Young Australians Carve Wooden Spoons to Combat ADHD

In a small town in New South Wales, Ash Credlin discovered something that could quiet his racing ADHD mind: carving wooden spoons by hand.

The ancient craft demands complete attention or you risk cutting yourself. For Credlin, that forced focus became a gift rather than a burden.

"You really do have to pay attention, and that's a nice thing to be able to do—just to put the phone down and do an activity," Credlin said. Seven years after a friend introduced him to the craft, he now runs his own spoon carving business in Junee.

He's not alone in this discovery. Fox Fromholtz, a Canberra resident who also has ADHD, received a whittling set as a surprise Christmas gift from his perceptive wife after she noticed his interest in Instagram videos.

"I can be quite impatient and quite distracted, and I think finding a craft where you just have to take the time and do the steps has been a really beneficial way to just slow down," Fromholtz said. The amateur carver has created dozens of beautiful wooden spoons since that first gift.

Wooden spoons have been used for thousands of years, from ancient Egyptian perfume mixing to modern cooking. The creation process is simple: green wood soft enough to whittle, basic carving tools, and patience to perfect each curve and shape.

Only about 20 Australians regularly carve and sell wooden spoons, though a community of 500 wood carvers exists across the country. The dying trade is experiencing new life as young people seek traditional crafts in an increasingly digital world.

Why This Inspires

Professor Eoin Killackey, who researches youth mental health at the University of Melbourne, sees this trend as young people finding their own solutions. Following Australia's social media ban, they're turning to whittling, needlework, and bread making.

"They're harking back to an era where things were a bit slower and people could take a bit more time to process things," Killackey said. He noted that young people consistently tell him they rarely have time to think things through in today's fast-paced world.

Credlin dreams of starting a whittling club in his town, similar to the carving meetups happening in Australian cities. He's using social media to spread the word about his business and classes, teaching others the skill that changed his life.

Sometimes the solution to modern problems comes from ancient wisdom: one carved spoon at a time.