Replies

1. 
   MarkRD | Jul 06, 2005 11:21pm | #1

   Is this something for them to play with? A mobil might be nice.
   A changing table? (but you said you have all the furniture).

   Mark

   Measure it with a micrometer, mark it with chalk, cut it with an ax.

2. 
   Midnight | Jul 07, 2005 03:36am | #2

   I've been tasked with building a changing table that can be used as a coffee table once changing isn't a requirement...

   If you can resolve some of the inherent safety issues, a high chair might not be a bad idea...

   Mike Wallace

   Stay safe....Have fun

3. 
   notDusty | Jul 07, 2005 03:44am | #3

                Dark Magneto ,

                                          How about a child size rocking chair or the likes ?

                                                have fun and congratulations

                                                                  dusty

4. 
   dukeone | Jul 07, 2005 04:11am | #4

   Rocking Horse, Toy Wagon, Training Toilet

   Kenneth Duke Masters
   The Bill of Rights
   December 15 1791
   NRA Endowment Member
   LEAA Life Member
   CRPA Member

   
   

   ---

   Edited 7/6/2005 9:12 pm ET by duke-one

5. 
   EHobbs | Jul 07, 2005 04:54am | #5

   How about a train table? Or maybe child size table and chairs? My kids love these and play with them every day.

   
1. 
   Billgiblin | Jul 07, 2005 05:19am | #6

   Nice train table. I built one for my son after he got interested in Thomas the train. It's much nicer and stronger than the one with the Thomas designs that costs $300. My son, now 4 years old, can stand on the table and it wont break.When I read your post though I was thinking of the simplest woodworking project of all -- a bookcase. It was the first thing I made for my son. It is now bursting with books. We have more books than will fit on it and he's got books on the floor next to it. I got creative and took some large stencils and free-hand routed his name in the sides. It was a lot of work and I had to stop after each letter because my arms hurt from steadying the router.Good luck and happy fatherhood. You will soon have a whole new excuse to build things.

1. 
   EHobbs | Jul 07, 2005 05:21pm | #9

   Bill:With all the garbage furniture out there, it is nice to know that your kids will have a couple of things that will last a long time. That train table I built a year ago gets a lot of daily use from my 5-year-old and 2-year-old. I am 230 lbs and can jump on it without a groan (from the table, at least). Over the last few years, I have made their two beds, a few tables, and a bookshelf. Eventually, they'll have some nice things to grow up with and maybe hand down to their own kids someday. That reminds me, #3 is almost a year old; time to start on her bed...

   Edited 7/7/2005 10:22 am ET by Ernie

   
6. 
   MarkRD | Jul 07, 2005 05:20am | #7

   How about a marble race - I built this for the kids when they were 4 (1997).

   Made from red oak flooring (leftover from our then new house).

   Kids loved it. Now they are 12 it's not so interesting but little cousins still play with it.

   Kids have to be old enough to know not to eat the marbles.

   I can provide better pics if you like with dimensions. These scans are from old polaroids. Boy my kids were cute what happened? :-) (Yes they are triplets)

   Mark

   Measure it with a micrometer, mark it with chalk, cut it with an ax.

   
1. 
   DougF | Jul 07, 2005 05:02pm | #8

   I made the same toy 25 years ago for a child in the neighborhood.  Within days every parent with kids for blocks around was asking for one. 

   I also made some with double tracks with little bells at the end so they could "race".

7. 
   AlanWS | Jul 07, 2005 07:11pm | #10

   If your kid is anything like my first, with colic, a rocking chair could be a life-saver. He would scream from midnight to 2:00 AM every night unless he was rocked. He did survive, as did we: now he's 20, and still has healthy lungs, but a bit more discretion to go with them.

1. 
   MarkRD | Jul 07, 2005 08:04pm | #11

   Alan, I wouldn't wish Colic on my worst enemy... Glad you and yours survived. You have my sympathy. Frankly, I think you had it worse than me and I have triplets!Mark

   Measure it with a micrometer, mark it with chalk, cut it with an ax.

8. 
   FitandCut | Jul 07, 2005 11:53pm | #12

   I went by a local cabinet shop before Christmas last year and they gave me a box of maple cut offs.  I gave them to a grandson at Christmas time.  He played with them more than all the plastic toys he got.  Something about real wood.  Doesn't require any woodworking talent, but you could ease any sharp edges or corners.

9. 
   fredsmart48 | Jul 08, 2005 01:19am | #13

   a 10" diameter log that is 6" tall.

   a hammer

   a bunch of nails

   supervise the kid so drive the nails into the floor. 

    

10. 
    ian | Jul 08, 2005 04:09pm | #14

    A box of blocks.

    see if you can borrow or otherwise get hold of The Ultimate Wood Block Book by Sam Bingham (Sterling Publishing 1988)  The "basic" block set Sam describes contains over 600 blocks made from about 40 ft of 1 x12 timber.