In his new book for kids, Little Woodchucks, Offerman Woodshop’s Guide to Tools and Tomfoolery (out October 14 from Penguin Random House; $35), actor, humorist, woodworker, and Outside contributor Nick Offerman neatly balances two goals: teaching children to craft things with their “grubby little hands,” and subtly nudging them toward mischief. The first of 12 projects outlined in the book is a literal slapstick, the classic vaudeville tool used to imitate the sound of smacking someone with a stick. Offerman advises his young readers that they can remove the elastic from an adult’s undergarment to create the device’s rubber band and butt hinge, which leads to the first of oh-so-many butt jokes. We called him up to ask why kids need more wood in their lives.
What’s the biggest upside to giving children sharp knives?
Contrary to intuition, the duller your blade, the more dangerous it actually is. A dull blade requires more force to use and so exponentially increases the likelihood of a slip and an injury. Teaching youngsters to keep their blades sharp brings them into the circle of household responsibility. First pocket knife, then kitchen knife, and hatchet, axe, hoe, shovel—and then, one fine day, chainsaw.
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