Both girls own knives. Elizabeth got her first knife (from Uncle Mark, naturally) when she was two. It was barely a knife, but it came with a sheath and was made of metal and when we finally let Elizabeth handle it (when she was four, or so) she loved it. She's since graduated to a real jack knife which she uses to whittle. Pictured above, she's whittling sidewalk chalk, which is softer than wood and creates a chalk powder that is useful in spells, potions, and paints.
Of course, Suzanne wanted a knife, too. So I dug up an old folding knife made for cutting rope (I think). It has a curved blade and no point, and is dull as a spoon. It's also too stiff for Suzanne to open or close on her own. So it's about as safe as a real knife in the hands of a four-year-old could be. Suzanne and I had a fun time removing the rust from the metal parts and oiling up the wood grips to make it look better, and when it comes time to whittle, she's got a knife she can claim as her own.
