How to Make a Teeter Totter for Kids

Lay a 2-inch-by-4-inch-by-4-foot piece of wood flat on the ground. Using the carpenter̵7;s pencil, measure and mark a point that is 2 inches from one end and both sides. Repeat this for the other 4-foot piece of wood. Drill a hole through each 2-by-4, centered on your mark, using the 1 inch diameter drill bit.

Sand the holes using sandpaper until they are smooth and free of burrs. Sand any other sides or surfaces that are also rough. Test the size of the holes by inserting the metal pipe into each and twisting it. If the pipe does not turn easily, sand the hole and try again. Repeat until the pipe turns easily in each hole. Once done, remove the pipe.

Cut the corners off the 10-foot piece of wood. Measure 1 inch away from each corner along the 8 inch and 10 foot sides and make a mark at each point. Cut a line connecting those two points. Repeat this for each corner. Sand the corners and any other rough edge or surface of the 10-foot piece of wood until the plank is free of splinters and burrs.

Find the center of balance for the 10-foot piece of wood. This point will be around 5 feet down the length of the wood, but its location on any given plank will vary slightly. Place two or three fingers in the center of the broad surface and attempt to balance the board. If it tilts in one direction, slide your fingers along the board in that direction slightly. Repeat until the board is easy to balance. Mark that spot using a carpenter̵7;s pencil.

Position and center the steel pipe over the center of balance for the 10 foot piece of wood so that its length is perpendicular to the length of the wood. Attach the pipe to the wood using pipe saddle clips. Position each clip 2 inches from either edge of the wood and drive the 3/4 inch wood screws through them and into the plank using a screwdriver.

Attach the 10-foot piece of wood and the 2-inch-by-4-inch-by-1-foot piece of wood to the other beams. Measure 11 inches straight down from the hole in one 2-inch-by-4-inch-by-4-foot board and mark that point. Position one end of the 1-foot piece on this mark and turn it until its width matches the width of the 4-foot piece. Drive two screws in from the opposite side. Space these horizontally 1 inch apart from each other, and drive them through the 4-foot piece and into the 1-foot piece using a screwdriver. Slide the 10-foot piece̵7;s exposed pipe end into the hole of this 4-foot piece. Repeat this step for the other 4-foot piece. This creates a roughly H shaped piece of wood.

Dig two holes, the center of each one foot away from the other, and each being 2 feet deep, using a post hole digger. Line the bottom of each hole with 2 inches of gravel.

Insert the H shaped piece of wood, plank-side up, into the holes. Use a level to align it properly. Stabilize it by nailing scrap bits of wood around its base to hold it in place.

Mix the cement. Pour the cement into the holes until it is slightly rounded above ground level (this promotes water run-off). Let the cement dry according to the directions on its packaging. Once dry, remove the anchors. The teeter-totter is now ready to use.