This week I had the great opportunity to have a chat with Darryl Thompson, founder of  BuildMe Toys. He produces woodwork toy kits for kids. They come with all the real construction bits you need to put together a quality and aesthetically appealing toy, that once assembled, should last forever.

I could really relate to his products because my son and his friends have always loved to scrap together any bits of wood and spare nails they can find in the neighbourhood and then do some hammering and building.

A few years ago, when my son was going through this prolific wanting-to-build stage, I was searching for a kit that comes with real handyman stuff like nails and proper wooden pieces, but I couldn’t find anything like that on the market. We tried one of the cheaper woodworx models (where you construct a toy car from wood and glue) and they pretty much fell apart after a few uses. 

Darryl came up with the idea for BuildMe one weekend when he was looking for an activity to do with his twin boys. He thought to cut up some wooden components so he could show his kids how to make a basic airplane using a hammer, nail and screws which he’d bought them for Christmas as part of a basic toolkit.

As an ex-navy shipwright turned graphic designer and consultant, construction and design were second nature to Darryl. However, he realised that many parents don’t have the tools or skills to do such extensive projects, so he thought it would be a great idea to produce a kids construction kit for the broader market. 

This would also give parents a great way to bond with their kids and he came up with the catchphrase, ‘build and bond’.  And thus BuildMe was born.

BuildMe fills a gap in the market for higher quality DIY toys that have minimal environmental impact. They have a range of 5 toy cars and trucks at the moment, with more ready-made cars to be released in the next couple of months (the PlayMe range).

Darryl makes the toy kits himself in his own workshop using sustainable PEFC certified plantation rubberwood. This wood has a lovely natural colour, is eco-friendly and most importantly makes construction easy and safe for kids. The kits come with easy to follow instructions with diagrams, and all the parts you need to make the toys, save the basic tools such as a hammer and screwdriver. 

His current product range starts from $33 retail, making them an affordable alternative in the kids’ gift market to plastic made, mass produced toys that usually end up in the landfill.

Once built, BuildMe toys can be played with and then passed down as an heirloom toy. Darryl recommends using glue as well as nails during the construction process, as the glue adds that extra bit of cohesion which will keep it together.

Darryl’s favourite toy from his range is the tow truck as it comes with an interactive winc which kids can hook onto objects and trawl into the back of the truck. It is our favourite too. 

Darryl hopes to develop his business further with his PlayMe range of ready built toy cars that will be released in the next couple of months. What we really love about this new range is that one of these cars, the Douglas model, will be produced from reclaimed timber, upping up the notch of their sustainability, even further.

You can view the full range of BuildMe toys here. We currently have a free shipping promotion on them, so grab them up while you still can!