Natural Wooden Toys: 75 Easy-To-Make and Kid-Safe Designs to Inspire Imaginations & Creative Play
Addressed to adults but not beyond experienced young crafty sorts, this gathering of projects offers 75 radically simplified animals, human figures, trees, vehicles, and backdrops—all made from one or just a few pieces of sawn wood finished and decorated in child-friendly ways. After an introduction extolling the Waldorf style of schooling and “open-ended” toys, the author begins with basic advice for selecting and using woods, tools, safe paints, natural dyes, and polishes. She then lays out finishing and ongoing care instructions, and goes on to present projects in five settings, from “Fairytale” (castle, dragon, unicorn, knight, magic wands) to “City” (trees, multipart skyline, train, helicopter). Though occasionally she offers additional procedures or directions, most are so simple that a list of materials, a close-up photo of the finished item, and a template made to be copied, cut out, and traced are all the guidance given or, for that matter, necessary. Children in elementary grades will enjoy helping to decorate these sturdy homemade toys, and members of the diapered set will delight in playing with them. Grades 6-9. --John Peters