Reply by Paul Mayer

I made a sword with my son when he was about that age and it went over quite well. You could also do a pinewood derby car. I have also enjoyed making sillouhette ornaments with them on a scroll-saw, using a profile picture of them and using spray adhesive to temporarily mount it to a piece of wood. I didn’t start my kids on a scroll saw quite that young, but it might be possible if he seems capable.

The single picket fence board birdhouse design is also perfect for kids. Make a kit for him and let him nail it all together.

At age 7 my son didn’t like much idle time in the shop so the more that things were prepped and we could keep a hammer in his hand the longer he could stick with it.

Also, +1 on the rubber band gun idea. I still remember the magic of my dad making one of these for me at roughly that same age. Great memory, and would have been even better if I would have gotten to participate in building it.

-- Paul Mayer, http://youtube.com/c/toolmetrix