Craft - inspired by Resene, from Little Treasures magazine
Foster your child’s creativity and motor skills with these colourful building blocks.
Wooden blocks painted with colourful geometric shapes mean that no two constructions are ever the same. Little builders will love piling them up (and knocking them down) then towing them around the house in this cute trolley.
Sand all the pieces of wood so there are no sharp edges or splinters.
Drill a hole in the centre of one of the end pieces and in the handle to attach the rope.
Hot glue gun and then nail the sides and ends to the base.
Paint in your choice of colour. We used Resene Reservoir and Resene Wishlist.
Attach the wheels to the sides of the trolley with 40mm screws, making sure to leave enough slack so they still turn.
Attach the rope to the trolley and the handle by knotting at either end.
Use masking tape to cover part of the block and paint the exposed parts in different colours to create different shapes. Peel the tape off before the paint dries fully to avoid pulling the paint off with the tape.
Resene testpots with water based finishes are considered suitable for use on toys.
Ensure the smallest block size is too large to fit in a child’s mouth, so it can’t obstruct breathing. While we don’t encourage blocks or toys being sucked and chewed on, water based finishes such as Resene Lumbersider testpots are considered suitable for use on toys.
Try using Resene Blackboard Paint for some of the blocks in place of standard paint. Then you and your child can have fun writing or drawing on the blocks in chalk.
For extra fun, try painting some blocks in Resene Magnetic Magic before you topcoat them – then you can use magnets on them. Most children love seeing magnets stick, even when the block is upside down. Make sure you use good quality magnets so they stick well.
Vary the block shapes and sizes. Try large and small squares, rectangles, and triangles. Always make sure the smallest block size you use is too large to fit into a child’s mouth, so that it can’t obstruct breathing. While we don’t encourage blocks or toys being sucked on, waterbased finishes, such as Resene Lumbersider testpots, are considered suitable for use on toys.
Make sure low tack masking tape is stuck down well so the paint doesn’t seep under the edge. Peel it off before the paint dries fully to avoid pulling the paint off with the tape.
If you prefer a stained look on your blocks, use the Resene Colorwood range of bright stain colours. Or combine stained blocks with some painted blocks for extra interest.
Painted blocks also make a great bedroom decoration – paint your child’s name or a message, one letter per block, in colourful Resene paint and then display on a windowsill or dresser. It’s an easy way to brighten up any room. Once they’re old enough they can use it to practice spelling their name.
Created by Meredith Baldwin. Photography by Bryce Carleton.
Kid's Bedroom Decorating Ideas
View more decorating ideas for kids from Little Treasures magazine in the Resene kid's bedroom inspiration gallery.