Build your own wooden play shop: a DIY guide and tips
- Difficultymedium
- Cost8-15 £
- Duration2–4 hours
Introduction
‘Would you like some fresh lemonade? That will be €1, please.’ The play shop is a timeless classic that promises children hours of playtime and the little ones won’t even notice that it’s already dinner time. But this DIY project is also fun to work on! We’ll show you how to build a mobile play shop yourself from old drawers and discarded children’s bicycles. Take a look at the ‘Planning and background knowledge’ section to discover all the tips and suggestions you could ever need to make the DIY shop a rousing success.
Have you heard about our 18-volt system yet? It offers a huge variety of devices for many different applications. What makes the DIY play shop so special is that you can use the same rechargeable battery for every part of this project. Simply swap out the battery pack, insert it into a different device that’s part of the 18-volt system and move on to the next step.
Pay attention to occupational health and safety every step of the way to protect yourself and your health. You’ll find all the important information you need to know in our overview of Safety precautions for DIY projects.
- Square
- pencil
- g-clamps
- folding rule
- masking tape
- 2 old chests of drawers
- Wood screws, 4 x 20 mm
- Wood screws, 4 x 25 mm
- Wood screws, 4 x 50 mm
- 1 squared timber, 40 x 60 mm
- 2 slats, 100 x 400 x 10 mm
- 1 panel, 200 x 400 mm
- 4 slats, 600 x 50 x 10 mm
- 2 three-ply panels, 600 x 190 x 19 mm
- Threaded M10 rod
- 2 front wheels from a children’s bicycle, 12-inch
- 2 braked castors
- Umbrella
- Wood glue
- Wood paint
Let's go - step by step
Screwing the drawers together
You need: Cordless drill/driver, Screwdriver bit set, Cordless jigsaw, Jigsaw blade for straight cuts, 2 drawers, Wood screws, 4 x 25 mm, 2 braked swivel castors, Slat
You will need drawers to make your DIY play shop – two of them in our case. We took them from an old chest of drawers. They measure 500 x 600 x 200 mm (image 1). Once you’ve got your hands on what you need, it’s time to get started.
First, remove all of the fittings and wipe away any noticeable dirt from the parts you’re going to be working with. If your drawers have overhanging fascia boards, saw them off flush with a jigsaw. Place the drawers next to each other and join them together with a small crossbar (image 2). You can also mount the small swivel castors.
Shortening the threaded rods
You need: Cordless angle grinder, Cutting disc for metal, g-clamps, Squared timbers to hold the panels in place, Threaded M10 rod, Pocket rule
You’ll first need the length of the wheel axle. For this, measure the width of your cart and the hubs of the large wheels and mark them on the threaded rod with a felt-tip pen. Next, secure the threaded rod firmly in place. The easiest way to do this is to clamp it between two squared timbers and hold everything together with G-clamps. Then, shorten the rod to the right length with the angle grinder.
Mounting the wheel axle
You need: Cordless drill/driver, Screwdriver bit set, g-clamps, pencil, pocket rule, 2 slats, 100 x 400 mm, 1 panel, 200 x 400 mm, Threaded rod with wheels
We now come to something a little trickier: mounting the large wheels and making sure they are at the same height as the swivel castors. First, measure the height of the swivel castor and note down the measurement. Then, measure the radius of the large wheel. Half the wheel diameter minus the height of the swivel castor will give you the correct position. Measure the calculated dimension from the top edge of the drawer (image 1).
Now, screw one of the two slats into place. This forms the base of the wheel housing, which is why it’s important that the slat and the threaded rod are the same thickness. You can now place the wheel axle on the slat and check whether you have done everything correctly (image 2).
Place the second slat on the threaded rod and screw it tight. Then, mount the counter board, which closes the wheel housing (image 3). You can now stand the DIY play shop on its wheels to work through the next steps.
Making the shelves
You need: Cordless hand-held circular saw, Cordless jigsaw, Jigsaw blade for straight cuts, g-clamps, Wood glue, 4 slats, 600 x 50 x 10 mm, 2 three-ply panels, 600 x 190 x 19 mm
Build a shelf with a ledge as the end on both sides of the DIY play shop. Saw the three-ply panel twice to the inside dimensions of the drawer (image 1). Bear in mind that the end slat also needs a centimetre of space in terms of depth. You also have to saw them to length, of course.
