Wooden Toys

Simple whirling toys were popular in early America. Children enjoyed the toys, which were often made from materials at hand, including buttons, wood and pewter.The spinning disk makes a soft...

No one knows who invented the spinning top. Its origin and the name of the inventor have been lost in the mists of time. It is certain that it has been a popular toy in China, Japan and Europe for...

A toy a child can steer around needs a body that heads a direction, wheels to roll on and a string to be led by. The work of making pull toys has been done since the Romans gave their children...

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...

Wooden pull toys are classic. For children 2 to 4 there is no better play thing than a dog, giraffe or other creature that follows your every move. The rugged construction allows children to pass...

Wooden toys bring back the warmth and charm of an earlier age. Even today's kids appreciate the simplicity of wooden toys. They have a way of unlocking the imagination that cannot be matched with...

A teeter-totter, also know as a seesaw, is a popular piece of playground equipment for children. Essentially, a teeter-totter is a fulcrum, balancing two similar weights. You can create a...

Flower sticks are traditionally known as devil sticks. They are used for juggling and have been part of the circus arts dating back 3,500 years. A set of flower sticks consists of three sticks:...

Skateboard decks (the wooden board upon which the rider stands) have evolved greatly over the years. Most modern skateboard decks are composed of seven- to nine-ply hard Canadian maple. For the...

Handmade wood toys are fine gifts. They also are a fun way for woodworkers to learn the craft of making toys. A good beginner's project is the wooden top. They are classic toys that require...

Anyone can make toys that last a lifetime and inspire a child's imagination. All you need is wood. Making a toy gives a child a plaything you crafted with your own hands. Ever treasured...

Rubber bands can be used for more than just keeping items such as index cards together. In the right hands, they can become some fairly neat projectile weapons, just begging to be launched at...

The diabolo is an hourglass-shaped object juggled on a string between two sticks. It was invented in the early 1900s as an adaption of the Chinese yo-yo. Today, diabolos show up in the hands of...

Making wooden toys is not only a rewarding hobby, but is also practical. Who doesn't have a favorite grandchild or other special young person in his life that would appreciate a handmade toy?...

Train whistle toys are great gifts for introducing children to the wonderful world of trains. Train whistles provide hours of entertainment and are easily used by children of any age. They even...

Wooden toys for children can be a personal gift or a fun, inclusive weekend project. They can be made in a variety of ways and with different types of wood. The projects can range from simple to...

Roy Rogers Productions first made the Charley Weaver toys, based on the Roy Rogers and Dale Evans show character. Weaver was played by Clifford Arquette, grandfather to Patricia, Rosanna and David...

Invented in 1914 by Charles Pajeau and Robert Petit, Tinkertoys are an iconic American toy that will keep you entertained for hours. The simplicity of Tinkertoy parts (mainly sticks that connect...

Spinning tops have been played with by kids of all ages for centuries. The earliest tops were dreidels spun by Jews while in Greek captivity, around 165 B.C. Spinning tops regained popularity in...

Balsa wood is light, cheap and easy to manipulate. For these reasons, balsa wood is a perfect material for building small, workable model airplanes. While numerous commercial kits are available,...

For many children, nothing is as much fun as playing with toy trains. Small children are not sophisticated enough to handle electric trains, so other, simpler toys must be used instead. Making...

Christmases and birthdays can be a dreaded time of year for parents of the kids who seem to have everything--every video game system along with every video game, every board game made in the last...

There are many toys that people can make for kids out of wood. Blocks are among the most popular of wooden toys that kids love. Make wooden block toys that are safe and fun. You can make a whole...

Wooden blocks have always been a very popular toy and remain one of the staples of every child's toy box today. However, as any parent knows, these blocks are frequently chewed on, spit up on, and...

Rubber band guns have been a popular toy since the early part of the 20th century when they were developed as a cheap toy made out of easily obtained materials. Building a rubber band gun is a fun...

