I spent quite a bit of time this past week trying to figure out the dimensions of the original Fisher Price Little People.

That may seem like a waste of time, but I have a two-year old and I also have a number of old toys that she likes to play with. These toys have sockets in them that would receive the peg-type Little People but there are no such people to be found, short of ordering some online. I don’t want to do that.

These little peg people were originally made from wood. So, I thought it would be easy to just make a couple on my lathe. And, certainly, it is easy to make a simple figure on the lathe but it was a bit difficult to figure out the proper proportions. I based the first one I made on one toy but discovered that, although what I made fit into that toy, it was too big for every other toy.

I did eventually find dimensions online.

I like the idea of making toys. Seeing a child play with the toy you made is rewarding. But, that said, I don’t get the urge to make many toys. I only made two Little People (one too big) and may make more. The great thing about those particular things is the ability to make each unique through the painted design.

These are the two figures I made. On the right is a girl based on my daughter (the intended user of the toy) but it’s too big to fit in most of the toys. The figure on the left is close to the correct height and diameter. For some reason, everyone here thinks it’s a dead clown.

I think simpler toys may afford a greater opportunity for a child to use his or her imagination. A generic block of wood can be imagined to be a building, a dog, a person, a car, or practically anything. But a piece of plastic molded into the shape of a disco-dancing Snoopy has its identity more or less fixed. No imagination required. Maybe that’s better for some.

Anyway, I am considering making a rocking horse. I have an old photo of my uncle sitting one that was made by my great-grandfather. My uncle still has one half of it hanging on the wall. You can see it in the picture below.

That, incidentally, is not made from plywood. My great grandfather owned a sawmill and I imagine this was probably made from white oak or ash. It’s about an inch thick.

This horse has been hanging around since the late 1930s. The other half is long gone. But why is this fairly plain horse hanging on a wall?

Anyway, it’s a nice idea to make something that will be kept for a person’s entire lifetime. You put thought and effort into what you make. While that doesn’t matter to a young child, it will likely be very obvious to him or her when older and the toy remains.