Family Parent-Child Woodworking: An Experimental Study on Children Making Luban Locks

Abstract

This study examined the feasibility and benefits of children completing woodworking projects at home in Chinese families, using online video tutorials and parental guidance. A survey assessed family interest and gathered background information, selecting 36 Chinese families with children aged 7 to 12 for an experiment on making traditional Luban locks. The projects were divided into two levels: a basic, video-assisted three-post lock completed by children with parental help; and an advanced, six-post lock, requiring families to find resources independently. Results indicate that the majority of families showed strong interest in parent-child woodworking (76.7%) and successfully completed the basic project (94.4%). However, only a small minority managed to complete the advanced project (8.3%). The study indicates that while children aged 7 to 12 are in a concrete operational stage of cognitive development, success in these projects isn’t solely age-dependent. Parent-child woodworking in Chinese families appears feasible and beneficial for cognitive growth when projects are age-appropriate. Findings suggest designing tasks within a child’s zone of proximal development with corresponding resources, offering insights for family-based learning approaches.

Keywords

• family woodworking
• children's cognitive development
• luban lock making
• parent-child collaboration
• experimental study