Jack went back to it immediately after his nap. Nice.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Zip Line Toy
I've always loved zip lines. As a boy I even made a real zip line from my treehouse. Jack and Tess aren't quite ready for that though, so I thought of this idea for a little zip line toy. I bent some paper clips and taped them to the wall, then tied a long string between them. Then bent another paper clip around an empty sewing machine bobbin, and weighted it down with some buttons. It works quite well, and it's fun for the kids to load buttons onto, then watch them zoom down.
I never had a zip-line toy. I'm not really sure what they are.
ReplyDeleteMaybe they're not too common in Australia?
Yours looks nicely relaxing ... and great for fine-motor skills!
What age group would you recommend for being able to use this toy?
ReplyDeleteBecause your son looks young but obviously not so young that he wants to eat the buttons?
It´s so fun to follow your blog...
ReplyDeleteSo many good ideas...
I have linked to your blog at my blog, hopes it okay...;o)
//Maja B, Denmark
genial! and so cute to see a little puffy-eyed boy who must return to pre-nap activities without wait. :) a familiar site around here, too...
ReplyDeleteso cool!!! love love love your blog, waiting impatiently for your book
ReplyDeletethank you for sharing all this great and stylish ideas
So fun, I think we need to test this out!
ReplyDeleteto the australian commenter - I too am aust and we do have them here but prob refer too as a flying fox or a pulley rather than a "zipline"
ReplyDeleteThanks for the idea! You have a gift for finding awesome toys in the most unusual places.
ReplyDeleteOh no. My kids are going to love this. I'm saving this for the next time my 6yr old says, "I'm bored!" I see lots of Polly Pockets going for zip line rides. I'll need to make it strong enough to hold Lightning McQueen, though, for my almost 3yr old.
ReplyDeleteThanks everybody! Yeah, there are probably a lot of different names for this sort of thing. I'm not an expert on it. I do see a lot of things like this to hang on in the playgrounds these days. Very fun.
ReplyDeleteMarisa - That's a really good idea. I'll have to make a pulley that holds lego men. Jack would be super excited about that. Nice one!
Okay, it's almost 3pm and I can't believe we're still in our pajamas racing little plastic guys down the zip lines strings that are criss-crossing our living room! I'll send you some pictures.
ReplyDeleteOoh, I've got to see that Maiz. Yeah, I thought you guys would like this one!
ReplyDeleteah, so cute, you're so clever. That reminds me of things my grandpa used to make for us, gadgets and strings to open doors and things we couldn't reach and stuff.
ReplyDeleteI'd never have thought of it, I'm mechanically challenged hehe. But, thanks for the inspiration, how awesome.
Clever, yet simple. Genius. I love it!
ReplyDeleteI give the little guy a few seconds before he swaps the button passengers for action figures :)
ReplyDeleteI LOVE your blog! It's just what I needed to get my kids out of the summer-time boredom. We have HOT summers, so we can't spend too much time outside.
ReplyDeleteThis is so ingenious :) Really cool, congratulations! Love the simplicity of your ideas, the natural feel. Linked to your blog with great pleasure.
ReplyDeleteYou are the coolest dad ever!
ReplyDeletejana
I am so impressed with your toys and art. Keep up the GREAT work!
ReplyDeleteYour blog is amazing! I just started reading over your last few posts and found myself going back through many, many posts! Every post is great, I am a new follower for sure.
ReplyDeleteawesome!
ReplyDeleteVery nice! We have a zipline, or "seilbahn" as we say here in Germany that has a little wooden carriage for carrying a few things. We string it from the top of my son's high bed to the other side of the room. Both of our boys love it.
ReplyDeleteI love your idea. Simple and also so much fun! Nice work.
Laura in Ludwigsburg
Joel. Mi ingles es muuuuy malo, asique lo mio va en castellano.
ReplyDeleteSolo queria felicitarte por TOOOODO lo que vengo viendo dde que descubri tu blog. Me fascinan tus inventitos con cero recursos y 100% creatividad. Tengo chiquitos de 4 y 8 años y se lo que se maravillan ellos con cada detalle y esto es el paraiso!
Saludos
Isabel
Thanks so much everybody! Very kind. Glad you all found my blog.
ReplyDeleteHi Joel --
ReplyDeleteAdd another fan to the bunch! I found your blog through a link about your paper city at Money Saving Mom. I love your ideas as well!
Being a nanny to a toddler boy is very different from my days when my only daughter was small, so I really appreciate your creative ideas that I know he will enjoy. I thought Marisa's idea above was a great addition.
I also hope it's okay that I put a link on my blog to your blog and activities:
http://newenglandnanny.blogspot.com/2010/07/mid-week-dad-tip-walnut-boats.html
Can't get enough of frugal fun with kids! :D
Dee
My cousin in law posted a link to your site so I came over. Love this idea! My 3 yr old is all about ziplines (thanks, Diego) so we'll definitely give this a shot :-)
ReplyDeletezip line= awesome use of house hold goodies for amazing fun!
ReplyDeleteThis is such a great idea! I can see some Legos going for a ride at our house!
ReplyDeletehaha, he still looks a little sleepy :) i can see why he wanted to get out of bed for this, great idea!
ReplyDeleteAlright, I rigged up a zip line this morning. Fishing line zip with paper clip harnesses. We gave rides to Polly Pocket (with and without her boogie board), a Matchbox-size bulldozer, two tiny fairies, and a Little People construction worker.
ReplyDeleteWe had so much fun. I'm keeping the zip line up for a while, but not too long. It's clear fishing line, and in a high traffic area, and I keep running into it. :)
Thanks again Joel!
Thanks everybody! Sounds like you're all making some awesome zip-lines!
ReplyDeleteMarisa - Good idea with the fishing line. I bet that makes it really fast!
Oh! My Dad made zip lines for us- on heavy duty rope with pulleys and a seat. One of my best memories from childhood. We had a ladder made of 2x4's up the tree to get high enough to do the 90 feet of zip. Great Dad, Great Childhood.
ReplyDeletei'm loving your blog! we did this project today and the kids have been having a lot of fun sending toys down the zip line, weighed down with buttons. tomorrow we're going to make one for us, the big people...
ReplyDeleteJust when I think I need to cut down on "following" ( I haven't update my own blog for a week; I've hardly sewn or made anything for a week, and I start working an extra 25hours a week from tomorrow) and then I find your blog full of amazing ideas for work ( I'm starting an After School Club at school for 4 to 11 year olds), so i've * added* to my following, but how could I not???
ReplyDeleteBenta
Thanks for the idea. I modified my version, using one of those Chinese take-out boxes they sell at iParty for 59 cents. Simply cut off the top flaps, detach one end of the wire handle and thread it through the bobbin before reattaching. Voila, a cable car!
ReplyDeleteThanks everybody! Great to hear all of your versions of zip line toys!
ReplyDeleteAnonymous - That take-out box idea sounds perfect! I've got to try that. Nice one!
When I was younger, I really wondered how it would feel like to fly thanks to Peter Pan and Superman. [LOL]
ReplyDeletezip wires
Thanks for your blog- we love it. Your ideas are so simple yet so genius. Thanks for this idea in particular! We made one yesterday. (http://craftcochinealtantrums.blogspot.com/2011/03/mini-flying-fox.html).
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your book- can't wait to see it.
This is just what I've been looking for. Got a zip line going between the roof of a tall doll house and the top of a toy castle...but couldnt find anything to hook up to it...the sewing bobbin will be perfect. Kids are going to love it. Thanks!
ReplyDelete