Vintage Family Handyman Woodworking Projects: Toys from the ‘80s

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Building Toy Trucks

Toy trucks are childhood classics. They let creative kids pretend to build their own construction company. Take things a step further and actually build your own construction toys with these vintage project instructions from the summer of 1987. Older kids can even help build the project.

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Vintage DIY Bulldozer Toy

First up is this detailed bulldozer toy. Every kid knows and loves bulldozers and dump trucks. This miniature version of the iconic piece of construction equipment will keep them happy and entertained.

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DIY Road Grader Toy

Although not as famous as the bulldozer, the road grader makes another cute toy. DIYer kids will love learning about a new tool. The swiveling blade and engine pieces make this project challenging in a good way.

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Finishing the Toys

In this vintage Family Handyman project, the editors chose to leave the toys natural. You could also stain or paint them. Younger kids could help paint even if they can’t help assemble the toys.

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DIY Flatbed Trailer Toy

This flatbed trailer lets you haul the toy bulldozer from jobsite to jobsite. It’s simpler to build than the road grader, but it’s still realistic enough for an imaginative play time.

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Cutting the Pieces

Follow these diagrams and the cutting list to get all your parts together. Then assemble your handmade toys. Each part is labeled for easy assembly.

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Family Handyman’s 70th Anniversary

Family Handyman has helped DIYers DIY since 1951. We took a look at some of our old magazines to celebrate our 70th anniversary. This wood toy project is one of our favorites.

For more of our amazing vintage Family Handyman content, visit our 70th Anniversary Page.