Kids plaything ideas

CarolynRenee · #1 10/30/10, 07:23 PM

DD (20 months) just LOVES playing with the pea gravel in the park so we got an old tractor tire, leveled out a spot for it & are going to put pea gravel in it this week.

Anyways, we have a lot of scrap wood decking & several plastic 55 gallon drums.

Anyone have any neat ideas for some playground stuff I can make (without too much trouble)?

Thanks!

Wags · #2 10/30/10, 08:31 PM

Be sure you cover that gravel pit just like you would a sandbox to keep the cats from using it as a potty box.

mamato3 · #3 10/31/10, 07:48 AM

You could get creative and build tunnels and rooms out of those barrels and wood then paint them a bright color. I wanted to build a car tire caterpillar but hubby hates the idea of tires stuck our yard. Im looking for good digging ideas for my kids hubby hates sand because they track it in the house. Right know the get dirt mounds to dig in. Maybe i could try some pea gravel

mistymomom · #4 10/31/10, 07:55 AM

I love the idea of using the fine gravel. My son loves to play in it too. I also have some tires that were headed for the dump. I'm going to steal your idea. I can make some covers out of the scrap wood I have. Don't want the neighborhood cats getting any ideas. I'm all ready building a really big tree house with a climbing wall and a slide, I guess I'll check back here for more ideas.

chickenista · #5 10/31/10, 09:14 AM

We always had a sandbox on the front porch for DS when he was little.. then it got too cold. We had a space under the stairs.. so I painted it bright colors and filled it with several pounds of split peas and lentil beans etc..
Hours and hours and hours of scooping and pouring and pushing trucks through piles etc..
so you can do it on a smaller scale and inside for cold days.

HomeOnTheFarm · #6 10/31/10, 10:14 AM

At this age, digging toys for the gravel (real shovels & rakes, toy dump trucks and toy pickups, 1-gallon buckets) will keep him plenty busy. Also, make tunnels with the drums, and maybe a couple of ramps (or stairs) to climb up and over the barrels. Seriously, my kids would probably not come in the house unless they were hungry if we had a setup like that!

CarolynRenee · #7 10/31/10, 10:35 AM

Kids plaything ideas - Homesteading Questions

Here's what we got so far, going to get a pickup load of pea gravel hopefully tomorrow.

CarolynRenee · #8 11/01/10, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mistymomom

I love the idea of using the fine gravel. My son loves to play in it too. I also have some tires that were headed for the dump. I'm going to steal your idea. I can make some covers out of the scrap wood I have. Don't want the neighborhood cats getting any ideas. I'm all ready building a really big tree house with a climbing wall and a slide, I guess I'll check back here for more ideas.

If you're going to use the tires with gravel in it, I have a suggestion. Just found out about this "problem" about fifteen minutes ago.

You're probably going to have to build a "retaining wall" about a foot or two around the tires. As soon as DD went into the gravel-filled tire, she started scooping the gravel OUT of the tire. So I'm going to get some 2x6 boards & make a perimeter around it to keep the gravel IN the area.

sheepish · #9 11/02/10, 04:46 AM

Is your scrap wood pressure treated?. If so it isn't good for young kids to touch until the treatment has leeched out.

CarolynRenee · #10 11/02/10, 06:21 AM

Yes, I'm assuming it's pressure treated; it was from a friend's deck that he tore down last year. The deck was about five years old. Hoping that it's going to be ok......guess I should look into that more. Thanks for the reminder!

meanwhile · #11 11/02/10, 10:16 AM

Build things she can climb on or under and plan so you can add to it as she grows. A little table would be nice and some planters so she can plant flowers, carrots, - let her plant things she will like to eat. Have fun.