Dada Makes Archer & Lyla Some Toys

Adam has put his love of woodworking into creating some toys for the babies recently.  He made something called a Pikler triangle.  It's a jungle gym of sorts for babies and toddlers to work on their fine and gross motor skills. 

Of course it turned out beautifully.  It's the kind of thing you don't mind being out in your living room because it looks so nice, as opposed to all of the other tacky-colored toys that litter our living room floor on a daily basis.

He made it out of walnut, oak and poplar so there would be a bit of contrast between the different types of wood.  Once it was all assembled, Adam put a coat of shellac over the top of it to protect it from all of the baby drool it will undoubtedly encounter.  Shellac is non-toxic and safe to use on baby toys.  It's a good thing, too, because Archer and Lyla put EVERYTHING in their mouths these days.

There are two sets of rungs that the kids can climb on.  They have both mastered climbing to the top.  But once they make it to the top, look down and realize how far off the ground they are, they holler and want us to help them back down.  There's also a two-sided ramp.  One side has slats on it that they can use as hand and foot holds.  The other side is smooth and can be used like a slide.  Both Archer and Lyla instinctively know to hold up their feet and their heads when they slide down.  It's pretty cute!

When Adam first told me about this, I thought it sounded like something the kids would enjoy.  Now that it's complete and in our living room, I have realized that I might not want them becoming so adept at climbing!  It kinda gives me a heart attack when they scale to the top of it.  And they've started to transfer their climbing skills to other areas.  Just today Archer used my leg as a ladder rung to climb on top of the ottoman.  It's only a matter of time before they scale the bookcase!  

Oh well!  This Pikler triangle certainly brings them joy.  It is fun to watch them develop new skills like seeing their little hands grasp the rungs and their little feet gain their footing.  And Lyla has a new prop to help her perfect her dance moves.   

An equally exciting addition to Lyla and Archer's toy arsenal are some wooden blocks.  Adam cut some blocks from some maple wood.  He sanded them until they were super smooth and made sure to round out all the sharp corners and edges.  After adding a coat of shellac, they were ready to be broken in by Archer and Lyla.  Jazzy wanted in on the fun too, but decided against it when Archer started tossing the blocks around.    

They both love chewing on them which is helping them cut even more teeth.  They like to clang two of them together to make fun sounds.  And they also enjoy knocking over the towers of blocks that Adam builds for them.    

It's so fun to watch what each one decides to do with the blocks.  Archer even tried to stack one block on top of the other.  He couldn't quite get it, which made him mad.  But he'll be stacking up his own towers in no time!  

Another wooden toy that I am going to commission Adam to make when the babies get a bit older are some wooden puzzles.  Adam made the one below for our friends' daughter as a birthday gift.  I think it turned out so cute!  After Adam cut out the pieces, I added a few coats of acrylic paint.  A final topcoat of shellac completed the project.  Adam has some time before he has to begin this project.  I figure we'll wait until the babies can tell us what kind of puzzle they'd like for Dada to make them.  

It's so exciting to see Adam use his talents to make toys for our babies.  I'm sure it's rewarding for him to watch Lyla and Archer play with something he created.  I can only imagine all the fun projects Adam will make for Archer and Lyla!