Every build on this site is one of Chris's actual workshop projects. We test each plan with a real kid, fix what doesn't work, and re-write until a beginner with a hand saw and a drill can follow it. Start with the door hanger if you've never made anything before — 20 minutes, two cuts, you'll be hooked.
Start with the door hangerFirst build idea? Get the printable plan.
Drop your email and we'll send you the one-page printable plan for our most-popular beginner build — the wooden "Sleeping/Awake" door hanger. 20 minutes, 2 cuts, no experience required.
Get the free planAbsolute beginner
Wooden Door Hanger
20 minutes · Beginner · $5–$10
Two cuts, one hole, two coats of paint. The simplest project on the site and the perfect introduction to every technique you'll use in the bigger builds. "Sleeping" on one side, "Awake!" on the other.
Painted Peg-Doll Family
2 hours · Beginner · $10–$25
Paint unfinished peg-doll blanks into a custom family. The perfect family workshop afternoon.
Wooden Baby Teether
2 hours · Beginner (care matters) · $10–$15
A food-safe heirloom teether in solid maple, finished with food-grade beeswax. The most thoughtful baby-shower gift you can make.
Beginner — your first real toys
Wooden Push Car
2 hours · Beginner · $15–$25
A solid wooden push car with four fat wheels. Your first dowel-axle build. Heirloom-grade with the right wood.
Wooden Stacking Blocks Set
3–4 hours · Beginner · $10–$20
A heirloom 28-piece unit-block set. Cuts simple, finish properly, lasts a generation. The single most-used toy in our test households.
Wooden Activity Board
3-4 hours · Beginner · $30-$60
Latches, switches, bead mazes, hinged door — the toddler busy board with 30 minutes of focused engagement built in.
Intermediate — for the second weekend
Personalised Name Puzzle
3 hours · Beginner–Intermediate · $15–$25
Jigsaw-cut a name puzzle from a single piece of birch ply. The perfect heirloom baby-shower gift.
Brio-Compatible Train Cars
3 hours per car · Intermediate · $15–$25 per car
Custom wooden cars that couple to your existing Brio set. Magnet-pocket inset work and precise axle-fit. Every kid wants their train collection extended.
Wooden Balance Board (Wobbel-Style)
6–8 hours over 2 days · Intermediate · $35–$50
Bendable-plywood lamination over a curved form. The $150 Wobbel for $50 in materials.
Wooden Rocking Horse
10–12 hours over a weekend · Intermediate–Advanced · $60–$90
The build that earns you bragging rights. Silhouette template, matched rockers, faux mane and tail. Heirloom-grade.
Simple Wooden Marble Run
6–8 hours over a weekend · Intermediate · $25–$40
A modular 12-piece run. Endless rearrangements. STEM disguised as play, with grooved hardwood ramps.
Kid's Workbench (Real, Not a Toy)
6–8 hours over a weekend · Intermediate · $60–$90
550mm bench top, vice slot, pegboard back, lower shelf. Real wood, real tools, real workshop — not a plastic toy bench.
Before you start: a few essentials
Two short guides every toy-maker should read before their first build:
Beginner Tool Kit
The under-$200 starter kit that covers every build in this series. Plus the "once you're hooked" upgrade path. By Tom — 20+ years of hobby builds.
Child-Safe Finishes
Which finishes are genuinely safe for toys a child will mouth. Beeswax, milk paint, ECOS — what we use and what we avoid. By Jess, our finishes specialist.
Frequently asked questions
I have never built anything. Where do I start?
The wooden door hanger. Two cuts, one hole, twenty minutes. It teaches every technique you will use in bigger builds — measuring, square cuts, hole drilling, sanding, finishing — on a project that is genuinely impossible to mess up. Move to the push car for build #2, the stacking blocks for #3.
What tools do I actually need?
Under 0 covers everything in the MAKE series at beginner level. A cordless drill, a hand saw (or compact mitre saw), a random orbital sander, sandpaper, wood glue, clamps, safety glasses. Our beginner tool kit guide lists the exact starter kit, plus the “once you are hooked” upgrade path.
What wood should I use?
Pine for first builds and decorative pieces. Maple, beech, or rubberwood for anything built to last (blocks, push cars, train cars). Birch plywood for sheet-based builds (name puzzles, dollhouse panels). Our full wood selection guide covers what to use and what to avoid.
What finish is safe if my baby will mouth the toy?
Beeswax + food-grade mineral oil, applied thin, buffed hard. The same finish used on cutting boards — genuinely food-safe from day one. Avoid solvent-based finishes (polyurethane, lacquer, Danish oil) and stick to water-based or wax-based for toys. Full guide: child-safe finishes.
How long does an average build take?
Most beginner builds (door hanger, peg dolls, blocks) take 2-4 hours of active work, often spread over two days because of glue drying time. Intermediate builds (rocking horse, balance board) take 6-12 hours over a weekend. Every MAKE card shows the time estimate up front.
Can my kid help build these?
Yes — with age-appropriate roles. From age 3 they can sand and paint. From 6 they can use hand drills and saws with supervision. From 9 they can use most power tools with a parent in the room. See our age-by-age teaching guide and workshop safety guide.
Do I need a real workshop?
No. A 1m×2m corner of an apartment is enough for the beginner builds — hand tools, a folding workbench, and a pegboard. Bigger projects need more space. Our small-space workshop guide shows three layouts from apartment corner to mini-shed.
What if I make a mistake?
Most beginner mistakes are recoverable — sand back rough finishes, re-drill misaligned holes, fix wobbly joints with a dowel. The genuinely unrecoverable ones (gluing the wrong things together) come up in our 12 beginner mistakes guide. Skim it before your first build.
Don't want to build it yourself?
Every MAKE guide includes our recommended ready-made alternative. Or browse our hand-tested wooden toy picks across every age, type, and budget.
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