This is an instructable on the best and easiest way to make a defined child's toy hedgehog.

Step 1: Gather Your Materials

The materials that you will need in order to make your toy hedgehog include the following:

2x wood
Miter saw
Drill press
Wooden wheels
Wooden axles
Paint
Sandpaper
Band saw
Paint brushes
Miter saw

Step 2: Draw Image of Hedgehog Onto Paper, Cut Into Stockboard

The first step that you will want to do is draw the hedgehog on a piece of paper and cut the shape out, then trace that outline onto stockboard, then cut out the shape. When you have that cut out, you are ready to draw the details onto the stockboard that you would want to have on your toy. The reason that you do this is to have a harder surface and a real sized toy that you will be making. It is also important to mark where you want to use the drill press to cut holes for your wheels.

Step 3: Cut Your Blank

The second step is to cut out your blank. You will need to cut out your blank to a reasonable sized toy that you can cut out of that blank. You will want to draw the outline of the hedgehog onto this blank as well, so that you know where to cut when you go to the band saw. Then go to the band saw and cut out the shape of your hedgehog toy.

Step 4: Drill Your Holes

In the next step, you will want to go to the drill press and drill your holes into the wooden blank. When you drill the holes, you will want to hold the wood very firmly, to not have it fly up or move around and mess up the hole. You will drill two holes in the toy at the bottom where you want to put the wheels and axles for your toy.

Step 5: Router the Toy Outline

Next, you will want to router the edges of your toy to make sure that it is not sharp anywhere. You will want to keep your fingers on top of the toy, not near any edges, in order to make sure that you don’t router your finger.Make sure that you do not miss any spots, they could become sharp later.

Step 6: Sanding the Toy

After that, you will be ready to start sanding. You will want to start off at a highly rough sandpaper, then you will move down to the more fine sandpaper. The point of sanding is to make sure that there are no rough parts of the toy, and that there aren’t any spots you missed with the router. OPTIONAL: Use 400+ sandpaper and hand sand the toy everywhere to make it smoother.

Step 7: Make a Painting Plan, and Paint

After you have your toy has been routered and sanded, you will want to start making a painting plan so you know what you want to draw on the toy when you paint it. Just get a piece of paper and trace the toy, then find what looks best on your toy as for a face, eyes, mouth etc. Once you do that you will be ready to paint your toy. Get out all the colors that you are planning on using, and make sure you have fine pointed paint brushes for the fine details. Start to mimic what you drew on your painting plan straight onto your toy using paint that won’t fade off.

Step 8: Add Wheels and Axles

Once you do that, you will want to add the wheels. You need to take super glue and put some into the hole in the axle, then put the axle through the wheel with the indented part on the outside so it shows, then carefully ease the axle into the hole making sure to not let the wheel get super glue on it.

Step 9: Conclusion

In conclusion, what you will take from this is the artistic ability to carve wood, child-proof it, and then make it aesthetically pleasing and desirable. What my plan with the toy is is to give it to a children's’ program or to give it to a younger cousin. What i’ve learned to do over this process it how to router corners better, and how to drill holes to a certain width in order to put wheels and axles into them. Another thing that I am taking away from this project is the ability to know what a child would find desirable in a toy.