idea for the wee-est Family members as they "join"

Messages
1,456
Location
Central (upstate) NY
quote from Ned's thread:

Jonathan,

What I think happened (and nobody really cares what I think) your little buddy in your avatar got to playing with the little blocks of wood and had so much fun you didn't have the heart to take them away.

He's a cute little one.

Aloha, Tony

You know, maybe we could start welcoming new family members to the Family by checking in and seeing if folks might be willing to contribute an interesting offcut or two towards a block set for new wee ones.

Since these toys will be eaten, licked, chewed and used as head bonkers (on self and others) we'd need to consider safety. Probably just plain unfinished is best and we'd need to be concerned about exotic species and sharp pointy shapes.

Any thoughts on this idea?
 
My oldest son's first toy was a wooden "rattle". It was two disks with small dowels holding them together around the edges. The disks were center drilled with a larger dowel going through the drilled hole and a couple of caps glued to the ends. It spun and rattled at the same time. I'd be willing to whip up a few of them if we decide to start doing this.
 
My daughter one day told me (she is now 30) that she remembers playing in the shop while I was doing shuff. She remembers all the blocks I made for her and how much fun she had with them.

I told her that they were not blocks - that they were just scraps of wood.

"I know" she said, "But you made them for me".
 
Growing up on a farm, we were besieged with equipment dealers trying to sell things and the best way to cement a farmer-client relationship was to donate a Ertle Tractor or two to the young ones. That means I had a lot of nice metal tractors as a kid. Still my favorite toy truck was a wooden thing my non-woodworking dad cobbled together from 2x4's, some wheels and a block of wood. It worked and would haul my "better tractors" everywhere. I still have the metal tractors, but that old wooden truck is gone. I sure wish I had that hideous looking truck back...hey it was ugly but my dad made it that beats a metal tractor given with an ulterior motive any day :thumb:
 
My kids and i make toys fairly often. My only requirement is that we need to sketch it out first. If they can draw a picture of it (maybe with a bit of help), we can figure out how to build it and start right on in. A leaf blower, week wacker, lawn mower (picking up on a favorite theme here??? We actually have nothing more than a cheapo lawn mower) blocks, a blimp, several tools, and my son's mad obsession with making back scratchers. Often, when i'm in the shop, the two kids (5 and 7) are at their small bench just painting, sanding, planing, drilling or sawing bits from the scrap box. It's apparently great fun.
I remember building roads and hills with the sawdust piles in my dad's shop.
It's all good.
As far as building blocks is concerned, i think it's hard to beat poplar. Non toxic, plentiful, inexpensive, and a close tight grain.
Have fun with it.
paulh
 
Top