Introduction

This chapter provides an overview of the value of woodwork in early childhood education. It explains how woodwork provides a truly unique experience through children tinkering and making creations with real tools and look at how this impacts on children's self-esteem and confidence. The chapter emphasizes the rich associated learning and development and highlight the long tradition woodwork has had in early education. Woodwork is a powerful medium for building self-esteem and confidence. This is for a combination of reasons. Children feel empowered and valued by being trusted and given responsibility to work with real tools. They accomplish tasks that they initially perceive to be difficult and they persist at challenging tasks. Some children particularly flourish when working with wood, enjoying working three-dimensionally and working with their hands. Wood has been used throughout history by humans in a vast number of applications, and is deep-rooted in heritage of all cultures. Finally, the chapter also provides an overview of this book.