Once a month, Home Depots across the country will provide free workshops for kids. The workshops are designed to help children learn how to build and construct their own projects that they get to take home at the end of class. There are demonstrations, instruction time, and then hands-on learning time. The kids workshops provide a lively environment mixing skill-building, creativity, and safety for future do-it-yourselfers.
In addition to the free workshop and project construction, children will also get a free kid-sized orange apron, certificate of achievement, and commemorative pin for a job well done.
My daughter has attended one of these workshops. The class she went to was for building book ends. Each child was given a basic kit for the bookend bases and then they got to customize it to their individual tastes. For example, some kids picked a soccer ball cut out while others, including my daughter picked out a flower cut out. The kids all got to choose a color for their bookends, and then paint them before adding finishing touches like stickers.
The kids all seemed to enjoy the workshop. My daughter had a lot of fun and was very proud of the bookends that she made. This was several years ago, but they still hold books in our living room. As a teacher evaluating this workshop, I give it high marks for instilling a love of learning in kids, and for letting them go home with something that they made. It was a wonderful experience.
Since, the classes happen just once a month, you can ask your local store which workshops are coming up and then attend them all or just pick the one(s) that your child may be interested in. The workshop length for the one my daughter attended was about 1/2 an hour. There was no rush and kids were allowed to stay longer if they still needed to finish their bookends. I remember so many smiling and proud faces on all of the children as they went home with their hand made treasures.
One of the best things about these classes are that they are free!
Pros
- Free
- Builds confidence in children
- They get to take home what they made
- Children learn to follow a set of directions
- Kids learn safety skills
Cons
- You may just end up spending more money than planned while at the store
What Other People Are Saying
I've already said what I think about the classes. They are wonderful and a great way for kids to learn new skill. Plus they free! Here are what other people are saying,
"My daughter was not yet three when we started going to the workshops, and she fell in love with them. We bought her her own toolbox in which she proudly carries her hammer and several of the other items listed above. These activities are something we look forward to as a family."
"It’s an opportunity for you and your little handyboy or handygirl to work together to complete a fun woodworking project (and most importantly, not have to clean up your house after. Ha!"
"It’s totally, completely, 100% FREE! You do not need to purchase anything. (Although, I dare you to go into a Home Depot and not need to pick anything up while you are there. We always need something. On the other hand, love the multitasking!)"
Cost and Process to Join
The Home Depot classes are free. You will need to contact your local Home Depot to find the scheduled class times and sign your child up. You can either call and sign up over the phone, in person, or register online.
To register online, visit the Home Depot website and then click on the Kids Workshop section. You should be able to find your store and then view the upcoming workshops in your area. Click the register button. The registration process is very quick and easy. You'll need to fill our your name, email address, number of kids attending, and their names and birthdays.
Make sure to register early enough before classes fill up. Depending on the popularity of what will be taught and how many kids are interested in your area, it may just fill up.
Customer Service
When I attended a Home Depot class the staff were friendly and very helpful to the children in the class. There were many staff walking around ready to assist children who may need extra help or have questions. Everyone was upbeat and had a smile on their faces. I give this program two thumbs up for sure. The staff were also courteous to parents who stayed to watch and help their kids complete the project.
From the reviews that I read from other parents, I'm not the only one who felt like the Home Depot staff were professional and top notch. The majority of reviews were stellar. With parents watching, really I can't imagine why even a grumpy staff person would want to take out any frustrations on a child with parents watching. Also, I would think the program is there to give parents a good feeling about the store and to shop there more often. People wouldn't want to come back if anyone was unprofessional or mean to their child.
My Conclusion
Home Depot offers kids workshop classes once a month in their stores across the nation. The classes are free. You can call or visit your local Home Depot to find a list of classes being offered and also sign up over the phone or in person. If you prefer online registration, you can do that too. Signing up is fast and very simple. The online registration will collect your name, email address, number of kids attending, and their names and birthdays. I have watched one of these classes when my daughter attended one and was impressed. I highly recommend signing up your child for a Home Depot Class. The classes are a lot of fun and with them being free of charge, you really can't go wrong!
For more reviews and information, check out our Top Ten Best Kids Workshops of 2018.
