Wooden Toy Manufacturing and Sales

Startup Costs: $2,000 - $10,000
Home Based: Can be operated from home.
Part Time: Can be operated part-time.
Franchises Available? No
Online Operation? Yes

Wooden toys not only appeal to children for play, but also to adults for home and office decorations. Manufacturing wooden toys is a wonderful home based business opportunity that can be activated for peanuts and has the potential to return big profits. Marketing the toys can be accomplished by way of wholesale sales to merchants, the internet, mail-order catalogs, craft shows, mall kiosks and home shopping parties. Traditionally, popular wooden toys include trains, jigsaw puzzles, cars, numbered building blocks and wooden soldiers. But that's just the tip of the iceberg. The only limitation to the different kinds of wooden toys that can be designed and manufactured is your own imagination. Additionally, approach local building and home improvement centers to see if they'll let you set up a mini-manufacturing facility right in their store. If this can be accomplished, it would be a great marketing tool to be able to build the toys in front of a live audience.

Needed Equipment

The requirements for type of woodworking business enterprise are relatively basic, and include woodworking skills and a well-equipped woodworking shop. Design and building plans are available for various types of wooden toys, or you can design your own toys as your skills improve. In the age of being politically correct, it's not a bad idea if you were to use only recycled wood to make your toys. Not only would you be helping the environment and saving money on material costs, but it can also be a useful and powerful marketing tool. Recyclable wood material includes beach driftwood, used building materials, cedar rail fencing, pallets, packing crates and fallen forest brush. And most, if not all, of these waste wood materials can be acquired for free.