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Rain on a Tin Roof

DIY and Home Decor Blog. Fly Your Freak Flag.

You are here: Home >> DIY Projects >> DIY Kids’ Play Table with Storage

September 20, 2018 By Jenna 20 Comments

DIY Kids’ Play Table with Storage

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If you’ve got basic DIY skills, then you can easily make this kids play table in one weekend – and your kiddos will forever be grateful! On top of that, this activity table for kids with storage can easily be customized to fit the interests of your own individual child!

I first must start by saying that Grunt Labor gets all the building credit for this one. While I helped with the final touches, the table might not be done if it weren’t for him. We had told the Circus we would build her one when she got a play horse stable for her birthday and two months later, we still hadn’t done it. Things had just been crazy with the guest bathroom and bedroom remodel. So one day while I was working away on those two spaces, Grunt went out in the garage and built this kids farm play table in just a few hours.

kids play table

It can actually be any kind of activity table for kids. We went with the farm theme because that’s the kind of stuff the Circus loves to play with. If your kid is more into Legos, the jungle or something else, it could totally be that instead. You’d just want to replace our “grass” with lego bases or jungle-esque stuff – whatever your kid likes.

DIY Kids’ Activity Table with Storage

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For reference, our kids’ play table is 41 1/2″ x  39 1/2″. You can alter the dimensions below to make your activity table bigger or smaller as desired.

Materials & Tools Needed for Table Construction:

  • 4 – 2″ x 4″ x 96″
  • Sheet of 1/2″ Plywood
  • 2 – 1″ x 2″ x 8′
  • 4 Casters
  • Drill
  • Circular Saw
  • Wood Screws
  • Nail Gun and Brad Nails or Hammer and Finish Nails
  • Cup Hooks
  • Storage Bins that have handles or holes that will hang from cup hooks – we found ours at The Dollar Tree.

Cut List

Using the circular saw, make the following cuts.

• Cut the 2″ x 4″s into the following lengths:

  • 4 pieces – 20 1/2″ long (legs)
  • 2 pieces – 26 7/8″ long (frame around table)
  • 2 pieces – 48″ long (frame around table)
  • 1 piece – 45″ long (support underneath table)

• Cut the 1″ x 2″s into the following lengths:

  • 2 pieces – 48″ long (rim around table)
  • 2 pieces – 31 1/2″ long (rim around table)

• Cut the plywood down to 30″ x 48″.

Steps

Step 1

Gather the 2″ x 4″ pieces that make up the frame of the table (2 – 26 7/8″ long pieces and 2 – 48″ long pieces) and the 2″ x 4″ piece that is the middle support (45″ long piece) underneath the table.

Arrange the 2″ x 4″ frame pieces in a rectangle and place the 45″ long support piece in the middle. Use wood screws to attach the 2″ x 4″s together where each 2″ x 4″ meets.

kids activity table with storage

The photo above shows two support pieces. Ignore that. This was actually from the first round of Grunt making the table and it was way too big. He ended up disassembling it and making it to the dimensions noted in this post. The photo will help you get a visual though of how to construct the frame of the table.

Step 2

Attach the 2″ x 4″ leg pieces (the 20 1/2″ long pieces) to each corner of the frame using wood screws.

activity table for kids

Be sure that the 2″ x 4″ leg is flush with the bottom of the 2″ x 4″ frame you are attaching it to and also pushed into the corner of the frame. You can use clamps to hold it in place while you are screwing it to the frame.

Go ahead and attach the casters at this time as well.

kids farm table

Step 3

Flip the table over and put it on the ground. Place the plywood on top of the 2″ x 4″ frame you’ve just constructed. Attach it to the frame with wood screws all around the edges and in the middle where that middle support is.

Step 4

Attach the 1″ x 2″ pieces around the edges of the plywood using finish nails and a hammer or a nail gun.

kids farm play table

The bottom of the 1″ x 2″ should be flush with the plywood. This will create a rim around the activity table to keep things from falling off.

Step 5

Attach cup hooks to the sides of the 2″ x 4″ frame to hang bins from for storage.

diy kids play table

Our storage containers came from The Dollar Tree.

How to Make It Into a Kids’ Farm Table

As I said, you can customize the top of the activity table to meet your own child’s interests and needs. Here’s how we made ours a farm play table…

Materials & Tools Needed

  • Paint Colors of Your Choice – We used white for the legs and frame and stained the 1″ x 2″ rim to make it resemble a fence.
  • Green Material that Resembles Grass – We used what we had leftover from this rug that I upholstered a wall with.
  • Light Blue Craft Paint (if you’d like a pond on the table)
  • Miniature Faux Trees
  • X-Acto Knife
  • Staple Gun

Step 1

Do the painting and staining first. We painted the legs and 2″ x 4″ frame white and stained the 1″ x 2″ rims so they looked like fencing. The only thing we didn’t paint first was the pond.

Step 2

Cut your green material down to the size of the plywood base and attach it to the table. We did this with a staple gun along the edges. You could also glue it if you wish.

