On this page you can download a large number of free plans that can help you make kids toys (construction toys, educational toys, games, skill toys...).
No matter how children's game could seem carelessly and no matter how much we believe that a child can play with any toy as long as it's safe and as long as child’s happy, it's not like that at all. Through the game, child actually satisfies needs of his or her development, respectively develops sensory, motor and mental skills, meets and learns about materials, shapes and sizes, discovers reactions and sounds, socializes him or her and prepares for life. Proper selection of toys is very important for overall development of a child and we have to choose toys very carefully respecting the needs and child development.
Here you are offered a plan for making an automobile toy. If you need to make a simple toy car in a relatively short time, this is the right plan for you.
According to the plan presented on this page, you can make an old German game for children and adults called ‘Bauernroulette’.
If your child – as most of the children – likes to collect certain type of toys, this biplane will be a nice addition to its collection of planes.
On this page you can find three free woodworking plans that you can use for making swings intended for children aged 3 to 4 and above.
On this page you can find a plan that you can use for making a Children walker tricycle.
The Count and stack toy plan will allow you to create an educational, eco friendly and lasting gift for your child of 3-4 years or a little older.
This airplane kids toy plan is designed to create something that will last forever and make a great gift to your children or grandchildren
In the free woodworking project that is offered here you can find drawings to help you make Happy push toy.
By our plan you can make a pen holder in the shape of a hedgehog. It can be a nice gift for any child that goes to school.
The hobby horse is one of the oldest known toys. In our hobby horse plan we presented two versions of this old folk toy.
Here is a free woodworking project according to which you will be able to make a toy called Lucky helicopter toy plan.
With the free project that you can download on this page you can make a Multi functional activity cube toy. This multi functional toy features 6 toys in 1.
On this page, we present you a plan for making an old-timer toy car, a perfect gift for your child.
With the woodworking plan that you can download on this page you can make a nice and sturdy Passenger plane kids toy.
We present you here the periscope toy plan, by which you can easily make one practical periscope, using just ordinary hand tools.
With this welding project you can make a pogo stick toy, a fun way for kids to play outdoors and exercise.
The Rocking Airplane toy plan will allow you to create a very beautiful and lasting gift for your child of 3-4 years or a little older.
On this page we present to you an interesting educational toy that you can make for your child. We called it the ‘shape matching board toy’.
With this simple project you can make a Shape sorting cube toy, a must-have for every child.
On this page you can download a plan by which you can make an interesting and educational toy that we named the Shaped Hexagon Toy.
With this plan you can make an old Russian folk toy invented by the fishermen on the shores of the White Sea.
On this page you can download plans that can help you make three simple toys on wheels, an eco-friendly and natural toys which will be loved by your little ones.
With this free woodworking plan you can make a Stacking and sorting toy, one of the most popular wooden toys on the market.
- Free and public domain books about making toys
Child learns through games and fun. He or she unconsciously chooses those toys that meet his or her current needs. The main role of toys in children’s life is not to amuse them, but to help in their development. Through games child learns and develops, so it does matter what kind of toy we give to our child. The toys have certain functions in the development of child’s senses, motor skills, coordination of movements, psychomotor skills; they encourage imagination, learning and socialization. Since child gradually goes through different development phases from the birth and through the childhood, his or her need for different types of toys changes with time. Therefore, you should provide your child with those toys that are adjusted to the age and needs, not those that parents like. Parents and relatives often make mistakes when choosing toys, because they want to express their love towards child by purchasing the most expensive and the most complicated toy. Psychologists say that the most quality toy for a child is the one that’s simple and universal. The simplest things like piece of wood, encourage children’s imagination the most. That piece of wood can be a house, car, ship, chair, cake… For a proper development and fun, children don’t need expensive and branded toy at all. What’s important to a child is that the toy is adjusted to his or her age – complicated just as much as child needs in certain age. If the toy is too simple for their age and level of development, it won’t motivate them. If it’s too complicated, child won’t understand it and it will frustrate him or her. A child can perfectly play with the most ordinary house things like plastic cups, spoons, bowls, pillows…
Characteristics of a good toy
The toy is considered to be good if it’s adjusted to the age and developmental needs of a child. A good toy should be simple in order to encourage child’s imagination and creativity; child should be able to play with it in many ways. The toy is considered to be good if it challenges child to think, play with it, experiment, feel, ask himself or herself questions and seek for answers. The toy should encourage development of psychic, motor, mental, social and emotional skills. A good toy should be nice, amusing, safe and high-quality and it should help child to learn and meet the world around him or her. Did you know that blocks, balls and stacking cups are considered to be the best existing toys?
