Natural Wooden Toys E-Book

Erin Freuchtel-Dearing

• Herausgeber: Fox Chapel Publishing
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2016

Seitenzahl: 91

Beschreibung

Making fun and imaginative wooden toys on the scroll saw is child's play with this book! Author Erin Freuchtel-Dearing, a stay-at-home mom who taught herself to make toys without any prior woodworking experience, shows how to make 75 simple and charming wooden toys using just a scroll saw and a few simple tools. Her toys are so easy to make that your children can help to create and decorate them too. Rounded corners, food-coloring finishes, and natural materials make the toys both safe and eco-friendly.

Leseprobe

acknowledgments

To Kerri, my amazing editor, whose patience and knowledge made the road to becoming an author a wonderful experience. I would also like to thank all the other creative minds at Fox Chapel for their enthusiasm for this project.

To my dear friends and family, thank you for cheering me on and being such great listeners.

To my parents, Barbara and Marc, thank you for believing in me and always encouraging my creativity. Also Mom, thank you for teaching me to sew. I bet you never foresaw where that skill would take me.

To the source of my inspiration and joy—my children, Stella and Elliot. Without their boundless creativity and curiosity, I might have never found my love of toy making.

To my wonderful husband, Nick, thank you for patiently listening to my dreams and helping me to make them our reality. With your support as a partner and best friend, I have been able to accomplish so much in these last few amazing years.

about the author

Erin Freuchtel-Dearing, a longtime crafter and mother of two, is a relative newcomer to the world of woodworking. After the recent scares with toxic and unsafe mass-market toys, Erin decided to turn her attention to making safe wooden toys that also promote creativity. Erin purchased her first scroll saw from Craigslist on a whim, even though she had no prior woodworking experience. With a bit of practice and some help from her husband, Erin was soon able to fill her home with colorful toys—much to the delight of her daughter, Stella, and her son, Elliot. Erin credits her years of experience using a sewing machine for her ability to pick up scrolling so quickly—using the two machines is surprisingly similar. Soon after making that first scroll saw purchase, Imagination Kids Toys was born. Erin and her husband, Nick, design and hand-make toys at their home in Greenwood, Indiana. Their toys have been featured on such outlets as Ohdeedoh, Etsy, iVillage, and Babble. Visit www.ImaginationKidsToys.com for more information.

contents

introduction

part one: getting started

1: The Basic Steps

2: Wood Selection

3: Tools

part two: kid-safe finishes

1: Paint

2: Natural Dyes

3: Natural Polish and Care

part three: toys

1: Fairytale

2: Forest

3: Farm

4: Ocean

5: City

index

introduction

This book is filled with an array of toys that are sure to delight your little ones. Creatures from the forest, the ocean, the farm, and elsewhere dwell in these pages, merely awaiting your decision to create them—they are quick to cut and can be painted simply or with lots of detail, depending on your style.With the use of some simple tools—a scroll saw, band saw, or coping saw, and some sandpaper—you’ll be able to create these straightforward toys in a snap. You’ll find here all the knowledge required to create simple but handsome toys that will encourage your child’s imagination, with the added plus of knowing the toys are safe and will not be recalled by the manufacturer!

Creating your own natural and safe wooden toys is as easy as following these steps:

1. Attach or trace the patterns onto the wood.

2. Cut along the pattern lines using a scroll saw, coping saw, or band saw.

3. Sand all edges and faces of the toy using a palm sander or sandpaper.

4. Add color, using non-toxic paints or natural dyes.

5. Add details with a woodburner or non-toxic paint.

6. When the pieces have dried, gently sand to smooth any raised grain.

7. Apply wood polish. Wipe away any excess.

A WORD ABOUT TOY SAFETY

Please use your best parental wisdom when deciding which toys are safe for your child. If you have concerns about your child choking on a small toy, remember that all the toys in this book can be enlarged to whatever size you like. Also keep in mind that toys with parts such as wheels and axles could come apart if not constructed properly and attached with plenty of glue. If you are worried about this, remember that any wheels and axles can be omitted as you create the toys. Use your best judgment and knowledge of your child’s behaviors to make the safest choices for your family.

