How to Make a Wooden Toy Boat

All kids love to play with toys at bath time, and there's nothing more fun than building and playing with your own toy boat. Besides the fun of making the boat and playing with it, this project can also be a good lesson in basic propulsion. If a parent and child build more than one boat, they can both join in the fun and use the tub for some boat races. This simple-to-construct boat could be the start of a great hobby making all sorts of wooden toys.

Things You'll Need

• 7-inch piece of 1-by-4-inch wood
• 1-by-2½-inch piece of quarter-inch plywood
• Electric jig saw with a fine-toothed blade
• Paint or varnish
• Rubber bands

Instructions

1. Cut the 1-by-4-inch wood into the shape of a boat (see picture). The boat can actually be any length you choose although 7 inches is a good size that handles well.

2. Create the paddle housing at the rear of the boat (see picture) by sawing out a 1½-by-2-inch rectangle.

3. Make a notch, using the jigsaw, 5/8 inch from the bottom of the boat on the outside of each leg of the paddle housing.

4. Create the paddle by notching the 1-by-2½-inch piece of quarter-inch plywood in the middle on both sides (see picture).

5. Paint or varnish the boat and paddle. When dry, have some fun and decorate your boat.

6. Stretch a rubber band from leg to leg, hooking it over the notches. Place the paddle between the top and bottom of the rubber band and twist the paddle toward the end of the boat until tight.

7. Hold onto the paddle and place the boat in water; let go and watch your boat go.

Tips & Warnings

• You can also experiment with different strengths of rubber bands to see how stronger ones will propel the boat faster. Make other boats of different lengths and widths to add some individuality to each boat.

• Before painting, give the boat a good sanding to get rid of any splinters that may have occurred when sawing.

Resources

• Source for Wooden Toy Patterns
• Toy Plans from Wood Magazine