Hey all. I would like to do a short series of beginner kids blacksmithing classes for the kids in my church. It has been a long time since I was a beginner, so any ideas of how to start a class of young kids and dads would be great. Basically looking for ideas of what to teach that would be appropriate for the kids. I have been teaching my 8 year old, but sometimes I try to teach him while I am working and it goes over his head. Thanks

Boy, that is a tough one because kids vary so much in maturity, attention span, situational awareness, and physical coordination.  There are 8 year olds who make good students and 12 year olds I wouldn't let in the door.  The safety concerns are enormous and appropriate supervision is really tough.  I hate to rain on the idea but I wouldn't think of it unless each child had an adult with them and they all had proper PPE.  It might work as a parent and child activity but it would ahve to be pretty structured and small numbers.

The standard beginner's project is S hooks but others may have other suggestions.  There was just (within the last 48 hours) a recent posting of a heart shaped stake for flower/garden decoration which looked like a cool behinner project.

Good luck but keep safety highest in your mind and don't be afraid to back off/down if there is any possibility of child getting hurt.

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand."

make a small snail., they can have a little decoration when they are finished

You could do split crosses,

It doesn’t take long to heat an unfold them

you could just cut up a bunch of blanks ahead of time 

then if you have a little more mature kids you can have them also texture their crosses,

on a side note, I 100% agree with George,

the smithy can be a inherently dangerous place for unfamiliar people, everything is hot, heavy, and sharp! 
 
there’s even some adults I’d be afraid to turn loose in mine lol

I would definitely make sure every kid had a parent with them, safety glasses an proper attire would be required to participate

You might try making hoof picks out of half a horse shoe if you live in a horse area

Small re bar snakes are usually a hit with kids

Snails

Here is the link to the heart project, if you haven't seen it:

 

Thanks for the ideas. There will be no unattended kids. All will have a father present. We are all homesteaders and homeschoolers, so the kids are accustomed to work. Not that someone couldn't find a way to hurt themselves though. LOL!

Thinking if teaching forge safety, overview of tools, how to use said tools, some basics such tapers, square/octagon/round, punching, etc. 

Maybe forge some S hooks, leafs, throwing spikes?

Sometimes the Mothers are a better choice than the Fathers; especially when a Father thinks they know it already!   I just specify "a parent".

On 5/9/2022 at 7:00 PM, Greebe said:

, throwing spikes?

For a kid's beginner class?! At least you won't need to paint a target on your back, their moms won't need one. How good are you at spackling, sanding and painting holes poked in sheet rock by kids throwing spikes? 

I'd have them make something else. Of course that's just me, I could be wrong.

Frosty The Lucky.

I thought the same thing Frosty. Looking back at my youth, the first thing we did with throwing knives was to play mumbley-peg.

AKA "this little piggy went wee wee wee all the way home".