Creating these toys is really that easy! And there is a staggering array of projects to choose from:

animals

Foxes

Rabbits

Squirrels

Bears

Hedgehogs

Chickens

Horses

Cows

Pigs

Seahorse

Whales

Crabs

Fish

Dolphins

Turtles

people

Fairytale royalty

fantasy creatures

Dragons

Unicorn

Mermaids

stackers

Cave

Hill

Nature

Haystack

Volcano

Sand dune

Wave

Fountain

vehicles

Tractor

Truck

Sailboat

Car

Helicopter

Airplane

Train

buildings

Castle

Treehouse

Barn

City skyline

plants

Season tree

Mushrooms

Seaweed

Hay bales

Cornstalks

Trees

wands

the advantages of open-ended toys

When a toy has no set purpose, children can use it over and over throughout childhood; this type of toy is called an open-ended toy. To illustrate the point, consider the difference between a traditional board game and a wooden animal, such as those found in this book. The board game has certain rules that must be followed in order for the game play to function properly—there is no room for children to make their own rules or exercise their imagination. However, the wooden animal creates endless play opportunity—the animal could be traipsing through the woods, or be the pet of the princess of some far-away land, or be a game piece in an original game the children create themselves, etc. Open-ended toys inspire children to think and play creatively. Encouraging the development of imagination is one of the best gifts you can give your child.

Simple open-ended toys can be used in countless ways during play. Because a child’s imagination is the only limit, an open-ended toy can be an engaging companion throughout a child’s early years.

For example, take simple wooden blocks. Babies can enjoy blocks by using them to mouth and chew. Unfinished, well-sanded wood makes for a great natural teething toy. As babies grow, stacking and knocking down blocks can help them to learn about cause and effect. Those same blocks can be used to build castles, cities, or anything else your child’s imagination can conjure up as childhood progresses.

Stackers (such as the one featured on page 88) are another wonderful example of an open-ended toy that will grow with your child. At its most basic, a stacker can be used as a simple puzzle that lays flat on the ground. As the child grows, it can become a standing puzzle that helps develop fine motor skills. Finally, as the child’s imagination starts to bloom, the stacker will take on a variety of uses—tunnels, caves, hills, haystacks, and more—the possibilities are endless!

By choosing to give your children open-ended toys, you are choosing to allow their creativity to flourish through play.

PLAYSILKS

Another popular Waldorf open-ended toy is the playsilk. These are simply colorful cloths that could be used for endless purposes. Whereas a fairy costume will only ever really be a fairy costume, green playsilks could be the wings of a fairy one day, and the next become a colorful field for wooden toys to romp on, or a handful of flowers, or even a plateful of yummy vegetables! To provide playsilks for your child, simply cut and hem large squares (about 2’ [610mm] square is a good size) of solid-colored fabrics, or try searching www.Etsy.com for the keyword “Playsilk.”

the benefits of homemade vs. store-bought toys

We have all heard the news stories about unsafe toys finding their way into children’s hands. From bisphenol A to PVC phthalates to cadmium, plastic and store-bought toys have increasingly been found to contain toxic components.

Phthalates are added to plastic products to make them pliable and soft—items such as teething rings, bath toys, and other flexible plastic toys could contain this chemical. Because phthalates are added to plastic but are not chemically bound there, it is easy for them to leach out of the object, and they may be absorbed when children chew, suck, or play with the object. Some studies have linked phthalates to damaged sexual development.

Bisphenol A, or BPA, is a chemical used during production of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. Examples of some items that could contain BPA include baby bottles and other harder plastic toys. The National Toxicology Program categorizes BPA as an endocrine-disrupting chemical that has some effects on the brain, behavior, and prostate gland of fetuses, infants, and children.

Lead is a well-known health hazard that can be found in paints on some imported toys, and also in some plastics. Lead softens the plastic and keeps it flexible, much like phthalates. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has stated that the bond between lead and plastic breaks down when exposed to sunlight, air, and cleaning detergents to form a dust that can be easily ingested by children when the toy or object is placed in the child’s mouth.

Cadmium is a toxic metal determined by the Department of Health and Human Services to be a known carcinogen. Cadmium can inhibit children’s brain development, much like lead. Kidney, lung, and bone damage are also possible.

Natural wood does not contain these harmful substances or additives. Creating your own toys is an ideal way to ensure that you know exactly what your children are playing with. There will be no doubt in your mind that you are providing a safe and stimulating play experience when you have hand-selected all the materials yourself. In addition to wood itself being free of frightening chemicals, you have a few choices of child-safe finishes for your toys. Non-toxic paints (certified by the Art and Creative Materials Institute) are easy to find, colorful, and simple to apply. Better yet, stains made from spices, fruits, and vegetables offer a natural finish. Top either off with a homemade beeswax polish to keep the color fresh and the wood in good condition, while still avoiding dangerous chemical-laden finishes.

From an eco-conscious point of view, wooden toys are simply a better choice for the Earth. They are constructed from a renewable resource and, unlike plastic, can be returned to the Earth after they have worn out. Wooden toys are also typically more durable than their plastic counterparts, which helps to reduce the amount of broken toys heading to the landfill.

Another advantage of wooden toys is that they don’t require an endless supply of expensive batteries. Just imagine your home without the obnoxious beeps, chirps, and flashing lights that are so common with modern plastic toys. This is a definite benefit on the days you have a headache or just want a bit of peace and quiet!

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