Child's Stacking Toy

Little children enjoy stacking things and solving small problems. Stacking these slices of a tree limb on pegs lets them do those things.

MATERIALS

A dry tree limb about 2" in diameter and a foot long

1/4" x 6" wooden dowel

Wood 7" x 3" x 3/4"

Felt 6-1/2" x 2-1/2" (optional)

Wood or Elmer's glue

Scrap backing piece of wood

TOOLS (this is what I used but others can be used)

Table saw

Band saw

Disc sander

Power drill

1/4" bit

5/16" or 3/8" drill bit

From a piece of 3/4" thick wood, cut the base to 7" x 3". Sand all edges and corners smooth.

On a band saw or using a hand saw, cut 12-14 slices of the branch 1/4" thick. Smooth any rough surfaces. One by one, set the discs on a backing piece of scrap wood and drill 5/16" or 3/8" holes in the center of the discs.

Cut two pieces of 1/4" dowel to 3" long. Round off the top of each peg.

Place two of the discs on the base piece to determine about where the holes for the dowels should be drilled and mark the centers. Remove the discs and measure to determine the final drill locations. Drill a 1/4" hole for each of the pegs. OPTIONAL: Glue a 6-1/2" x 2-1/2" piece of felt to the bottom of the base piece. Add a drop of glue to the bottom of each peg and install them into the holes.

Assemble the discs to the pegs and give the toy to a young child. Show them how to assemble the discs to the pegs and let them have fun.