A treasure box is simple to make. A wood box will last longer, but if you are looking for something simple, a cardboard box covered in paper will work. Children can be involved in creating the...

If you collect action figures and you're the type who prefers the figures and playsets outside of their plastic packaging, why waste money on them when making some from scratch is fun and cost...

Some of the most popular rubber band launchers on the market are those that are made in the shape and style of pistols. If you are looking for a pistol-shaped rubber band launcher that is easy to...

With toy aisles stocked with overpriced merchandise that, once played with, leads to inevitable boredom, many parents are turning to the toys of yesteryear as an alternative. Luckily, many of...

A wooden rocking horse is a wonderful toy no matter how simple or complex its decorations may be. This children's classic never grows old and never wears out. Custom decorations can make it a...

Making a simple wooden snow sled for outdoor fun is not difficult and can be completed in a workshop in an afternoon. While a wooden sled can be made from lumber and plywood left over from...

Wood carving is a great pastime that many find extremely relaxing and rewarding. Not only does it give you time to work with your hands, but leaves you with a great finished product. Carving toys...

CO2 dragsters are used to teach about motion, aerodynamics and thrust. They are also raced competitively in many schools and in national league competitions. When it is punctured, a small canister...

Action figure accessories and play sets can cost a quite a bit if you're into collecting. On the other hand, if you're more into actually playing with the figures and letting your imagination run...

The spinning top, usually a child's toy, is a fascinating glimpse into the physical laws that govern the universe. Energy, friction, velocity, momentum -- all come into play as the top spins...

Wooden toy rifles with spring steel actions were popular in the late fifties. With a stock made from a chunk of 2-inch by 4-inch wood and a broom handle barrel, spring steel action toy rifles make...

Building toys help children develop fine motor skills by picking up small pieces and eye-hand coordination when stacking and positioning the blocks. Children's building toys stimulate the...

Musical wooden toys are fun for children and relatively easy to make. Here you learn how to make a musical toy with a gentle sound for a young child.

Wooden snakes are classic antique toys that can be make from almost any type of wood. The simple design of wooden craft snakes encourages children to expand their creativity away from battery...

Lincoln Log sets were invented in the early part of the twentieth century. The original design was created in 1916. Following World War II, Lincoln Log sets became even more successful with the...

Build a rubber band tabletop catapult as a science experiment, or scaled addition to a model display. Common household tools and small power tools are required to complete this project. Rubber...

A xylophone for kids can be made from glasses, bottles and metal cans. Wood, however, usually works best, as it is the safest for children and it creates a deeper and more resonant sound.

When a mass is spun at a high RPM around an axis, the axis will remain perpendicular to the direction of the spin, or the spin plane. If the mass is bumped or gets off balance, the spinning mass...

The Radio Flyer Company makes one of the best-known kid's wagons: the stake wagon. Stake wagons have a flat bed with shallow sides. Staked side boards, thrust into rectangular, flat band drawer...

Children played with toy wooden horses during the Egyptian, Greek and Etruscan eras. Most of these were wheeled toys. Eventually, rockers were added. Rocking horses were popularized during the...

Tops are a classic toy that children of all ages, as well as adults, can enjoy. They can be taken anywhere and provide hours of amusement. Tops are also inexpensive to make and can be customized...

Babies love a gentle rocking motion. Place a baby in a wooden cradle, rock it slowly and the infant will soon settle into a peaceful slumber. Older siblings can rock the cradle while Mom rests....

The box kite has an interesting history. It was invented over a hundred years ago with the original purpose of trying to lift people up into the air. While the kite failed for this purpose, the...

Children ages three and older love to engage in pretend play. It is fairly simple to build a four-piece toy kitchen. This kitchen will include a refrigerator, stove, double sink and an upright...

Tinker toys are a classic toy that never goes out of style, and for good reason: The things you can build with tinker toys are limited only by your imagination. The joy of tinker toys is that you...