Gift for a one year old?

[Tom Rash]

Hello,

I want to make my nephew something for his 1st birthday coming up in January and I am drawing a blank. For Christmas I made him a rocking horse, but now I am fresh out of ideas. I saw a buckboard wagon and an Irish mailcar that look kind of interesting. I was hoping you could share some ideas on things you have made. Thanks.

[Steve Griffin]

I'd give him a lithium battery sawsall.:D

Or, how about a step stool? I didn't make it, but we have a two step little stool with our boys name in letters that fit into openings on the top.

Long before he could walk, he loved standing while balancing with it, setting things on it etc. Then he used it to look out windows. Now he is using it to reach bath sink, and it will be in use for many more years.

-Steve

[Cary Falk]

I made my nephew one of those old fashon pull tops. You would need a lathe. I hear my brother is enjoying it as much as my nephew.:D
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q297/caryincamas/top.jpg

[Bill Bukovec]

Cary,

Nice toy!

Is this from a pattern or your own design?

Can you give us a few dimensions, like the handle length and diameter of the top?

Thanks,

Bill

[Ray Newman]

Once saw plans to build a child’s easel and though that would make a good gift. Might be a bit too young for a child's easel right now, but maybe in a a few years.

If I recall, the drawing board was sized to accommodate a pad of inexpensive white paper from an artist supply store. It was a two-sided design: one side for the paper; the other was a blackboard. Somewhere I saw sources for a black/green board type of paint that is applied over tempered Masonite.

I would also make the legs short enough and drill a series of holes that the height could be variable by adding on a removable leg and machine screws and wing nuts.

Another good gift idea might be small “play” table and chairs.

[David Cefai]

These have been tremendous successes:
1. As mentioned above, a step stool to be able to reach the basin for hand washing.
2. A little table/desk and chair. My children went through three of them, in different sizes and the problem was persuading them that they were big enough to use the kitchen table.
3. A slide, which I actually made from a recycled broom cupboard door.

Hope this helps.

[Cary Falk]

Bill,
My design? Yes and no. I 'm ot a good turner so the wood makes up it's ind what it wants to be. The general idea came from a thread I saw a couple of years ago.I don't rember the size of this one but general sizes are given in the thread:
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=44111. I have made several and the kids and their dads seem to enjoy them.

[Greg Hawthorne]

I've made a few of these - my grandchildren have had plenty of fun with them. Basically a ripoff of Cuisenaire rods, but too big for 1 year olds to swallow (smallest cube is 40 x 40 x 40 mm, largest is 200 x 40 x 40, and the box in this picture is 200 x 200 x 200 internal, although I've also made more rectangular boxes).

[David Thompson 27577]

Hello,

I want to make my nephew something for his 1st birthday coming up in January and I am drawing a blank. For Christmas I made him a rocking horse, but now I am fresh out of ideas. I saw a buckboard wagon and an Irish mailcar that look kind of interesting. I was hoping you could share some ideas on things you have made. Thanks.

Since he's only 11 months old, this might seem like something that's and eternity away -- but that boy will VERY SOON need a stepstool to reach both the sink basin and the toilet bowl.

I made a set of steps, that also included handrails, for my grandkids. And though it took awhile for the item to see ultimate usefulness, my daughter was profusely thankful when the time came.

The steps made it possible for children (of either gender) to reach the bowl or seat, with ease and safety. It was lightweight enough that the child could move it around as needed. And it was decorated with cartoon characters that any child could love.

Note that it also made it possible to reach the sink, from the top step.

I haven't talked to my daughter about it recently, but my expectation is that this item will be passed to my son and his wife, when/if they have kids.

[Bill Huber]

I have 2 grand daughters and I made them both a pull toy dog for their first birthday. They both love it and the one ever sleeps with it.

I have also made the push toy and it stays at my house and gets used a whole lot when they come over.

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[John Fabre]

There's a book on them, It has detailed plans to make interlocking boards to build kids playhouses. Google "Builder Boards" for more information and videos. http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=92103&highlight=builder+boards

[Tom Rash]

Thanks for the ideas. I think I am going to make a step stool. Does anyone have any plans for one? If not I'm sure I can find something on the internet. Bill do you have plans for those pull behind dogs? I think I would like to make one of those too. Thanks again.

