About Us

Kids’ Carpentry was established in 1982 in Berkeley, CA. Since then, the program has engaged thousands of kids in hundreds of schools in the fun of woodworking. It remains very popular among parents, educators, administrators and most importantly, kids. Kids’ Carpentry Seattle continues the tradition of building confidence and teaching with respect and humor in a safe and happy environment. In a world of screens and consoles, we’ve committed to capturing children’s attention by providing quality programming through hands-on learning and engaging experiences since 2013.

#Teachers

Loren Kite (he/him) — Director

Loren grew up picking through his father’s garage for his next big adventure. He has very fond memories of carrying around his first hammer and all of the work they did together. Their glory eventually lead him to a BFA in Production Management from the Theatre School at DePaul University and an AAS in Carpentry from Seattle Central’s Center for Wood Construction. Loren has worked for youth and children’s theatres in Chicago and Seattle. In his free time, Loren builds cat and human furniture and dreams up new and exciting Kids’ Carpentry Seattle projects.

Loren has been teaching Kids’ Carpentry since 2009 and is thrilled to be leading the Seattle branch of this exciting program. Loren has great relationships with kids and knows from experience how patience and positive attention can make a big impact. He is excited to share his enthusiasm with a new generation of eager carpenters.

Jessica Long (she/her) — Educational Programming Coordinator

Jessica is an educator with nearly 15 years of experience working with kids both in and out of the classroom. Whether teaching gymnastics, science, reading or carpentry, she values strong relationships with kids, learning together and opportunities to witness that moment when a kid achieves something they didn’t know they could do before. As an elementary and classroom teacher, Jessica has built her skills in collaboration to design projects that engage and inspire. Jessica teaches classes in Columbia and Hillman City.

Nicole Dillman (she/her) — Teacher

Nicole Dillman is a Washington state certified teacher with a Masters in education. Her background is in Special education supporting students with complex social- emotional, behavior and sensory processing needs. After noticing how hands-on projects positively impacted her students’ learning she was inspired to join Kids’ Carpentry. She believes that Kids’ Carpentry fills an important gap in education, providing opportunities for students to develop perseverance, fine and gross motor skills, math reasoning and work ethic. She believes all children deserve a chance to see themselves as makers.

In addition to teaching, Nicole is an artist and community activist developing curriculum for youth programs in Lake City with her partner and co-owner of Hellbent Brewing Company. Nicole is grateful to be part of such a unique program and enjoys seeing young carpenters work together. You can find her teaching at a variety of schools in North Seattle and Queen Anne.

Charlie Stephan (he/him) — Teacher

Charlie is an amateur carpenter and prop fabricator who focuses on visual aesthetics first and foremost. His philosophy on teaching is that as long as one is using their tools safely one can love them and use them in whatever way they see fit. In his own personal practice he nurtures sporadic and intuitive building over instructional or functional building. Of course his work does not always turn out as planned, it still in its own ways teaches many valuable lessons over time. It also fosters a love for learning and avoids a lot of burnout… Do not let your tools and comparing yourself to others wear you down! Do as you please! Safely though! Please!!!

Skyler Morford (he/him) — Teacher

Skyler has been working with wood most of his life. Whether that was building shelves and hat racks with his grandfather in his garage or building construction trailers under the hot California sun, he knows his way around a wood project. He joined Kid’s Carpentry after moving to the Seattle area from California. Call it destiny or fate, but only after joining the Kid’s Carpentry team did he realize that his family had participated in the Kid’s Carpentry program at its flagship location in Berkeley, California. He has taught at several schools across the northern Seattle school district, as well as a community center in Green Lake. He has always been inspired by the creativity and ingenuity of the kids he has had the chance to teach so far in his time at Kid’s Carpentry. Skyler can be identified by his big hair and his bigger personality

Jess Hassman (he/him) — Teacher

Mr. Jess started woodworking (and construction) in the 80s & 90s and has spent time in both educational and personal settings learning and teaching those skills. He loves to think about the Art/Design process, apply it & see how it all “plays out.”
He is also a Graduate Student in Marriage and Family Therapy, and enjoys all ages’ inputs/effects.
In his free time he loves spending time with family and friends, roller skating, reading, woodworking, exploring the Outdoors – specifically the beaches of the Salish Sea, and the occasional video game session.

