing video games and surfing the Web than reading books and playing outdoors. You can’t blame them. Who would want to become a woodworker when children don’t even know anything about the art of woodworking? The subject is taught in schools, but most students dismiss it as just another class and fail to appreciate the artistry behind it. If woodworkers want to create a longstanding bridge between them and the young generation, or if they want to preserve the craft, they should find ways to make woodworking a part of a child’s everyday life.
Image Source: woodartbypete.com
Take inspiration from the works of Marc Spagnuolo, woodworking enthusiast, and Glen Huey, furniture maker and author of woodworking books. They encourage children to have a glimpse of the beauty of woodworking. They share the latest tools used for woodworking, teach about the different products that can be made out of wood, and even create video and audio podcasts about woodworking.
Such actions from woodworkers are what keep the art thriving, and maybe inspire youngsters to study this art form and apply it in later life.
Image Source: mywoodworkingidea.com
Laguna Tools supports woodworking programs in schools. Its official website provides more information about its school programs.
