Wooden toy building kits for bad boys
October 9, 2011 11:24 AM Subscribe
Unique and cool wooden toy kits?
My kids were really interested in the book Zany Wooden Toys that Whiz, Spin, Pop, and Fly when I had it home from the library, and I would love to build some of these kinds of things with them. The woodworking isn't necessarily beyond me, but finding time has been, so it would be great if we could find some kits that made unusual or especially interesting wooden toys.
I've been googling, and the only thing I can find are the usual assortment of jumping jacks, vehicles, airplanes, and so one--a lot of old-fashioned and heirloom style toys. That might be fun, but I think my kids would love things more like the tissue-launching crossbow or penny shooter in the book--things that are kinetic, goofy, unique, and mayhem-inducing.
I am open to the possibility of non-wood kits, too, if you know of something cool. But for the purposes of this question I'm not looking for open-ended building toys, robotics, or anything with a motor (we already have that kind of stuff in spades).
My kids were really interested in the book Zany Wooden Toys that Whiz, Spin, Pop, and Fly when I had it home from the library, and I would love to build some of these kinds of things with them. The woodworking isn't necessarily beyond me, but finding time has been, so it would be great if we could find some kits that made unusual or especially interesting wooden toys.
I've been googling, and the only thing I can find are the usual assortment of jumping jacks, vehicles, airplanes, and so one--a lot of old-fashioned and heirloom style toys. That might be fun, but I think my kids would love things more like the tissue-launching crossbow or penny shooter in the book--things that are kinetic, goofy, unique, and mayhem-inducing.
I am open to the possibility of non-wood kits, too, if you know of something cool. But for the purposes of this question I'm not looking for open-ended building toys, robotics, or anything with a motor (we already have that kind of stuff in spades).
A few years ago I took my kids to a Children Festival in Winnipeg. Home Depot was sponsoring an area where kids got to pick from a number of different wooden kits to put together. Both of my children loved it and 4-5 years later still have what they made and it is in good working order. They only took about 30-40 minutes to put together - and that was with the young kids doing most of the work.
We don't have a Home Depot where I live now so I haven't had a chance to see if they still carry these wooden kits but perhaps if you have one you could ask next time you are in.
posted by YukonQuirm at 1:51 PM on October 9, 2011
We don't have a Home Depot where I live now so I haven't had a chance to see if they still carry these wooden kits but perhaps if you have one you could ask next time you are in.
posted by YukonQuirm at 1:51 PM on October 9, 2011
I came in to recommend Timberkits but see jamaro has already mentioned them. They are good though. For other moving kits you could try googling automata kits.
posted by paduasoy at 3:08 PM on October 9, 2011
posted by paduasoy at 3:08 PM on October 9, 2011
RLT's got some good stuff. I bought and built their wooden trebuchet. They have models of Leonardo DaVinci's devices in addition to their catapults etc.
posted by storybored at 9:51 PM on October 9, 2011
posted by storybored at 9:51 PM on October 9, 2011
Response by poster: Thanks for the ideas! RLT in particular looks like it has some great possibilities.
posted by not that girl at 8:11 PM on October 10, 2011
posted by not that girl at 8:11 PM on October 10, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by yb2006shasta at 12:04 PM on October 9, 2011