[Bill Bukovec]

Here's a link to a few plans.

http://www.freewoodworkingplan.com/index.php?cat=180&topic=step stools

Bill

[Dewayne Reding]

If I had it to do over think I would have made a spankin' paddle for my teenage daughter when she was one. :)

[Steve Griffin]

That was funny Dewayne! :D

Here's one like we have with the name inset. A plunge router and scroll saw would be all you need to make the letters.

-Steve

[Buck Williams]

I made two of these step stool / chairs for my daughters when they were small. They were a big hit, besides being a stool and a seat, they were a incorporated in a lot of play time. I probably have 6 or so of them out there as gifts to other kids, and they've been well used. I've always just used a pine 1 x 12, any other woods would work, pine is light weight enough for little ones to move around. They're basically 12" or 12-3/4" cubes, the half blind dovetails dress it up a little, but a dadoed joint between the top and the sides holds up well.

[Matthew Hills]

Thanks for the ideas. I think I am going to make a step stool. Does anyone have any plans for one? If not I'm sure I can find something on the internet. Bill do you have plans for those pull behind dogs? I think I would like to make one of those too. Thanks again.

Our 16 mo baby is dragging step stools around to climb up and watch the kitchen action, etc.

A small chair might be nice, too.

How about this project from popular woodworking--the back of the seat slips down to turn it into a low step stool:

http://www.popularwoodworking.com/upload/contents/290/field_1742/1008_ICDTOpener.JPG
http://www.popularwoodworking.com/article/_I_Can_Do_That_Step_Stool/

[Matthew Hills]

maybe for the 2-year mark:

http://www.mcfeelys.com/img/tremendous-toy-trucks-05-83995.jpg

http://www.mcfeelys.com/product/05-83995/Tremendous-Toy-Trucks
(and lots of other places that sell WW books)


Matt

[Mike Konobeck]

I made a few cranes from a Wood magazine article. Modified it a bit but they are kind of fun. I don't remember the issue but I am sure it can be found really easily. Started to get the hang of it by the third one. This was the first so I learned a lot and I am sure forgot a lot since the last. Their design for the spools were terrible so if you decide to go this route then let me know and I can take some close up pictures of one that I made for a friend.

[Norman Pyles]

This is a great thread, lots of good stuff. :cool:

[David Thompson 27577]

Thanks for the ideas. I think I am going to make a step stool. Does anyone have any plans for one? .......

I didn't use plans for the one I built for my grandbabies.I wish I had pictures........

Basically, I started with two "loops" of uprights/handrails. These were as tall as the final handrails needed to be, as deep as the stairs would be front-to-back, and as thick as the stock I was using (3/4"). I used bridle joints to make the rectangles, and a roundover bit to make it very easy to grip.

At the end of this step, I had two rectangles.

Then I started placing structural pieces onto/across those frames, such that I could eventually add stair-steps between them. These structural pieces were glued and screwed to the rectangles.

When I was done with this step, I had a framework -- the two rectangles were vertical, and the structural pieces actually made up horizontal rectangles that held the left one to the right one. Each horizontal rectangle was placed such that it would be the support for a stair-tread.

Then I added stair treads. This added some anti-racking stability, but only in one direction. So I added a piece that was under the highest step (so it wouldn't interfere with use) to eliminate racking in the other direction.

Then I tested the "tip-ability" of the entire piece. I was a bit disappointed, so I added some extended 'feet'. These were triangles (with some added scallops along the hypotenuse, for style), added to the bottom corners of the first rectangles, to extend the horizontal dimension, and add stability.

Then I went to the craft/art store, and bought some appliques of cartoon characters. Those, and some finishing, and the babies were happy.

I tried to make the height of the top step such that a potty-training toddler would be able to have their feet on the top step, while their backside was on the toilet seat -- it seems to be a more secure/safe feeling. I have no idea how well I met that goal, since my grandkids are ten hours away.

But I do remember how grateful their mother was