KIDS TOYS BY AGE - Best Toys for Kids, Age by Age
Characteristics of a safe toy
We can’t discuss safety of any toy without taking in consideration age, skill level and temperament of a child. Child should always be given a toy that’s appropriate for his or her age. As child gets older, more skilled and experienced, criteria that indicate a toy as a safe one are milder. However, regardless of child’s age, there are several characteristics that a toy should have, so that we would consider giving it to our child.
- A toy has to be firm enough so it wouldn’t fall apart to smaller parts that could cause injury to a child during game, throwing and falling. For children under the age of 3 who are putting everything they find in their mouths, parts of toys should be larger than their mouth so that children wouldn’t swallow them or inhale them.
- Toys must be made of healthy and safe materials and they shouldn’t contain toxic chemicals and paints.
- Toys child can sit or climb on, must be stable.
- Toys shouldn’t have sharp parts or edges that could cut child.
- Toys shouldn’t make noise, because it can damage child’s hearing.
- Toys should be designed to be easily washed or cleaned.
Advantages of wooden toys
Traditionally wood is considered to be an ideal material for making toys. Toys made of wood last long and they enrich children’s space. Wooden toys were used 3000 years BC in ancient Egypt, and have remained until today. Nowadays, when market is full with industrial plastic toys from mass production, which are often of suspicious quality and almost always short-lived, wooden toys are completely their opposites. They contain spirit of tradition and longevity and they are often handmade and unique.
Young children put every toy in their mouth. Wood is natural material and it’s certainly much safer in children’s mouth than any plastic toy. Wooden toys are generally simpler than plastic ones and they enable children to use their imagination while playing with them. Wooden toys are more durable than plastic toys. Plastic toys get broken easily while wooden toys can stand much more punches and falls. Wooden toys are safe, without any health risk and more suitable than any other material. Therefore, educational toys for preschool children and young school kids, such as building blocks, puzzles and similar, are made of wood. These toys are durable and they will last for many years without any damage.
Wooden toys can often be made from scrap or from recycled wood, thus they become not only cheaper but also environmentally friendly.
Craftsmanspace kids toy plans
All toys whose plans we offer here are made of wood, without or with minimum of metal parts. By making these wooden toys you will create a unique toy for your kid. Wood is natural material that’s not harmful, it doesn’t brake and it’s easy to maintain. Surfaces must be smooth and edges must be rounded, parts of the toys must be well embedded and glued so that they wouldn’t fall off during use.
They have simple design, smooth lines; children can easily hold them. When producing, we should pay attention that glue and colors are non-toxic and harmless, colors have to last, to be bright and to attract children’s attention.
Here you can find free plans for wooden kids’ toys for different age groups. Before beginning of production, you should check well dimensions of certain parts on the plan, and evaluate if the toy you have chosen is appropriate for your child’s age, skills and interests.
We have no doubts that your standards regarding toys you give to your children are very high. When purchasing toys it’s hard to find the ones that you’re completely sure it does not contain harmful dyes, that they won’t break, or the ones that are not full of small parts that could endanger your child’s health. If you make toys by yourself, only then you can be sure that you have given to your child a safe, firm and high-quality wooden toy that does not contain anything harmful and dangerous.
When choosing wood for kids toys it is very important to use those types of wood that are not harmful and that not contain toxic or allergenic substances. We recommend you to use hardwood that does not have large pores that could trap dirt and bacteria. Please always use wood that comes from the sustainable forests or from plantations. Suitable types of wood are maple, alder, birch, sycamore, poplar, cherry and similar. Avoid exotic woods, because they can cause allergic reactions. From the same reason, you should also avoid walnut. Glue you’re using must be kids-safe. Sanding of surfaces has to be done perfectly, so that children won’t get hurt because of splinters. When choosing colors and finish, you should always use the ones you’re sure of are kids safe. Whenever you can, use the wood of different colors rather than using dyes.
Even if wooden toys production, with all the precautions we’ve mentioned, seems to be complicated, in reality it’s not like that at all. Making wooden toys is easy and pleasurable.