Most little children will benefit from having a stepstool or other small stool. You can certainly pick up a hard plastic one at any super center, dollar store, or hardware store, for around $5.00, but you can also make one yourself. A simple stool can be put together in a couple of hours or less and it will be custom made for your child. You can also make it coordinate with your home, by making an upholstered cushion or painting it to match. This is a great project to get the kids involved in.
Simple Stool
Use a piece of scrap plywood that you have handy or pick some up at the lumber yard or home improvement center. These places will cut the wood down for you for a few cents more, and you might also be able to pick up small scrap pieces very cheaply. Just cut a piece (or have a piece cut) down to about 12” x 18” and cut a couple of 12” lengths of 2”x 4” lumber. Drill pilot holes, screw the 2” x 4” pieces across both sides from beneath. Cut another piece of lumber to 14” and attach it between the two “legs” for greater stability. Fill holes with wood putty and allow it to dry. Sand, wipe, and then paint or stain as desired.
Add Some Curves
If you can handle a jigsaw you can add some curves to your stool. You can change the entire shape of the top, making your own design, or you can simply round the corners. Trace a round shape on each corner and trim off the hard edges. Sand well, especially on cut areas. Add bun feet for even more roundness. These are attached from the bottom, so you won’t have holes in the top of the stool. Stain it or paint it. You can paint a solid color, stripes, a design, or your child’s name.
*Check back for more stool ideas.