How to Build a Toy Box

Toys are a kid's most prized possession. Every child has a huge collection of toys ranging from miniature building blocks to giant teddy bears. Kids are the happiest in the company of toys and learn a lot from them. In fact, during the early years, kids learn everything, right from alphabets and numbers to identifying common objects, with the help of toys.

Thus, toys have a key role to play during a child's formative years, and children should be encouraged to engage themselves with different kinds of toys. However, as your kid's toy collection grows bigger, there comes a problem. The toys get scattered all over the house and you are likely to find them in all the unusual places!

Scattered toys give a messy look to the house and is also unsafe for you and your kids. Imagine tripping over a toy car! Well, you can surely prevent such untoward incidents by storing the toys in an organized way, and more importantly, teach your kid to do the same. Now, what better way to do so than putting them all into a toy box?

This will help inculcate in your kids, the habit of placing things where they are meant to be, and at the same time, will make it easier for them to find the toys, as and when required. Convinced that a toy box is all you need? Well, the good news is that you can even make one at home, in a few simple steps.

You can build a toy box in a few simple steps and it does not need much time and effort. What's more, you can even involve your kids in the attempt, which makes it all the more fun. Before we begin with the steps, let's take a look at what all things you need to get started, including the materials required and the tools that you need to use.

• ½ inch plywood, 4 feet long
• Piano hinges (3 nos)
• Carpenter's adhesive
• Screws
• 25 mm nails
• Paint
• Spray finish
• Adhesive tape

• Measuring tape
• Pencil or marker
• Carpenter's square
• Drilling machine
• Sandpaper
• Hacksaw
• Screwdriver
• Paint brushes
• Utility knife
• Clamps

Once you have the materials with you, you can follow the simple steps given here to give shape to your very own toy box.

This means that you should design the toy box in such a way that it holds all your kids' toys, and has some space for more. For now, let us consider an approximate dimension of 18''W x 50''L x 14''H. It is better if you design one with compartments to facilitate better organization. Let us consider one with three compartments.

The next step is to draw the dimensions on the plywood board using a pencil or a marker. Carefully take measurements using the measuring tape and use the carpenter's square to draw straight lines. Once it is done, use the hacksaw to carefully cut out the parts. Now that you have the parts neatly cut, file them using a sandpaper.

When you have the individual parts ready, use the carpenter's square to assemble the parts such that they are at right angles to each other. The correct way to do this is to first place the bottom piece on a flat surface. Now, place the four side-pieces one by one, place two pieces to form compartments inside the box and use clamps to hold them together.

Take the drilling machine and drill holes at points where the pieces are to be joined together. In addition to that, drill holes on one of the side pieces for the two hinges that would attach it to the lid.

Next, apply adhesive on the edges of each piece by removing them one at a time. Finally insert screws to attach the pieces at each joint and fix the bottom piece securely using the 25 mm nails.

To fix a lid to the box, take three piano hinges and attach one leaf of each to the side of the box, and the other leaf to the lid. Once you are done, file the entire box again to smoothen up rough edges or splinters, if any. If you wish, you can insert supports to hold the lid of your toy box so that it doesn't come slamming down again and again.

The final step is to change the look of the box into something more appealing and attractive. Just grab the paintbrush and apply a coat of paint in your favorite color, or that of your kids.

Next, use spray finish to add a touch of shine to both, the inside as well as the outer side of the box. You can use different styles of painting and choose from among a range of vibrant colors. Just let your imagination run wild!

If you really wish to explore your creative skills, you can choose unique shapes for your toy box, such as a treasure chest, colorful Lego blocks, the Noah's Ark, or even a piano. Use of colorful themes such as butterflies, fairies, animals, etc, is also a great idea. You can also build toy storage bins in a similar fashion.

To add to the functionality of the box, you can just get a custom-made seat cushion and place it on the box. This way, your little one can have a cute little bench to sit on. Now that you have an idea of building a toy box, just get hold of the materials and start building one.

Your little kid will be more than happy to help you with small tasks such as handing over the tools or gluing the pieces together. Not only will you enjoy the process immensely but also, at the end of it all, have something that you and your child will cherish for years to come.