Not every family can make it to a store on the first Saturday of the month, and I get it. Between soccer games, birthday parties, and the general chaos of parenting a young kid, sometimes that window just doesn’t work. The good news is that the Home Depot Kids Workshop program still gives you options for building at home, whether through the free STEAM extension activities tied to each kit or by tracking down the standalone craft kits themselves. Here are the five projects worth prioritizing if you’re building at your kitchen table instead of a store workbench.
Why Build These Kits at Home Instead of In Store
Before we get into the list, it’s worth addressing why anyone would choose the at home route over the free in-store event. In my experience, there are a few solid reasons.
Kits at the store frequently run out before you get there, especially for the more popular monthly builds. If you missed your window, replicating the project at home is often the only path left.
Some kids do better in a quieter environment. The in-store workshop is loud and crowded, and for a child who gets overwhelmed easily, building the same project at your kitchen table with one on one attention can actually produce a better experience.
You control the pace completely. No 30 minute time crunch, no rushing to the next station. If your kid wants to spend an hour perfecting the paint job, that’s entirely up to you.
1. The Keepsake Box
This one is consistently my favorite recommendation for home building, and it was originally scheduled as a May project timed around Mother’s Day. The construction is straightforward enough for a first time builder, with simple wooden panels and a hinged lid, but the finishing options are where it really shines at home. Unlike the rushed in-store version, you have time to let your kid paint, stencil, or decoupage the box exactly how they want.
Best for: Kids ages 5 to 8 who enjoy a decorating focused project after the initial build.
2. The Farm Planter
A genuinely practical build that doubles as an actual gardening project once finished. At home, you can extend this well beyond the basic hammer and nail assembly by actually planting seeds together once construction wraps up. My daughter’s farm planter has lived on our back porch for months now, and checking on the seedlings became its own recurring activity long after the building part ended.
Best for: Families who want the project to have a life beyond the craft itself.
Why This One Works Especially Well at Home
The planter builds ties naturally into a lesson about plant growth, watering schedules, and basic responsibility. It’s one of the few kits where the actual construction is really just the beginning of a longer, ongoing activity.
3. The Dump Truck
If you’ve got a kid obsessed with construction vehicles, this build is worth seeking out regardless of whether you catch it in store or replicate it at home. It involves slightly more assembly steps than some of the simpler kits, which makes it a good pick for kids who’ve already built one or two of the easier projects and are ready for a bit more challenge.
Best for: Kids ages 7 and up who want a slightly more involved build with moving parts.
4. The Holiday Train
This December themed build is a fantastic option to tackle at home specifically because of the timing. Rather than rushing through it in a crowded store during the busy holiday season, building it at your own kitchen table lets you turn it into a proper seasonal tradition. Add some paint, a little glitter, and it becomes a genuine holiday decoration rather than just a craft project.
Best for: Families looking to build a recurring holiday tradition around a hands-on project.
5. The Go Kart
The July project and consistently one of the most requested builds of the year. Kids love it because it’s more elaborate than a simple static box or planter, with wheels that actually roll. It’s a slightly bigger commitment in terms of build time and materials, but the payoff of a toy that actually functions afterward makes it worth the extra effort if you’re doing it at home.
Best for: Kids who want a toy they can actually play with once the build is complete, not just display.
How to Get These Kits If You’re Not Attending In Store
Here’s the honest reality: Home Depot used to sell standalone versions of these craft kits online for around five dollars each, but availability has become inconsistent over time. Your most reliable route is still attending an in-store workshop and picking up the kit there, even if you plan to finish the actual building at home afterward with more time and less crowd noise.
If your local store consistently sells out before you arrive, it’s worth comparing your options against Lowe’s similar Build and Grow program, which runs its own separate kit schedule. I cover exactly how the two programs differ in terms of kit availability and project overlap in our home depot kids workshop kits comparison guide.
Turning Any Kit Into a Bigger At Home Project
One thing I’ve discovered after building a dozen or so of these kits with my own kids is that the wooden pieces themselves are just the starting point. Every kit ties into a free online STEAM extension activity, and pairing that with your own creative additions turns a simple 30 minute build into something closer to a genuine weekend project.
Painting and Finishing Options
Skip the basic craft paint and consider wood stain for an older kid who wants something that looks less like a toy and more like a real handmade piece. A light sanding before staining goes a long way toward a smoother, more polished final look.
Adding Functional Upgrades
For builds like the Go Kart or Dump Truck, consider adding small design touches once the base construction is done. A bit of felt on the wheels for indoor use, or small stickers to personalize the final piece, both make it feel more like a genuine project rather than a mass produced craft.
Documenting the Build
I’ve started taking a quick photo of each finished kit alongside my kids, partly for memory keeping and partly because it’s fun to see the progression in skill from the earliest, roughest builds to the more polished later ones. If you’re working through several of these woodcraft milestone projects over the course of a year, that kind of documentation becomes a nice keepsake in itself.
Tips for a Smooth At Home Building Session
A few practical notes from someone who has done this more times than I can count at the kitchen table.
Lay down a protective surface first. Wood glue and paint have a way of finding their way onto surfaces you’d rather they didn’t.
Pre-sort the hardware before starting. Nothing derails a build faster than a six year old’s patience running out while you dig through a bag of mixed screws and nails.
Let mistakes happen. A crooked nail or an uneven paint job is part of the process, not a failure. The goal is skill building, not a showroom quality finish.
Keep the STEAM extension sheet handy. Printing it out ahead of time saves you from stopping mid project to search for instructions on your phone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I buy Home Depot Kids Workshop kits without attending the in-store event?
Standalone kits have historically been sold online for a small fee, though stock has become less reliable over time. Attending an in-store event remains the most consistent way to get one.
Which kit is best for a first time builder?
The Keepsake Box tends to be the easiest starting point thanks to its simple panel construction and flexible decorating options.
Are these kits appropriate for kids under 5?
Most kits are designed for ages 5 and up, but younger children can participate with close parental assistance.
Do I need special tools to complete these builds at home?
No. Each kit includes all necessary hardware, and a basic household hammer is typically all that’s required.
Can these projects be turned into a recurring family activity?
Absolutely. Many families use the monthly schedule as a built in excuse for a recurring hands-on project, whether completed in store or replicated at home.