It’s been a busy few weeks, but we’re finally ready to unveil our new project, Built by Kids! We launched the site on Labor Day, and the following day my wife Laura went into labor. Our son arrived a week early, so instead of promoting the site launch right away, we had more important priorities to attend to.
Now that we’ve settled in a bit and are catching sleep when we can, we’re excited to share Built by Kids with the world and with readers of Charles & Hudson.
There are plenty of excellent design and craft sites for children, but we found the resources for kids and families who want to learn hands-on, do-it-yourself skills to be limited. Big-box stores and local workshops offer kid-friendly sessions, and community schools teach practical skills that don’t involve screens—but we wanted to build something broader and more intentional.
Our Mission at Built by Kids:
Built by Kids is created WITH, BY, and FOR children. It’s a lifestyle site that celebrates parents, families, caregivers, and educators who value creative development and who remember weekends spent building forts, making models, and learning by doing.
On Built by Kids you’ll find projects organized by age, skill level, and holiday, plus step-by-step guides that introduce children to hand and power tools with safety as our top priority. We emphasize clear instructions, appropriate supervision, and teaching safe techniques so families can build confidence alongside skills.
We also want Built by Kids to be collaborative. We invite parents, families, and caregivers to share projects they’ve built with, by, or for their children. Every month we’ll host a contest: readers will vote for finalists, and winners will be featured on Built by Kids.
This month’s theme is Cardboard Creations—share your favorite cardboard builds and inspire others to turn everyday materials into imaginative, lasting objects.
Rather than spending on movies or another video game, consider building something together. Shared projects create memories, strengthen bonds, and often become heirloom pieces that children treasure for years.
Find these projects and many more at Built by Kids.