Sand the slats and the three-ply panels. Then, apply the glue (image 2) and attach the slat to the panel with G-clamps (image 3).
Mounting the shelves
You need: Cordless drill/driver, 4 mm Brad point drill bit, Screwdriver bit set, g-clamps, 8 wood screws, 4 x 50 mm, 4 wood screws, 4 x 20 mm, Shelves
Think about the height at which you want to place the shelves in your DIY play shop. Mark the position and pre-drill the holes. Hold the shelves in place with G-clamps and screw them tight (image 1).
You can add another stabiliser, for example, an old drawer fitting on the top with the swivel castors (image 2).
Building the umbrella stand
You need: Cordless drill/driver, Screwdriver bit set, Forstner drill bit (30 mm), g-clamps, 1 squared timber, 40 x 60 mm, 4 wood screws, 4 x 50 mm
A colourful umbrella is the eye-catcher of any DIY play shop. The fact that umbrellas come with so many different types of handle means there are lots of different ways you can attach yours to your shop. In our case, the handle is oval, and we will sink it into a squared timber. The easiest way to determine the diameter is to clamp the handle between two slats and measure the distance (image 1).
Drill a hole in the squared timber with a Forstner bit of the correct size. This is 35 mm in our case (image 2). Screw the squared timber in place at the desired height from the inside (image 3).
Sanding and painting the shop
You need: Cordless drill/driver, Screwdriver bit set, Cordless multi-sander, Sanding sheet set for multi-sanders, Wet and dry vacuum cleaner, Cordless paint spray system, Play shop, Painting area
It’s time to add the finishing touches. Take off all the parts you don’t want to paint, such as the wheels and the metal fittings. Sand all surfaces of the play shop and then thoroughly vacuum up the sanding dust (image 1).
Now set up your painting area. Apply the paint using even, steady movements (image 2). You can find everything you need to know in our paint spraying guide.
You can reassemble all the parts once the paint has dried. The DIY play shop for your kids is ready.
And what goes perfectly with a cool glass of lemonade on a hot summer’s day? A sand cake, of course! Best made in a great DIY mud kitchen for outside. And for dessert, a sweet treat from the DIY candy cart.
We hope you have lots of fun!
Planning and background knowledge for the DIY play shop
A DIY shop can light up children’s eyes and – as with the version in our step-by-step guide – breathe new life into old objects. In this section, we provide general information for anyone who wants to build a DIY play shop for their child(ren), such as what components you can use to build it, what variations there are and what extras you can add to it.
What are the components of a play shop?
A DIY play shop comes with plenty of room for creativity, as with almost every DIY project. However, some components are indispensable.
Most shops consist of at least one shelf or chest-like structure with or without drawers that acts as the storage cabinet for the ‘goods’. The top side acts as the counter where the goods are sold. Many shops are in two parts. These models have a higher shelf that is used as a storage cabinet at the back, while another, lower component further forward acts as a sales counter. This version needs a little more space, but it also gives you more options in terms of features and ways to play.
A roof is also a nice idea for a shop, especially if the kids are going to play with it outside in the sun. You could also use fabric or wood to make it instead of the umbrella we used in our step-by-step guide. You can recycle scraps of wood or fabric, old curtains or even an old parasol.
Looking for more creative DIY upcycling ideas? See how you can build a playhouse out of pallets or upcycle an old children’s chest of drawers.
Which material is best suited for a DIY play shop?
You’ve decided to build a DIY shop? Wood is an obvious choice of material as it’s very versatile and easy to process. Wood is also much more sustainable in comparison to plastic, especially if you have an old chest of drawers, a disused cot or even old wine crates lying around in the cellar, garage or attic that can be recycled.
Fruit crates are also a good choice. We’ll show you how to make a shelf from fruit crates that works well as a higher shelf. A DIY table made from fruit crates can be converted into a counter.
You can also make a great DIY play shop out of moving boxes or other sturdy cardboard boxes with a few clever cuts and some glue. And the pallet playhouse we mentioned earlier can serve as a model for a play shop made from pallets.
Which play shop variations can I build?
