Making A Kid-Friendly Wooden Puzzle

I have a posse of nieces and nephews that I adore.  The youngest of the bunch are twin boys who just turned one year old.  These toddling cuties have recently been my inspiration for a homemade gift.  Of course, I often find myself in the position of having an awesome project in mind that I have no clue how to produce.  It’s one of those yin-yang predicaments.  I’m the type of person that prefers to try new things, particularly when it comes to creativity.  But I’m also the type of person that likes a plan and wants to do things well.  This polarity yields itself to frequent occasions where I am eager to jump into a creative process I've never tried before AND equally freaked out because I have no idea what I’m doing.  Experience has taught me two things in these moments:  First, give myself as much time as possible to think through, research, and tackle the process.  And second, have a back-up gift idea should the outcome look like a kindergartner made it (not cool when the intended recipient is an adult).

This post is my experience making two adorable wooden puzzles for my incorrigibly feisty twin nephews.  Let’s hope the puzzles are played with more often as puzzles than as clubs! 

Wood is a medium that intrigues me.  Its beautiful grain, strength, versatility, and history make it a favorite of mine.  I have no delusions of becoming a master woodworker, but I love the notion of getting more comfortable with this unique and natural material.  Presently, my woodworking skills are basic at best.  Like all skill-sets, practice makes perfect.  I figure the more elementary projects I have under my belt, the better chance I have at becoming proficient with the necessary techniques and tools.   Plus, my family and friends get the benefit of a homemade gift they know I spent time and effort thinking about them while making. 

These wooden puzzles can be designed in any shape that can be sketched on paper, but it’s best to keep the silhouette simple and distinguishable.  I chose a fish and a whale, but dinosaurs, stars, butterflies, bears, airplanes, cars, letters and the like will work just fine.  I finished the puzzles with an easily made beeswax and mineral oil finish because my nephews are still drool-y and prone to putting everything in their mouths.  With this slurpy tidbit in mind (and because I prefer to keep life toxin-free), a natural finish that also shows off the wood grain seemed the perfect fit. 

For the Puzzles:

1 x 12 pine board (the length will be determined by the desired size of your puzzle. I needed no more than 1 board foot per puzzle.)

Paper & Pencil

Scroll Saw   (No, I don’t have one…but borrowing from generous neighbors is not beneath me!)

Medium Sand Paper

Very Fine Sand Paper

For the Finish:

1 pint Mineral Oil

Sharp butcher knife

½ cup beeswax shavings, firmly packed    Note:  It doesn't take much to make ½ cup.  Local sources for honey will often sell beeswax.  Otherwise, a craft store will have beeswax with candle-making supplies.

A Glass Candy Thermometer

Small Sauce Pot

Spatula/Spoon

Plastic/Glass container with a lid

First, I sketched my shape on a piece of paper and cut it out to make a pattern.  It just so happened that my pine board had knots in it that I chose to use to my advantage -- I simply traced my shape on the board where a knot would be the eye for my fish or whale.  Then, with my pencil I made a few “puzzle” lines to dictate the cuts for each puzzle piece.  For such young children (and my novice skill level at the saw) I kept the pieces quite large.

Second, I ventured over to my husband's cousin's wood shop where I used the scroll saw to carefully cut around the silhouette and puzzle lines.  Don’t worry, he first gave me the safety and how-to tips…then he stood back.  I’m fairly certain he was as interested in the outcome of the wood as he was being certain I didn't paint the room red.  Using the saw, I found that, like a sewing machine, the curvier the cut, the slower I needed to go.  I finished my task in less than twenty minutes.

 

Back home I used the medium sand paper to take off all the rough edges and round every corner.  Then, I repeated the same process with the very fine sand paper to make it smooth enough for baby fingers.

Fourth, I made the Beeswax-Mineral Oil Finish.  I learned the recipe and process for making this finish from this helpful video: Wood Toy Plans -- Easy to Make Non-Toxic Finish  The finish is SUPER simple to make as long as you have the appropriate supplies, particularly the candy thermometer.  I've given a re-cap here:  First, make shavings of the beeswax and pack it into a heaping ½ cup measuring cup.  Then, with your small saucepan, pour in 1 pint of mineral oil.  With the candy thermometer affixed to the side of the saucepan, BUT NOT TOUCHING THE BOTTOM OF THE PAN, watch the temperature to be certain it does not raise higher than 150F.  Add the beeswax shavings and stir until completely melted.  Remove from heat.  Pour mixture into a small container – if using a plastic container, be sure it can take a bit of heat without melting.  Allow the mixture to cool at room temperature (or in the freezer for about 30 minutes) until hardened and creamy white in color.  The finish can be stored room temperature without going rancid.  One recipe makes PLENTY for many more projects.

Finally, using a paper towel I applied the finish onto every surface of the wooden puzzles.  I wiped any excess with a clean paper towel and allowed it to absorb overnight.  The next day I checked to be sure the puzzles were smooth and well-coated, but not greasy. 

Voila!  The project was well worth the effort and now I know how to use another power tool!  The boys will likely need some time to grasp the concept of a puzzle, but smart cookies that they are I’m certain they’ll be ready for something else by their second birthday (or Christmas).  Who knows…maybe I’ll graduate to making cars and trucks by then!