How Can I Get One of These Things - Ikea - Wooden Bridge/Teeter-Totter - Kids

Mundane Pointless Stuff I Must Share (MPSIMS)
#1

We used to live near that wonderful Ikea store in Schaumburg where I saw this, but are no longer in the area. The twins were just babies at the time & I couldn’t justify the expense. However, nowadays they’re bouncing off the walls & I think they’d have a blast with this toy/furniture.

I can’t find it on their website, so it may be discontinued.

It was a convex wooden board, about 6’ long and 24" wide, reinforced with metal poles on one side. The other side was covered with a soft green fabric.

One side up, it made a marvelous bridge, just high enough for a kid to squirm under. Flip it over and it’s a teeter-totter. Or perhaps a chair, if one set it correctly.

I eBay’d “Ikea” and “green”, didn’t find anything. Craigslist is beyond me. Or maybe we could make something ourselves?

I also love the idea of their hanging ladders and chairs, but I’m not sure how to suspend them (there’s no attic above their playroom) and I suspect I’d just be inviting disaster anyway.

#2

I can’t find it on the American IKEA site, but it’s still listed on the Australian one: http://www.ikea.com/au/en/catalog/products/S59809325

Maybe the name or product number will help your ebay search.

IMHO, it doesn’t look like it would stand up to two active toddlers for very long. I’d be more inclined to go with the ubiquitous step rocking boat, seemingly required equipment in every physical therapy gym! My daughter loves this one in playgroup.

#3

Hey, AWESOME, thanks - that’s it!!! It sure wasn’t $150 at the Ikea store here, though, more like $80.

I was thinking maybe I could find a used one for cheap, but perhaps you’re right & it doesn’t last (and therefore isn’t on the market).

Those steps are really cool, but $150 is more than I had in mind.

Isn’t it funny how the simplest toys are the best? I swear, we’ve gotten more mileage out of the cardboard “bricks” than all the “character” toys combined!

#4

That’s probably in Australian dollars. :wink:

#5

I couldn’t find it on the Canadian Ikea site either. :frowning:

#6

There’s tons of stuff at the stores that is not on their website. Soon after visiting the store in Michigan I looked at the website and couldn’t find half the items I saw at the store. I love Ikea but their online shopping sucks. Plus you would pay an arm and a leg to ship that if you bought it online, thier shipping prices are outrageous, IMO.

A better bet, and something I have done, is get in touch with someone you know who lives near a store and have them check for you next time they go.

#7

Yeah - it’s kind of disappointing that they don’t do much online. But you’re right, it might well be at the store. I see a Mighty Christmas Ikea Trip in my future!

#8

You show that photograph to anyone who’s even moderately handy and they can build you one of those.

Heck, I bet I could crank one out in 2-3 hours.

#9

If I had an excuse to visit Cleveland I’d contract with you :wink: .

I can imagine buying slats of wood for thickness/strength, but I’m not sure how to create a solid, appropriately curved wooden base to nail them to.

And where would you get the metal poles?

#10

We have one of those! My daughter is 10 now, and it still gets played with occasionally–I think her friends like to sleep on it during sleepovers. It still seems pretty sturdy to me.

IKEA will discontinue things at the drop of a hat. My Poang chair has a mismatched footstool cushion because my husband bought the chair, footstool, and chair cushion in the color I wanted for Christmas, but they were out of that color for the footstool. Turns out (after many, many trips, calls, visits to the website, etc., that they had discontinued the color…but no one would straight out tell us that for months!) We ended up buying a different color for the footstool…it actually doesn’t look too bad, but I think it would be better if they were the same.

I’ll look for it the next time I’m at IKEA, but I don’t know when that will be.

If you can find it, it’s a good toy. I don’t think it would be that easy to make in a home workshop, but then I’m not all that handy in that way. It appears to be a single sheet of curved plywood. The green “poles” are made of plastic. The green cushion attaches with velcro.

#11

Take plywood. Make 2 curved support rails with a band saw or whatever. Nail plywood onto rails at the edge. Get steaming iron. Steam the wood, press, steam the wood, press, steam the wood, press until you can nail the plywood onto the rails. Now, make poles out of whatever you want to. Take some foam, do some light stiching, throw on velcro, and you’re done.

That is using hammer, nails, a saw, and a clothing iron. If you actually had the right tools, that would be way easier.

#12

uhhh…what’s a “band saw”?

The “steam - press” part made sense (this DOES sound doable), but you lost me with that one.

Maybe I could find some scrap metal if I went to the right place & just wandered around?

#13

I’m 99% confident that I saw it at the Ikea in Boucherville (near Montreal) just a couple of months ago so it does exist in Canada too.

I also think you should get your kids the Rocking Moose if you can (and if they are still small enough): http://www.ikea.com.sg/products/product_display.asp?id=1987

#14

Oh now that’s cuute!

They are too big, though.

#15

We were in IKEA on the weekend, and another thing they had was a rocker like that, except solid - looked a bit like a new moon after a week, covered with fabric. It’s not on the canadian site, that I could see… but it’s also not on the Australian site despite actually, verifyably, existing as of 4 days ago, so who knows?

Or, if you’re not tied to a rocker, just something physical, these are great fun, and way cheaper!

Also, you guys have K-mart, don’t you? They sell a rocker (well, here they do…) that’s a bit like WhyNot’s step rocking boat, only plastic so they’re about a third of the price (pretty sturdy though - our church has one that’s been used by all and sundry for well over a decade, and still going strong)

#16

Don’t get me started! I bought my pang chair and footstool, bought the ivory canvas cushion for the chair, and 2 months later was still looking for the footstool cushion! “Oh, we just sold the last one.” “We don’t sell those online.” crap. Finally called the Burbank store, had some friends in Burbank run down and buy one and mail it to me. When I called they had over 30 in stock, 20 minutes later when my friends got there only 2 were left. Zowie!

well, were’re planning a Halloween Dopefest at my place this year so start planning! :slight_smile: