Kids in the workshop

Jay H

PFG, Picture Framing God
Joined
Dec 8, 2003
Posts
9,908
Location
KY
It’s not uncommon to have my kids (and nephew in this case) at the store for a few hours. I was wondering what ideas you have for kids in the workshop. The computer games usually only last a few minutes. We just finished building foamcore swords. They are pretty sweet if I do say so myself. Does anybody have any neat ideas to keep these kids busy for awhile?
 
Put their behinds to work!!
 
Yeah, have them dust corner samples!

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I grew up in dad's framshop thats why I knew how cool foamcore swords are. Maybe if I did put them to work they would come up with some creative things to do on thier own.

ages 3 - 7

I see me handing them a broom and telling them go get to work while I post on the Grumble. Sounds like a plan to me!
 
My daughter was filling customers frames at 4. She did as good a job as my employees
 
If there's a girl in the mix, she may very well separate all your colored metals by "pretty colors vs. icky colors", goes for matboard samples, too. (Don't ask how I know)
Can they make size foamcore scraps into piles for you?(younger ages like to sort) Get crayons (or markers if you can trust them) and give them the sheets that come between the glass to color on, draw cities, make foam core buildings, etc. If they aren't content to do crafty stuff, or you cannot contain it to a "safe zone"a feather duster or a broom as mentioned are good choices. Some kids love to clean windows,glass cases over and over and over.(my guess would be -NOT the 7 yr. old!) You may go through a bottle of cleaner, but they will stay busy, and your shop may be sparkly in the end!! Give the older kids scraps to make signs on for forts or the cities, etc. My son (7) really loves my ATG gun- I have to keep close tabs on it...

P.S. Hide the sharpie markers.
 
I used to give my kid's a bottle of glue and a box of craft sticks (aka Popsicle sticks) and let 'em have it it.

When we graduated to compressor-driven dart guns and high-velocity cross-bows (with brad-tipped arrows,) I decided to put them to work.

5" squares of matboard, a box of discontinued Nielsen samples and a screwdriver will amuse medium-age kids for hours as they build funky frames for their equally funky drawings.

I sent both my kids across the street to take art classes from a customer of mine. She sent them back in record time, closed up shop and moved out-of-state.

They're still upset 'cause she kept a couple of their projects.
 
Meghan, I think all but the slowest child will need more than one Lego to keep busy for any length of time.
 
Mat scrap art is fun for a while, I have a large piece of slate and some chalk to keep them entertained.

My 8 year old son likes to use my Wall cutter. He likes to cut my mat scraps to uniform sizes, I typically have him cut them to 9 by 12 (Great for art book covers for all the 8 1/2 by 11 art projects they do at home. Smaller go to 8 by 10, 5 by 7. I either "pay" him or let him bring the scraps to his class. He likes it. He heads straight for the cutter and scrap box as soon as he walks in!

My daughter, 6, likes to use the scraps to draw on, then digs through the moulding scraps for her special frames. She either draws with the chalks for the slate or uses the pretty markers that were supposed to be used for french lining mats.
 
Plop sandwich boards around ‘em and send them out on the street to solicit business.

Tell them you’ll give them a commission … but then renege.
 
Put them in a display shadow box in the window and..... :eek: whoops, thought for a minute this was on the Warped. :D

Brooms and dusters, then down to the serious stuff!!

Would those swords by saber, Roman Short, Broadsword, or just BeinFang?

Do you reinforce with a 1" strip ATGed to the center-line down 3/4s of the length?
1/8" for a finer edge or 1/4" for the brut force of it all?
Where are the posted pictures?
5x5s of Matboard sound a lot like throwing stars, I plead the 5th on knowledge of such things.
but they stick in a sheet of 1/4" foam really cool... :D

baer
 
Yes they (who are gone finally) drew the outline and I cut them out. Then we took a 3/4 strip and ran it down both sides. Didn't get pics. To busy cutting and taping.

When it was just my son last week I had him cut scraps into standard sizes too.
 
Have them punch in, give them a broom, pay them(earned income), take most of the money back and use it to open a Roth IRA for them.

They may mutter about indentured servitude now but they will thank me around 2055.

Peter Bowe
Saline Picture Frame Co
 
I made my son a sward out of mat board and fome core alo. He had wanted it fo rhisa halloween costume. Big simitar style blade out of B8008 gold scrap and had a handle out of B4952. Reinforced the Hilt section as he kind of got carried away with swinging it around! Made a second for a freind of his and that was a mistake!
 
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