A play table with legs that simulate lego blocks

[Frank Pellow]

For folks who want to make some somewhat children's toys and furniture, I can recommend the Reader's Digest book entilted "The Family Handyman Toys, Games, and Furniture" (ISBN: 0-89577-790-8). I have made amny many items from this book and they have all worked out to my satisfaction and been well recieved.

The most popular item has been the lego table:

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I have made 11 of them, all as gifts, and they have been very very popular both with clidren and their parents. I believe that all of the tables are still in use. Right now, the 11 tables are in 6 different countries because of folks moving -but the tables have always moved with them.

It is not called got in the plans, but I always make the tables with two interchangeable tops -one for lego and one for duplo.

note: I originally buried this within the thread http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=34565, but decided that some folks who might be interested in building such a table might not see it there.

[Brett Baldwin]

Man, I can only imagine the fun I would have had if I had one of those for my Lego sets when I was a kid. That's a great gift for a kid. You must be the "most favoritest" grandpa. Thanks for putting this in a seperate thread.

[Doug McLauchlan]

That's a great looking project - I have a three year old and another on the way, so I'll have to add it to my project wish list !

One question, where did you source the table top surface material ? Is it something that Lego sells?

[Helen Gee]

Frank,

Is that originally constructed with wood and then topped with lego? Or just all lego :D . That looks awesome!!!

[Kevin Herber]

Neat!! Can you add blocks to the legs as the kids grow? Where do you get the table top material?

I don't have kids so don't have experience with them. What age group plays with Legos? I have some kids in mind but don't know if the project is age appropriate. They are in the 7ish range.
-- Kevin

[Joe Chritz]

8 year old Amanda and 4 year old Brayden say the table is WAY COOL!

I have a few years on them and wouldn't mind a play session or two on one. I have to grow older I don't have to grow up.:D

Joe

[Michael Stafford]

My son was the Lego king of the universe. I built a table for him to play on and incorporated storage under it but yours is much better looking. I will be filing this away for future grandchildren use. Nice job, Frank.:D

[Frank Pellow]

That's a great looking project - I have a three year old and another on the way, so I'll have to add it to my project wish list !
Thanks. I have given the table to children in the age group 1.5 to 4. I built the first one a little over six years ago and gave it to a neighbour (and honourary hephew) Nicola on his 4th birthday. Nicola is now 10 and is still using it (half a world away in Rèunion).




One question, where did you source the table top surface material ? Is it something that Lego sells?
Lego sells small bases for both lego and duplo. I buy several and glue them onto two pieces of MDF, one for the lego and one for the duplo. Some of the bases need to be cut in order to make everything fit.

[Frank Pellow]

Man, I can only imagine the fun I would have had if I had one of those for my Lego sets when I was a kid. That's a great gift for a kid. You must be the "most favoritest" grandpa. Thanks for putting this in a seperate thread.
Thanks Brett and you are welcome. It certainly is a favoured gift and helps to make me a popular granddad, uncle, cousin, honouary uncle, and honourary granddad. Those relationships seem to cover the 11 that I have made so far.

[Frank Pellow]

Frank,

Is that originally constructed with wood and then topped with lego? Or just all lego :D . That looks awesome!!!
It's all built of wood, except the plastic top. I have always used maple, but any hardwood would probably be OK.

[Frank Pellow]

Neat!! Can you add blocks to the legs as the kids grow? Where do you get the table top material?

I don't have kids so don't have experience with them. What age group plays with Legos? I have some kids in mind but don't know if the project is age appropriate. They are in the 7ish range.
-- Kevin
The legs are made a 4 pieces of hardwood but jointed to form a box with a hollow centre then saw kerks a cut to seperate the "bricks". This diagram shows it better than I can explain it.

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Since the blocks are just simulated, it is not easy to add blocks. Anyway, kids seem to like sitting on the floor to play with the table no matter what their age.

The table seems to be popular with kids from 2 to 10, and perhaps beyond that. My two girls did not have the table but they played with Lego from the age of 2 and were still occasionally using it when they were as old as 18. I am 64 and I like playing with Lego.

[Dale Thompson]

What age group plays with Legos? -- Kevin

Kevin,
I just LOVE playing with Legos (especially after the grandkids are sent to bed 'cause they wreck my "creations") and I just applied for Social Security benefits today! :cool: :) I would say that a "rough" age range would be 2-200 years old. ;) :D

Dale T.

[Larry Fox]

Awesome project Frank. I think that my two sons will each be gettin one of those in the near future (XMAS maybe :) )