A Space to Tinker, A Place to Think

Aiden has a new workshop:

For a child to have a place where they can go and tinker with things on their own, well, it’s a rare thing these days. Working away, responsibly and quietly by yourself, for hours at a time, is a skill that takes practice. I’m quite sure that these are the foundations of creativity and perseverance – the necessary elements of competent adulthood – and some of the most difficult things to teach in a classroom.

While it’s not always feasible for every child to have their own workshop, most could have a toolbox and a work surface. I had an uncle who was a traveling carpenter, who told me that his woodworking shop was 90% in his head and 10% in his pickup truck. Even the most meager toolbox can open a world of possibilities – if you only have a screwdriver, you get very creative about learning how to use it.