This is such a fun DIY today! It’s something that is super inexpensive and makes a great gift.
My mom always tells stories about when we kids were little and she had literally no money. My dad was a public school math teacher and my mom stayed home with all four kids and she was able to DIY toys for us to help provide. She was so excited to watch us open our Christmas presents and see us play with our new homemade doll dresses (made from her old clothing) or a stick horse she adorned with tassels from her old boots. I give my mom a hard time. a lot. But in actuality, I am like her in many ways….and wish I could be MORE like her. Especially when it comes to creativity. That woman can’t help ooze creativity.
So this project today I should dedicate to her. I wanted to create a little stacking toy out of old scraps and it’s super easy.
You will need five stacking blocks. We used 2×6’s cut to 5 1/2″ (that makes them square). Sand the whole thing down really well. Then drill holes in the middle of FOUR blocks for the dowel rod with a 3/4″ bit. You can also drill holes randomly in each of those four blocks so the kids can practice balancing the blocks or finding the center hole. That will make sense later. The last block is the base and it also gets a center hole but this one is only 5/8″ so that the dowel is a tight fit.
Each block was sanded smooth and spray painted a different color in Rust-Oleum’s spray paint – Navy Blue, Seaside, Key Lime, Ocean Mist, and White. Once everything is painted, use a soft mallet to knock the dowel (mine was 5/8″ size cut to 6 3/4″) into the base hole. It should be really tight and hold it in place. Then let the stacking begin!
The best part about having those random holes is that the kids can create different combinations and figure out how to make the structure balance. My boys LOVE balancing and stacking and so this was the perfect little craft for them.
Now get to creating. I vote we all make everything we give our kids this Christmas. Oh kidding. There is no way I can sew a remote control car 🙂 But still….that would be really awesome right? Maybe one year. Like when my kids say that all they want for Christmas is pajama pants and pillow cases. #neverhappening I would totally do it though when they are 16 and completely spoiled and bratty. Oh your friend got the new iPhone 64 plus asterisk……congrats you got a homemade pallet sign that says “Unpopular” 🙂 Merry Christmas!
Such a neat idea! This is definitely on our DIY list!
Such a cute project!
Do you do anything to seal your painted crafts? My son is about LJ’s age, and still puts everything in his mouth. Do you have concerns about the kids licking or chewing off paint?
(Full disclosure, my kid was licking the stairs on the playground the other day, so I realize I’m fighting a losing battle….)
I usually poly stuff (poly is considered food safe but really if a kid is chewing on anything that heavily then you might want to consider food dye)
xo kb
IPhone64. Love it. You speak the truth!
Love this!! Super fun and easy, so many possibilities! **Love the last paragraph!!
Very cute! Just FYI a doctor friend of mine told me that stacking rings (a similar toy) now comes with a wobbly base so if a child falls on it it will give way and won’t impale them. Maybe this should be a with supervision toy! We have a few of those on a higher shelf.
YES! I’ve been reading daily since the beginning but have only commented once or twice over the years. But I wanted to say THANK YOU for sharing this project idea. My husband and I are closing on our first home in five weeks, and I’ve been power shopping the clearance aisles to give generously but thriftily to our huge family for Christmas. Between the two of us we have 10 nieces and nephews and I was at a loss for gifts for the five babies and toddlers. We can make five of these for ZERO DOLLARS. My bank account and I love you so much right now. This is a great toy!
Love your blog……..but I’m not one to leave comments. I do refer to your family as my adopted family when sharing blog info with my husband. “Honey, my adopted family did these really fun shelves………my adopted family, guess what, ……baby on the way.” So thanks for sharing your DIY and precious family.
I’ve only commented on one other blog, ever. Regarding the toy project…….are you concerned at all about injury, someone falling on it without blocks on the post.. For some reason when I saw it complete all I could see was Olaf, saying “I’ve been impaled”. Of course I told myself, over react much?????, I’m a confessed worry wart, however, I couldn’t shake the worry so wanted to share my concern, just in case. I’ve learned to follow my gut so felt compelled to write.
Absolutely! I think most things these days are supervision toys 🙂
xo – kb
Thanks Tracy! I definitely think this is a supervision toy!
xo – kb
I love, love, love the color wheel in the background of this photo. It’s perfect for a play area. Would you mind telling me where you got it? Thanks!
It’s a poster from The Dollar Tree. It has words on it that I cut off when I put it in the frame 🙂
xo – kb
I made something like this in 4th grade for our school’s “inventathon.” Biggest difference was I made different shapes. Fun to make!
SO COOL! What you are saying is that I am like a fourth grader….aka…I look 21, right?! haha!
xo – kb