Step 3

Determine where you want the pond to be on the kids’ farm table. Outline it using a pen or marker, then cut out that portion of the green material using an X-Acto knife. Once the green material is cut away, carefully paint that exposed portion of the plywood blue to resemble a pond.

diy kids activity table with storage

Step 4

Place your faux trees wherever you desire. Ours wouldn’t stay standing very well, so we hot-glued them down.

diy activity table for kids

And that’s it!

diy kids farm table

The Circus has loved playing with her farm table. She had all her Schleich paraphernalia up on it and set up before we could even put the finishing touches on it. I’m glad we finally got it done for her.

Having it on wheels is especially nice because it’s so movable.

diy kids farm play table

Will you be adding an activity table for kids to your to-do list?

With Christmas just around the corner, this could be a great gift idea!

You might also want to see…

Drop Down Desk for Kids

DIY Kids Wall Mounted Desk with Storage

This is such an easy build! Any beginning DIYer could complete these! How to Build Wall to Wall Shelves in an hour for $50

How to Build Wall to Wall Shelves

How to Build a Children’s Stage with Hidden Dress-Up Storage

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kids play table with storage


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Filed Under: DIY Projects Tagged With: activity table, kids, play table

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Joanna says

    September 20, 2018 at 9:47 am

    I have no kiddos, but have to say the table looks great and ten times better than anything you could buy in the store! You two are quite the team! Enjoy your blog.

    Reply
    • Jenna says

      September 24, 2018 at 4:05 pm

      Thanks so much, Joanna! That’s always my problem – I look for what I want to buy, but then decide I want to customize it too much or it needs to be bigger, etc. and then end up making my own. haha! Usually takes more time, but often not as much money and we’re happier in the end!

      Reply
  2. Pam says

    September 20, 2018 at 4:34 pm

    This is SO stinkin’ cute!! Honest to Pete….I live vicariously through the Circus! Makes you wish you had six more just like her, huh!! LOL

    Reply
    • Jenna says

      September 24, 2018 at 4:04 pm

      hahahaha! Oh Pam, you always have a good joke!

      Reply
  3. Brigitte Baker says

    September 20, 2018 at 4:40 pm

    Job well done to GL! 🙂 I know The Circus loves it!

    Reply
    • Jenna says

      September 24, 2018 at 4:04 pm

      Yes and Yes!!

      Reply
  4. Stephanie Sheridan says

    September 21, 2018 at 5:59 pm

    How fun to have the table. I think the cows might fall into the water. LOL
    Also the stage is great. Where is this sitting in the house.

    Reply
    • Jenna says

      September 24, 2018 at 4:03 pm

      hahaha!! The stage is in her playroom. The play table resides in the den, but I moved it to the guest room for photos because there were less things to work around that way! haha!

      Reply
  5. Victoria @DazzleWhileFrazzled says

    September 23, 2018 at 8:59 am

    Very fun! Love the green grass touch. I could see my kiddos playing farm for a long time at this table. Visiting from Sundays at Home party.

    Reply
    • Jenna says

      September 24, 2018 at 4:01 pm

      Thanks, Victoria!

      Reply
  6. Loni says

    September 24, 2018 at 2:31 am

    What a great play table! I’m sure it will get many hours of fun playtime! I love your use of the cup hooks and storage baskets, genius!

    Reply
    • Jenna says

      September 24, 2018 at 4:00 pm

      Thanks, Loni!! It’s already proving its worth!

      Reply
  7. Kim~madeinaday says

    September 25, 2018 at 5:23 pm

    How adorable! My daughter would have loved this! I also love that stage! How cool is that! Pinned! Thank you for sharing on Merry Monday! Hope to see ya next week!
    Kim

    Reply
    • Jenna says

      September 26, 2018 at 6:51 am

      Thanks, Kim!

      Reply
  8. Jann Olson says

    September 30, 2018 at 6:29 pm

    The table really is the perfect place for her farm and animals. Great job!! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
    hugs,
    Jann

    Reply
  9. Chloe says

    June 29, 2019 at 11:11 am

    What a handy mom you are! Great job on this table! I know my granddaughters would love it! Thanks for sharing at Celebrate Your Story!

    Reply
  10. Rhonda Gales says

    June 29, 2019 at 2:00 pm

    How cute is this! This is perfect for any cowboy or cowgirl. I’ll be featuring your post on Sunday’ Best. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  11. Rebecca says

    July 1, 2019 at 11:26 am

    Jenna, Your DIY Play Table is so much nicer than the second hand train table I got for my daughter off Craig’s List! I love that it’s on casters, too. Thanks for sharing at Celebrate Your Story!
    Rebecca

    Reply
  12. Katie says

    November 2, 2020 at 1:14 pm

    I love everything about this!! Where ia that farm ans animals from?!

    Reply
    • Jenna says

      December 16, 2020 at 9:50 am

      All the farm animals are Scleich. 🙂

      Reply

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