Kids are encouraged to use Power Tools at Makerspace

Three year olds are using power tools in Toronto, in the world’s first Maker space for kids. It is believed that it is important for children to express themselves and get the confidence to be creative through the use of power tools. It is believed that the only way to use a power tool successfully is having confidence in what you are doing.

Jennifer Turlirk of Maker Kids explains that childhood is only time to optimise opportunities, skills, confidence and knowledge. If you convince them now that they are a leader they will carry that with them throughout their lives.

Maker space opinion is that kids are in control and that the staff is not there to do it for the children they are simply there to ensure they are safe. The teacher will refuse to help a child if they ask a teacher to do it ‘for them’ because are slightly nervous about using a dangerous tool, instead they try to encourage them by researching or finding another possible way of achieving the same goal, mentioning that it is okay to fail as you can learn from your mistakes.