With this free "do it yourself" project you can make a beautiful and durable heirloom baby rattle.

Rattle is the very first toy which babies get to know, and as such it is a significant tool for the development of the baby. Rattles have been used since the ancient times and at the very beginning they were only in form of balls that rattled when shaken, but with the development of industry, rattles became more diverse, colorful and beautiful.   

Rattles are being used from the first month until the end of the first year of a baby's life. Their basic function is to improve development of vision, hearing, concentration, attention and the motion coordination. The first rattle should be simple and have vivid, contrasting colors, and as the sense of vision, hearing and motor skills is developing, these rattles should be gradually replaced with the more complex ones. The sound of the rattle should be clearly recognizable from the other sounds in the surrounding.  

 

Wooden heirloom baby rattle plan
Project difficulty
Simple
Skill level
for kids learning the woodworking and beginners
Level of workshop equipment
Basic hand toools
Basic power tools
Applied woodworking joints
Round mortise and tenon joint
Dimensions

D 51mm (2''), H 81mm (3.19'')

 

This Wooden heirloom baby rattle is designed for babies that are 5 months old and older. This is the period when the baby consciously starts to take objects in her hands. Variety of colors and more complex structure of the rattle should draw the baby’s attention and develop motor skills and sense of touch, as well as the hand-eye coordination. Round shape of the rattle is convenient for the baby, because she can easily hold it in her hand. We recommend using some light wood for the rattle manufacture, so the finished rattle will not be too heavy for the baby to hold.  

 

Exploded view and parts list
Wooden heirloom baby rattle - Parts list
Assembly drawing
Wooden heirloom baby rattle - Assembly drawing

It is natural for the baby to put in her mouth all the things that she comes in touch with, so it is very important that all these objects are clean and made out of non-toxic materials. Because of this, you need to be informed about which colors are safe to use for painting the rattle. We recommend using some of the child-safe finishes.  

When you make this rattle with love and proper attention, it will – as the word „heirloom“ in its name suggests – last in your family for many generations of babies.

 

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Submitted by Ceh Jan