Yossi Gershel (they/them) — Teacher

Yossi is a long-time educator from Alaska and a recent graduate from Seattle’s Wood Technology Center with a certificate in residential carpentry and an AAS in boatbuilding and repair. Yossi spends much of their time creating fiber arts, sculptures, collages and more, and dreams of constructing elaborate multi-story cat enclosures. They are currently working on a custom wood kayak to take out on Lake Washington. They are new to Kids’ Carpentry and love spending time in the workshop designing new models. Their favorite parts of the work are taking inspiration from young carpenters and fostering creativity and innovation to empower students to bring their designs to life.

#Work For Kids’ Carpentry Seattle!

  • We are always looking for awesome people to join our teaching team. If afternoons building race cars and bird houses speaks to you?
    Get in touch with us right now!

#Locations

Kids’ Carpentry acknowledges that we are on the traditional land of the Coast Salish people. We honor with gratitude the land itself and its innumerable stewards, past and present. We recognize Washington’s Tribal nations, all of the Tribal signatories of the Treaty of Point Elliott, and the urban Native communities who continue to live and thrive in this space. This acknowledgment does not take the place of authentic relationships with Indigenous communities, but serves as a first step in honoring the land we are on and the people and cultures it has nurtured.

#Contact

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#FAQs

Can I take the class with my child?

We cannot allow adults or children not signed up for classes to participate. In class, carpenters will learn to use a variety of common hand-tools, some of which may be familiar to you. We encourage carpenters to develop a growth mind-set and maintain independence; you are always welcome to observe your child, but please refrain from engaging with tools and observe from outside of class.
If you are looking for a class where a parent or grandparent can be involved, please inquire about a private lesson.

What ages do you teach?

We teach various classes and camps for kids ranging from 5 to 13, but not all our classes/camps are appropriate for all ages. Offerings will always specify the age range for the class/camp.

Do kids get to pick the project they build?

Yes! Kids get to choose from a selection of example projects and then work to replicate that project using all the new tools they have just been introduced to.

Do kids get to take their projects home?

Yes! Everything kids build in class is theirs to take home.

Can kids design their own projects?

Sometimes. On the last day of all classes/camps all kids are given an opportunity to create designs with leftover scrap pieces that have accumulated. Some of our camps and classes for older kids are set up to allow kids with experience the opportunity to design and build their own ideas with the help of a teacher. Check the class description or get in touch for more information.

My kid is neurodivergent, do you think we should still sign up?

Yes! This is the program for your kid! We teach clear, simple, repetitive steps that guide kids through every project from start to finish. Everyone chooses what they want to work on, and everyone works at their own pace. Our teachers have lots of experience teaching neurodivergent kids and will work with you to set your child up for success in our classes.

Can we try a class before we sign up?

Anyone is welcome to visit a class at our Columbia City Workshop, with advanced notice, but we cannot allow kids who have not been given full safety instruction to participate in classes. One-time private lessons are a great way to decide if carpentry is the right fit for your child.

My child has been in class/camp before, is there a next level?

We have over 100 projects to choose from. As kids gain more confidence with the tools, they will aim to complete more complicated projects learning new tools and techniques in the process. The freedom to choose what you want to work on and to do it at your own pace is built into every Kids Carpentry Adventure.

Do you offer make up classes?

Sometimes. Please reach out about your specific program to see if we are able to offer you a make up class.

Do you have scholarships?

Yes! All scholarship inquires should be sent to mail@kidscarpentryseattle.com

Do you take volunteers?

Not at the moment but we hope it is something we can do in the future.

Can you do a one-time event for my group?

Yes! Kids’ Carpentry would love to design a project for your group, school, club, or scouting troop. We will work with you to design and teach a project to a group of kids using minimal power tools and maximum involvement. We can create opportunities for kids to be involved in the entire design process or just the fun of building it while we teach basic carpentry and safety techniques. Contact us to get started!

Do you have gift certificates?

Yes! Gift Certificates for Private Parties, Workshop Classes or Summer Camps are available by contacting us at mail@kidscarpentryseattle.com.

Do you want my leftover wood/old tools/wooden toys etc.?

Maybe. Please reach out with pictures and a detailed description of what you are offering.

Can you come to my house and fix my…?

No! While some of us are trained carpenters and all of us are pretty handy, we do not take on work outside of teaching carpentry to kids.

#Follow Us