HEADS UP !!! Made in USA Wooden Toys should be big hit this year

great idea!

We need plans, people… plans for all skill levels… (wondering what I can make that would be fun and safe for a child)

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

doll chairs and beds sound like fun

-- work from your heart and your spirit will live forever

Hello Debbie
did a quick google for “free toy plans” and ran into a bundle.

Here is a link to a nice one.
Regards
DAN

-- work from your heart and your spirit will live forever

why look at that—a simple one to start!! Cool.

after i get these skateboards done I might just give it a try

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

How many skate boards are you making ?

-- work from your heart and your spirit will live forever

just 2… one is now complete. I’ve had a few roadblocks thrown at me, but I’m getting through it… one more step and it should be ready to ship to BC and the one will be up for auction! Yippee… How exciting.
(I hope someone wants it and they pay at least $20 for it!)

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

I’ll start the bidding at $20. I have grandson who would enjoy it !

-- work from your heart and your spirit will live forever

lol and you haven’t even seen it!!! :)

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

Best get some photos up…

-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov

Sure it looks good enough for a kid to skate around on. I’m sure he would be thrilled.

-- work from your heart and your spirit will live forever

pictures are on my blog

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

Maybe it will be good, but I think it will be a passing fancy. Once the recalls are over, and the kids see the toys advertised on TV, parents will be buying them again and giving up the wooden toys.

I would hope this would bring a revival for all things wood made here, but again that is not likely to happen. Price will win out after awhile, and people will go back to buying things made overseas once again.

I do not mind imports, as there are some fine made things. I just think one day we will wake up and realize we are not able to build anything ourselves, as we have forgotten the skills and lack the tools and materials to do so. When that happens, the prices will probably start to skyrocket. Lots of demand, limited supply..up go the prices.

-- Bill, Turlock California, http://www.brookswoodworks.com

true… parents of today can’t say “no” to their children’s pleas for “things”

during many of my parenting programs that I have facilitated the “hatred” towards McDonalds was discussed: why so angry? Because they MADE parents buy the “toy of the week” for their children. No, it was not peer pressure, no it was not giving to their children – it was ALL McD’s fault for “MAKING” them have to buy the set of toys that were out at the time.

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

Responsibility is not something a lot of people want to take on now a days. Nothing is their fault…it is always someone else’s.

-- Bill, Turlock California, http://www.brookswoodworks.com

I’m not thinking of a huge shift in toy buying culture. Even if it was a 1 or 2 percent shift in buying patterns, you are talking about millions upon millions more wooden toys made in the usa.
If someone ever wanted to become or start a business or hobby making toys, nows the time.

-- work from your heart and your spirit will live forever

I worry about all the product liability and child protection laws regarding toys. Are they too small, not smooth enough, not rounded enough on the edges, etc. I would like to make toys, but so far all of these concerns have outweighed my desire to make them. Maybe someone else has found a way to address these concerns safely?

-- Bill, Turlock California, http://www.brookswoodworks.com

Let’s start a different tack – I know many of you makes things for your kids, as I do. Last Christmas I changed – I gave a fancy birdhouse “kit” (based on magazine plans) to my 13 year old daughter. Now this kit was not a glue it together and your done type of thing. I only cut the parts that were either time consuming to make with little skills learned, or difficult/dangerous enough to make that I didn’t want her to do it on her own yet, in this case several small dimension strips that are part of the decoration. I put in enough materials for two houses. One for each of us to build together. The look on her face was priceless when she opened up this box of sticks and planks (yes, parents should have fun too!) :) I then explained to her the idea. OOOKaaayyy. Yep, there were some doubts.

Well we built them together and had a lot of fun making them. It was her responsibility to build her own in every way. Completely hands on. Yes, it got a bit fun when she didn’t let go of the brad nailer trigger (“no, you really don’t need 6 of them in that exact spot”) and nailing the copper shingles on was a bit trying (“if you poke a hole first, you won’t have to hit your fingers so hard”). Deciding on the paint for both of the houses was up to her (“Dad, that color of green they picked is so icky”) so she was really happy there. In the end they are nice bookends for our back fence and both were moved into immediately. I have yet to see a bird go in or out, but both boxes are full of nest material. I can’t wait to clean them out and see if I can determine what nested in them.

So my next challenge – what to kit for her this year? Hmmm, maybe a hope chest…. :)

Don’t make toys – make kits!!!

-- Steve (Plano, TX)

My wife and I took up the practice of not buying toys as gifts anymore. (FYI: We don’t have kids yet.) So far the toys I have made or the items she has sewn for our nieces, nephews, and cousins have out lasted the plastic stuff that they get.

We look at it from the point of view that wood is a renewable resource where plastic can be recycled but usually isn’t. Not to mention its mostly a petroleum product

~DB

-- He said wood...http://hickbyassociation.blogspot.com/

for the most part I give art related items. ..
don’t get me started on “toys”

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

ok with me !

-- work from your heart and your spirit will live forever

Rocking Horses would be big seller this year. Real nice ones made out of exotics. somewhere in the 200 to 400 dollar range. That is my prediction. Nice pine ones for 100 to 250 …. just a thought

-- work from your heart and your spirit will live forever

link to some really cool rocking horses

sent them an email inviting them to join

-- work from your heart and your spirit will live forever

TopE5, maybe something like this?
http://www.amazon.com/Trellis-Leaning-Towel-Magazine-Rack/dp/B000QSIC9W
http://www.chiasso.com/shopping/modern-home-accessories/miscellaneous/scooter-magazine-ladder.aspx

Maybe at least gives you a starting point…

MsdebbieP; Her is an idea for you! try makeing a toy that is also a learning tool for children. If I ever figure out how to put a picture on this page I’ll show you one

-- grumpa,Michigan

Hi to all of you I’m new to lumberjocks but I would like to participate. To Dan Walters I think your Idea for childrens toys is great.

-- grumpa,Michigan

her is my learning blocks, toy for children

-- grumpa,Michigan

come on Grumpa .. I’m routing for you.. you can do it… show me the pictures!! show me the pictures.

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

MsDebbieP, I’m sorry they don’t seem to want to transfer from photobucket. Tell me how

-- grumpa,Michigan

Well MsDebbieP; I’ve done a little reading and I think I’ll try again. I developed this set of blocks for my grandchildren. what you will see is one side of a block set. However there is actually six separate sets in this box and there is no block with the same letter twice. this gives you a total of 156 letters to work with, thus you can make short sentences. the same holds true with the numbers 54 number thus you can do adding subtraction divide and mulitply on a small basis plus there are 6 different colors to teach the basic colors. Lets try again

-- grumpa,Michigan

hey, hey.. you did it!

this is great. I like that you can make sentences with it. Excellent!
That sure looks like a lot of work

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

Great job. Nice vision and design.

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

It is a time consumer each letter and number has to be put on in sequence other wise you end up with a letter or number more than once on a block. I would like to get a copyright on this one but I don’t know how to go about it. So I probably won’t do it, I would just like for who ever uses this design to have the fun of doing it for the kids.

at my age I think happy hour is a nap

-- grumpa,Michigan

hey Dan your picture keeps moving, makes a person dizzy just watching it

-- grumpa,Michigan