I received endless calls to design a rocking chair for children. This chair is sized for a 2.5 year old to a 6 year old. I designed it to be sturdy and hard to tip over backwards, without spindles that could trap little fingers and hands and with a style that makes it appear to be moving even when standing still. The back splat has a location for personalizing it with a carving. I chose a Teddy Bear, thus the Little Bear Rocking Chair.
Video Instruction
The entire Child’s Rocker Video Series is on my YouTube Channel, Charles Brock the Rocknchairman for you to learn to build this project. It is very comprehensive. Between the patterns and the video instruction you should be able to build this project. It will take time, patience and figuring many things out to suit your interpretation of my instruction. You must adapt this instruction to your shop’s resources and your knowledge.
Getting Started:
Tools – You will see the tools I use on the video but they are not the only choices. On my website at
https://charlesbrockchairmaker.com/rocker-tool-list-revised-february-2022/
you will find a tool list.
Wood Choices – Hardwoods are required for this project. Domestic Walnut, Maple, Cherry are best because they can take the carving and stress. This project is not about the wood, it about the chair’s lines.
Using the Full-Size Paper Patterns
Make a set of permanent patterns from the paper. Do not try to use the paper patterns on your stock. Glue (Glue Stick is Good) them to whatever material you want to use realizing some need to be flexible and some rigid. Leave a little margin around the black line. Using a bandsaw cut on or slightly to the black line, then sand away the blackline leaving the size of the pattern part.
Using your permanent pattern set, trace the patterns on the candidate boards. Look for clarity (knots, bark inclusions, voids), flow of the grain and color, when deciding suitability for chair parts.
Print this Bear Drawing for your Little Bear Child’s Rocker!
By Charles Brock
Please!
Never teach others from my videos or patterns. You will be in violation of copyright laws and subject to penalty.
Charles Brock
