Wooden Pretend Play Kitchens & Toys

Pipe cleaners ladybugs, popsicle stick houses and glittery paper bracelets – finding a do-together project that both you and your daughter can enjoy can be a daunting task. What is fun for you may not always be easy for her – and vice versa. Creating wood toys with your child is the perfect meet-in-the-middle project that you are both sure to enjoy.

By “creating”, I don’t mean spending four hours a day locked away in a workshop with a drill and a ton of wood glue. Many specialty online retailers carry unfinished wood toys just waiting for a personal, whimsical touch. Today, let’s explore one of the many wonderful projects that is both parent and daughter friendly.

What little girl doesn’t love dollhouses? Chances are your daughter has begged you for at least one this year. Just imagine . . . if she had a dollhouse unlike any other girl’s in the world! It isn’t a very difficult task to “decorate” the house yourself.

While you can purchase paints especially for wood surfaces, acrylic paints also work well if you finish with a coat of good sealant. Paint your walls with polka dots and cover your floors in pretty shag or animal print fabrics – or whatever suits her fancy. You can also buy unfinished miniatures and create picture frames for your walls. The possibilities are endless. Once you finish your dollhouse, you can begin on the dolls themselves!

Creating wood toys with your child is the perfect project for both you and your daughter. As your daughter outgrows her dollhouse, she can save it for her own children and she will have an oh, so sweet story to share of how you spent your days together creating this one of a kind treasure.

Spending quality time with your son just got a little more entertaining. Creating wood toys is a perfect project for your child to tackle and one that you will equally enjoy. Don’t worry Moms, when I say, “create,” I do not mean running out to the tool shed and grabbing the hacksaw! Many online specialty stores offer beautifully crafted unfinished wood toys such as tractors, paddleboats, trains and just about anything you can possibly imagine. Here are a few hints to help you and your favorite little one get creating . . .

While you can buy specialty paints especially for wood surfaces, cheap acrylic paints also work well and are much more budget friendly. The key to using a cheaper paint such as acrylic is coating the finished piece in a good sealant. Sealants come in glossy and matte finishes. Which one you will choose will depend on the end result you are trying to achieve. While you can cut corners with paint, refrain from skimping out on a good set of artist brushes. Cheaper brushes can be course and hard to work with. A good quality set of brushes usually cost around ten dollars but they will last you many years.

We are going to explore the many possibilities of decorating your own toys. Let’s use a tractor for our example. By painting each part of the tractor in an unusual way, you can create a whimsy that cannot be bought in stores. Try creating polka-dotted tires and striped frames. Old buttons make the perfect “headlights” and “wheel spokes”. It’s also a good idea to use various colors and not stick to just one or two.

So what’s the secret to designing great wood toys? That’s the beauty of it – there is no secret! Simply use your imagination. If you see stars on your paddleboat or pigs flying on the side of your wooden train – just paint it! The only rules are that there aren’t any.

Happy creating!

When centering the design of your baby’s room around a certain character or theme, it can quickly become outdated. However, by opting for a more traditional look you can create a baby room that will grow with your child. With classic fabrics, wall décor, wood toys and other traditional touches, you are sure to create a sweet and unique retreat just for baby.

When choosing a wall design, opt for colors that will easily adapt to your décor as your child grows into a toddler. Remember that he may not always like teddy bears and baby boy blue. Those days of Spiderman, cowboys and Indians will creep up on your sooner than you think! It is a good idea to create aesthetically stimulating walls as both babies and children enjoy being in brightly colored, kid friendly areas. Try painting your walls in a two-tone stripe and customizing your child’s dresser with polka dots in a contrast color.

The wonderful thing about décor is that it is much easier to change than a wall color. Try taking old art frames and painting them bright white – hang them upon the wall and place a clear “art shelf” in the center of each. You now have a wonderful 3-D art frame for a tiny vase with a fresh flower or a brightly colored wood toy. As your child grows, this will also serve as a platform for those macaroni art projects he brings home from school.

Wood toys are also a wonderful touch to any baby’s room. They add a touch of tradition and a wonderful accent to your décor. This is especially true for those pull along duckies – there is just something so joyful about walking into a room with a pull along duckie strung sweetly across the rug.

Creating a baby room that will grow with your child is as easy as one, two, three. The best thing about this project is the hassle it will save you from repainting your walls every two years as your child’s interest change.

Happy Decorating!

Does your son dream of being a gallant knight with a trusty stead and a sword by his side? Well, now you can make his “knight tales” come true. With creative wood toys, a few switcheroos of his room and a little elbow grease, you can give your child the adventure room of his dreams.

If you are extra creative and have the time to devote to the project, opt for painting “faux” stone walls. Many local home improvement stores offer free classes where they teach this technique. It is not difficult – just time consuming. Try painting one wall every two weeks until the job is finished. When complete, you can also go around and add “faux moss” to the stones, another tip that is taught at most home improvement stores. Purchase antique looking mountable wall lamps and use them as your “torches”.

Stores that specialize in Celtic or Medieval items have a variety of wonderful accessories for knight rooms. From inexpensive trinkets all the way up to pricey freestanding suits of armor, they should have almost all you need to create a lifelike “castle”.

Wooden swords and shields make an excellent alternative to dangerous metal. They still look wonderfully realistic, yet, give you the peace of mind that your child will go to bed with all ten fingers and toes! Another wonderful idea is to have a costume box to grace his closet. Fill it with regal robes, toy crowns, costume beards and such. It will give him endless possibilities for pretend play in his “castle”.

Creating a one-of-a-kind boy’s room isn’t as hard as it seems. From faux stone walls, to wood toys and “torches”, you too can give your son a room that is fit for the bravest knight in the land. After all, a boy’s home is his castle!