How to Build a Child's Rocker

Cut the Wood

• 1

  Cut two side panels out of wood. Use the pattern available in our Resources section.

• 2

  Use the same wood to create a seat panel. The seat panel should be ¾ inches thick, 12 ½ inches wide and 18 ½ inches long.

• 3

  Create a back panel that's ¾ inches thick, 15 3/8 inches wide and 24 1/8 inches tall.

• 4

  Make a strut that's ¾ inches thick, 2 ¼ inches wide and 17 inches long.

Make an Interim Jig

• 5

  Start with a board that's about 18 inches long by 8 inches wide by ¾ inches thick. Cut it into two 3 7/16-inch wide strips and one strip that's exactly 7/8-inches wide.

• 6

  Cut 2 5/8 inches off of each end of the strip that's 7/8-inches wide. That leaves a strip that's 12 inches wide. Set that strip aside.

• 7

  Glue the 2 5/8-inches pieces horizontally between the 3 7/16-inch strips to create a square with a rectangular hold in the middle. Clamp the pieces together and allow it to dry.

Make a Side-Panel Jig

• 8

  Sketch a parallel line 15 inches from a long edge of plywood. Use this as a reference line.

• 9

  Mark the curve of your child's rocker using a makeshift compass. Make a mark on your reference line about one inch from the top of the plywood. Drill two holes in a scrap piece of ¼-inch plywood. Drill one hole near the top center of the scrap wood, and another hole 30 inches away from the top hole. Place a nail in one hole, and a pencil in the other hole. Insert the nail on your reference mark, and use the pencil to draw on the other end of the plywood to create the arc.

• 10

  Draw the dadoes for the strut. Using the intersection of the arc and your reference line as your beginning point, measure 2 inches to the right. From that point on the arc, measure up 3 ¾-inches. Mark that spot, which will serve as the bottom left corner of the dado for the strut.

• 11

  Notate the points for the seat and the back dadoes, which form an awkwardly shaped "T." For all of these measurements, begin measuring at the intersection of the arc and your reference line. Measure 3 7/16-inches to the left. From that point on the arc, measure up 5 inches. That is point one. To find point two, measure 4 3/16-inches to the left. From that point on the arc, measure up 8 11/16-inches. Identify that mark as point two. Measure 8 inches to the right of your beginning point, then up 8 8/16-inches from that point on the arc. Mark that as point three. Point four is 8 inches to the right and up 9 5/16-inches. Point five is 4 5/16 inches to the left and 9 7/16 inches up from the arc. Point six is 5 1/8 inches to the left and up 13 ¼ inches from the arc. Point seven is 5 14/16-inches to the left and up 13 inches from the arc. Finally, point eight is 4 3/16-inches to the left and up 4 14/16 inches.

• 12

  Connect the dots on the seat and back dadoes to form an awkwardly shaped "T." Use a ruler or another straight edge for accurate lines. Go back to your reference point for the strut dado and draw a box parallel to the reference line. From the reference point, draw a line up 2 3/8-inches long. Then, draw a line ¾-inches to the right. Draw another line down 2 3/8 inches long. Complete the box with a ¾ inch line back to your reference point.

• 13

  Lay your interim jig over your markings and clamp it on tightly. Using the interim jig and your markings as a guide, cut out the dadoes using a flush-trimming bit in a router. To help you cut the dado for the strut, cut 2 3/8-inches off your 12-inch strip (Section 2, Step 2). Place that strip in your interim jig and the hole that's left is the appropriate size for your strut dado.

Make the Side Panels

• 14

  Clamp a side panel underneath your side panel jig, making it flush with the reference edge. Expect the bottom of the jig to stick out about one inch. Make sure you turn your side panel the correct way before you clamp it to the side panel jig. The back of the side panel should be on the same side as the back on the jig.

• 15

  Use a router to route the dadoes until they are about ¼-inch deep.

• 16

  Mark and drill two holes in your side panel to serve as cap-nut holes. Each hole is 1 inch below the seat dado.

• 17

  Sand the edges of your side panels until they are smooth.

• 18

  Repeat for the other side panel.

Make the Seat and the Back

• 19

  Rout the top and bottom of the front edge of the seat with a ¼-inch roundover bit.

• 20

  Place the back panel into the appropriate dado on the side panel. Then, mark the location on the back where the seat will butt up against the back.

• 21

  Use your router with a flush-trimming bit to rout a dado for the seat in the back panel.

• 22

  Hold the back and the seat in place with the side panel. Cut wood off the back of the seat, if necessary, to make it fit appropriately.

• 23

  Mark and cut the top of the back panel to give it a decorative look. You can create an oval or a smoothed square for the most traditional looks. You can also add an oval or a slot in the back panel as a decorative accent.

Make the Strut

• 24

  Clamp all pieces of the rocker together to determine the exact length needed for your strut.

• 25

  Measure from the front of the slot on one side to the front of the slot on the other side.

• 26

  Cut the ends of the strut to size.

• 27

  Smooth the edges of the strut to give it a softer look and feel. You can round the edges with a saw, or simply smooth them over with sandpaper.

Assemble the Child's Rocking Chair

• 28

  Draw a line between the two holes for the cap-nuts. Keep this line parallel to the seat throughout the installation process.

• 29

  Assemble the rocking chair, using the dadoes as a guide. Make sure each piece fits snugly in the appropriate dado, since you won't use glue to help hold this chair together.

• 30

  Place a threaded rod through your drilled hole all the way through to the corresponding hole on the other side panel. Cut the rod to size. Repeat for the other threaded rod.

• 31

  Check again to make sure all of the rocking chair pieces are secure. The threaded rods could have altered your pieces a bit. Tighten the cap nuts to hold the rocker together. If it's not tight enough, cut a little more off of your threaded rod and try again.

• 32

  Paint or stain the rocking chair as desired.