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Wooden Toy Projects

Wooden toys carry a sense of the past, even in such modern forms as cars, jet planes and dollhouse computers. There is something special about a toy made from wood that cannot be duplicated or surpassed with an artificial material. The colors and wood grain make such toys art objects in their own right.

Pull Toys
- Pull toys are great for the younger children in your life. Begin with a clear silhouette of the toy you want to create, such as an animal or vehicle. Trace the outline onto a piece of pine at least 1½ inches thick. Cut out the body of the toy using a band saw. Use water-based spray paints and acrylic craft paints to give the toy a cheerful color.
  
  Add a set of premade wheels, such as those sold for pinewood derby cars, and screw in an eyehook. Tie a shoestring to the eyehook and you will make some 2- to 4-year-old very happy.
Cars and Trucks
- Start with a pinewood derby kit for sure success. There are dozens of books with designs and instructions available from your local book, craft or hardware store. They also may carry some of the hundreds of accessories made for decorating pinewood derby cars, from decals to headlamps and bumpers.
  
  Start with a solid block body as for pull-along toys. Trace a design onto a piece of lumber and cut it out. Be sure the edges and faces are all well-sanded before adding paint.
  
  Add your own details and don't be constrained by the size and weight limitations placed on competition derby cars. Replace the axle nails with 1-inch wood screws and predrill your axle placement before installing.
  
  For larger cars and trucks, check your local craft shop for bigger wheels and accessories to use.
Building Blocks
- Architectural blocks will keep children busy for hours. With a sander, and a table saw and a miter saw or circular saw and handsaw, even a rookie carpenter can crank out a set off blocks in a couple of afternoons.
  
  Start your blocks from a single dimension, then make units in multiples of that dimension. For example, 2-by-4 lumber is actually 1½ inches thick by 3½ inches wide. Start with cubes 1½-by-1½-by-1½ inches. Cut a dozen or so of these quickly by ripping a strip of 2-by-4 lumber 1½-by-1½-by-24 inches. Cut off 1½-inch pieces.
  
  Cut a few 3-inch-long pieces, then 1½-by-3-by-3 and so on. This will allow all of the blocks to stack together in an infinite variety of shapes and designs. Be sure the blocks are well-sanded. A coat of linseed or other organic wood oil can provide a safe finish to preserve the beauty of the grain.
  
  Don't forget triangles for roofs. Cut a 3-by-3-inch square in half diagonally to make two triangles. Cut lots of pieces; the more blocks, the bigger the castle or city.

Wooden Toys