3 Pocketknife

Age 9

A sharp knife and a fallen branch are all your kid needs to begin a lifetime of shaping wood. For now, stress the importance of cutting away from

the body while keeping the other hand safely behind the blade. With more experience, your child can experiment with pare (pull) cuts. Either way, he or she should be able to hold both the knife and the workpiece securely. A utility knife with a retractable blade has a large ­handle for a tight grip; it'll also give a universal lesson in changing blades when the tool becomes dull.