Knive safety for Kids.
What Is Included in This Post:
Introduce Kids Early to Knives
Knife and Food Safety
Bushcraft Knives for Kids
Knives are one of the oldest tools known to mankind and it only makes sense to teach kids how to properly and safely use them rather than abstaining knives from them.
In this post, I discuss tips and techniques to teach knife safety to kids to help them feel confident and secure around knives. We use knives almost every day in our lives for slicing and dicing food, cutting ropes, cutting fishing lines, and many other uses.
Since knives have been around for quite some time, they are not going anywhere. It is smart to teach your kids knife safety so that both you and your kids can feel safe and comfortable around knives.
Keep reading to learn how to teach knife safety to kids.
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Introduce Kids Early to Knives
It is best to teach knife safety to kids as early as possible. Start with introducing young kids to butter knives and allow them to use them at meal times and spread butter, jams, and peanut butter on their bread. Offer them some soft vegetables for them to cut themselves and teach them the proper way to cut the food at the dinner table.
Teach your kids that knives are tools and not toys. They should be taught that knives do not belong at their school or any school function since it is against the law. When your kids understand the value of owning a knife, they develop a sense of responsibility and understanding of using it properly. Teaching knife safety to your kids at an early age can help prevent them from cutting themselves, most likely never cutting themselves.
Knife Safety for Kids Tips:
- Always keep or carry knives closed or in the properly fitted sheath.
- Only use the knife for its purpose and not as a substitute for any other tool.
- If it is not a throwing knife or your child is not trained in throwing them, do not throw them.
- Never use a wet knife.
- Never run with an exposed knife.
- Always sharpen the knife away from your body.
- Always cut away from your body and never toward others.
- Always pass the knife sheathed or hand over by the handle first.
- Know your state knife laws. Visit knifeup.com to learn more.
Knife and Food Safety
Most likely, your child will be using their knife for food preparation purposes. They will be needing to chop, slice, and dice their food and they will need a good knife to do so.
Kitchen Knife Safety Tips:
- Never use a wet knife or wet hands.
- Secure the cutting board with a damp cloth underneath to keep it from moving around.
- Never stand on a stool while using a knife.
- Never share a cutting board at the same time as someone else who is cutting food.
- Never reach around someone else who is cutting food.
- Never use flat fingers while cutting your food. Curl your fingers on the food that you are cutting.
Bushcraft Knives for Kids
When selecting the proper bushcraft knife for your kids, it is important to keep in mind the maturity level of the child and if they are ready to work with one. A good bushcraft knife for kids should fit nicely in their dominant hand and be of lightweight material. A bushcraft knife for a child should be a fixed-bladed knife rather than a folded-blade knife to prevent the risk of cutting themselves. It is far safer and easier for a child to place a knife in a sheath than trying to fold a blade.
Bushcraft Knives for Kids Should:
- Fit nicely in their dominant hand.
- Be of lightweight material.
- Should be a fixed-bladed knife with a sheath and not a folded-blade knife.
Summary
I hope I have inspired you to teach your kids knife safety so they can be prepared to handle them properly. Knives are a part of our lives and we should take the time to seriously train our children how to use them safely.
If you were encouraged by this post, I invite you to check out my FREE Self-Sufficiency Academy for fun free printables, planners, and charts.
ENTER MY FREE SELF-SUFFICIENCY ACADEMY HERE
Here are some more of my self-sufficiency skills for kids posts to check out!
The Best Activities for First Aid for Kids (Includes FREE printable First Aid and CPR Training Certificate!)
How to Teach Self-Sufficiency Skills to Kids: Prepare Them Now
How to Open A Can of Food With Your Bare Hands
I hope you give these knife safety skills a try with your own children no matter their ages. They will learn how to safely handle a knife and build their confidence in themselves.
Blessings,
The Off Grid Barefoot Girl
