With respect, I beg, implore, request, and desire your help. My 3 year old cousin Kyla is in the hospital undergoing chemo. I'd like to make her some toys to distract her from the pain and suffering she is going through. Any links providing free plans or inspiration would be greatly appreciated (and please don't be a goober and tell me to do a google search, I've already done that). You're a great bunch of folks and I know you can help.
If you have access to a lathe, you can glue contrasting scraps of exotic woods together to form a blank, then turn into tops, balls, small bowels, baseball bat shaped pieces, etc, etc.
The variations in colors can be quite attractive.
Lew
Some plans -
Good luck with your cousin. I'll remember her in my even talk with The Big Guy.
Robert
What is your skill level and what tools do you have avaible? I am doing a class on toy making for grades 1 through 6 and would be glade to send you toys on that level. Check out my web site sweetsawdust.com and if you see anything thier that will work for you I will send plans or information if you need it.
Thanks, I'll look at these.
" snipped-for-privacy@aol.com" wrote in news:c5d6f009- snipped-for-privacy@c65g2000hsa.googlegroups.com:
"sweet sawdust" wrote in news:BuL7k.3380$ snipped-for-privacy@bignews6.bellsouth.net:
I've never found anything I couldn't make given the tools I have. I've got a table saw, a band saw, drill press, belt sander, chisels, planes, etc. hand tools. Not enough clamps. A brad nailer, a couple of electric hand sanders, and a neighbor who doesn't yet know he will be helping. Plus I've got a lot of pine (2X4, 2X6, 2X12, 1X4, etc). No lathe (yet).
One that is fairly simple but possibly interesting would be the jigsaw puzzle in the frame -- for the age a few large brightly painted pieces.
'Tis a bummer of a situation, for sure--altho often the kids teach us much. Best of luck...
I have some plan links on my web site for a few toys. If there is anything else, I can do to help, let me know.
Randy
Get to a public library and look for books by John Nelson in the woodworking section.
What are her interests? - Example: At 2 1/2 or so, one of our granddaughters was fascinated with backhoes (construction was in progress at the day care center). Construction toys aren't usually seen as "girl" toys, but she was very happy to get a Fisher-Price backhoe as a gift. She also liked the Lincoln Logs we gave her a year later. We do the "girly" things as well - a princess doll for her birthday last month.
Simple manipulatives are nearly always good - blocks, puzzles, etc.
Does she have a favorite character (book, movie, TV)? Something related to the character is good.
Does she like to play games - and will there be anyone to play with her? Lots of card and board game ideas are out there. A set of "matching" cards with pictures of family, friends, pets might be good (think Concentration or Old Maid).
Look for things that are powered by imagination ;-)
John
While not a toy a 3 year old can play with, in the right hands, with the right voice and the right stories something like this might bring a smile.
charlie b
Take a look through the Google archives for Tom Gauldin's "Bill Dings", hopefully there is a link to the plans or someone here has archived them. They would be good manipulative toys for stacking and general play, either in or out of bed which might be a big plus for this situation.
Your cousin is in our thoughts and prayers.
Or google on "tangram"
Easy to make, and there's hundreds of shapes that can be found on the net.
Thanks to everyone that made suggestions. Your kind thoughts and prayers are apperciated. Sucks that such a kind and gentle young girl so full of life has to go through this, while other deserving of pain escape without it.
It just occured to me that the *first* project I should probably make is a toy box to put the follow-up projects in. I'd like to claim I have a bunch of scrap wood to use, but in fact it's actually wood from projects I never got started on.
It has been pointed out many times before in this forum, if you are going to build a toy box, include two things in its design.
1) Air holes, you don't want a little one going into the toy box and suffocating. 2) Some kind of lid dampening system. You don't want the lid to slam down on sensitve little body parts. These are available from many woodworking sources.Thanks for the reminder, Lee. I think I'll use "shaped" holes for handles ("pickle" or "kidney" shaped holes, rounded over). There are many lid closers to choose from. I don't know yet if the lid will be built-up from edge-glued boards or a piece of plywood.
"Lee Michaels" wrote in news:ifWdnWXI7uf_ZP3VnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@comcast.com:
The below page has a number of possibilities:
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.