When Ideas Magazine asked me if I could make a baby gym that could grow into something else, this clever little frame was born. It will grow with your little ones and entertain them for years to come: from a cute baby gym to a dreamy dress-up closet and colourful play tent.
Remember to get your copy of Ideas Jr filled ideas on decorating your little one’s room with style. It even has creative pages to frame!
Available now!
How complicated: easy
How Long: 2 hours (excluding drying time)
You will need:
For the frame
- 2x 22mmx44mmx2.4m pine PAR
- 1x 16mmx1m pine dowel
- 16mm spade bit
- Paint in the colour of your choice (we used Harlequin’s Furniture Chalk Paint in Isle of Wight)
- 2m cotton sash cord
- 8mm wood drill bit
For the mobile
- Various extra-large wooden beads
- Wooden curtain rings
- Cotton twine
For the shelf
- 200mmx300mmx16mm laminated pine shelving or plywood
- 2m cotton sash cord
- Paint in the colour of your choice (we used Harlequin’s Furniture Chalk Paint in Isle of Wight)
For the cloud mat
- A piece of 1mx1m solid fabric (we used Home Fabrics Fibreguard Peak in Malachite)
- Another piece of 1mx1m fabric (the same as the first, or mix things up! For the reverse, we used Home Fabrics Bambino Buddy in Sky)
- 1mx1m batting
For the tent
- 74m fabric (includes 20mm seam allowance on all sides – we used Home Fabrics Bambino Buddy in Sky)
- 7m matching fringing
- 5m matching cord to tie the edges
TO MAKE THE MULTIPURPOSE FRAME
Cut the pine battens according to the diagram to form the legs of the frame. Then drill the holes as shown: use the spade bit for the larger holes and the smaller wooden bit for the hole near the bottom. Paint the legs and allow to dry. Then add the dowel and sash cord to create the frame.
A PLAY GYM FOR BABY
Put the dowel in the lower holes of the frame and adjust the sash cord so that the dowel is roughly 80cm from the floor.
To make the cloud mat, lay down the batting and then add the two pieces of fabric on top, with right sides together. Then draw a cloud-shape onto the top fabric using chalk. Pin together all the layers and carefully cut out the shape. Then sew together, leaving around 20cm open to turn the cloud right side out. Close the opening and add top-stitching.
Use the twine and string up some beads and curtain rings. You want to create varying lengths to keep baby engaged! Make sure that you secure the beads very carefully so that they can’t pose a choking hazard. Then tie each string of beads to the dowel.
FOR THE DRESS-UP CLOSET
Adjust the frame by moving the dowel up to the top holes. Shorten the sash cord to accommodate the height of your child.
To make the little shelf, drill holes using the 8mm wooden bit as shown on the diagram. Then paint the edges of the wood and add a fun pattern to the top. We used the end of a small sponge roller to get the polka-dot effect! Once it’s dry, add the sash cord and suspend it from the dowel.
FOR THE PLAY TENT
Keep the dowel in the top position, and remove one of the sash cords to create an opening.
Add a roll seam to the four sides of the tent fabric and add the fringing and cord. Put the fabric over the dowel and secure on the ends, threading the cord through the holes at the bottom.
Happy Making!