Here are a few common variants of shops for children. Look to them for inspiration.
- Basic DIY play shop
Even a basic version of a DIY play shop that is easy to make is perfectly sufficient for a great play experience. For instance, use an old chest of drawers as a sales counter and goods shelf at the same time. You can buy accessories cheaply or make them yourself.
- Combining a play shop with a play kitchen
A play shop model with integrated kitchen elements is practical if the kids like to play cooking as much as selling. You can saw one or two cooker tops out of a chipboard quickly, and it only takes a few minutes to assemble a wooden water tap. Alternatively, you can construct the play kitchen/shop combination in an L-shape, where one part serves as a shop and the other part is equipped with kitchen elements.
- DIY play shop with chalkboard
A play shop with a chalkboard opens up new possibilities. This allows children to get creative and, for example, write or draw different offers on the board every day. The chalkboard can either be stuck to the front of the DIY play shop or hung above it. You will need the appropriate side posts to attach it, which you can also then use as support posts for a canopy if you choose to add one. A DIY wall organiser can easily be integrated as a board if the play shop is in front of a wall.
- Mobile play shop
A one-piece mobile DIY play shop – such as the one in our step-by-step guide – is flexible and can be moved into another room or outside as needed. The wheels are mounted underneath the counter. You can use tyres from an old children’s bike or pram or order wheels online. Adding an umbrella or parasol as a canopy creates the same feeling as an ice-cream stall.
- Covered kiosk stand
A two-piece DIY play shop with a canopy is already quite a substantial toy – reminiscent of a market stall. But even the simpler one-piece model can be expanded into a cool kiosk stand with canopy. Attach two squared timbers to each side as support posts and attach a cloth of your choice to it. If you want the canopy to slope a little, use shorter posts at the front than at the back.
How can I integrate ready-made parts into a DIY play shop?
You can make building the play shop easier using ready-made parts and furniture. A simple wooden shelf can be converted into a goods shelf. Low chests of drawers or shelves make great sales counters. Or you can remove the top shelves from a higher model. You can use the side parts of the shelf as a support for a canopy.
Small, stackable boxes made of wood, cardboard or plastic are ideal as storage boxes for the goods, and you can acquire them cheaply in DIY stores, furniture stores or online.
From what age is a play shop suitable as a gift for a child?
Children start playing simple role-playing games starting when they’re about three years old. A DIY play shop will be the perfect Christmas or birthday gift for them once they’ve reached that age. The children can take on the role of shop owner or customer. Kids often play with a DIY play shop until they reach primary school age.
Its simple construction means a play shop can quickly become an ice cream shop or snack bar, a reception desk at the doctor’s surgery, a police station or any other similar sales or service point that the children can come up with. It’s important that the dimensions of the DIY play shop are adapted to the age and height of the child, especially the height of the sales counter and the shelves.
What extras can I add to a DIY play shop?
Children don’t necessarily need elaborate and expensive accessories, but they’re a big plus if you’re planning to give the DIY play shop as a gift or want it to look particularly realistic. You can find wooden fruit and vegetables, a till and miniature food packaging – from cornflakes to flour to chocolate – in toy stores online or locally and sometimes also at the discounter shops. You’ll often find basic sets that include a complete play shop.
It’s really fun when you decorate the DIY play shop together with your kids. For instance, you can label the goods boxes and make a large name sign for the play shop. You can line the boxes with felt, fabric or paper, depending on the type of goods. And to make the counter particularly appealing, you can paint it with a suitable varnish (that has ‘Suitable for children’s toys according to DIN EN 71-3’ on the packaging), choose a nice tablecloth or cover the counter with fabric.
Crafting and building with children
Costs: DIY play shop
How much the DIY play shop will cost you in the end depends, of course, on which model and which materials you choose. The shop from our step-by-step guide only costs €10–20 because we used second-hand materials. Using new materials you will more likely spend €100–200, depending on the current price of timber.
A brand-new, ready-made play shop is available online for as little as €70, while the luxury model costs a whopping €5,000! Alternatively, you can also find second-hand shops online that cost anywhere from €20 to €200, depending on quality, size and condition. Some are also sold complete with accessories. Look out for local offers near you, as shipping such large and bulky items can be complicated and expensive.