Toy Sink with Running Water
Psssst… this post *might* contain affiliate links: see my disclosure here.
Make Your Own Working Sink
Last week I shared a video of Arthur standing on a chair in front of our sink playing in the running water. A follower suggested I look into a toy sink that has running water at Walmart. That sink wasn’t available and when I looked it up on Amazon, the reviews were all pretty poor because of cheap construction and a water pump that breaks easily. So… I made my own! (Materials list at the end of the post.)
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Step 1. Choose Container
Decide which container you want to use for your sink and how big you ultimately want it to be
Step 2. Cut the wood
Here’s a cut list for MY sink, but yours will totally depend upon the container you chose. The toy sink can sit right on top of the plastic container and, as such, the dimensions of the sink are about the same as the container.
Step 3. Join the Wood
Using pocket holes (marked above), start by building the top. Then add the front and the back pieces. Finally, attached either side.
Step 4. Sand
Step 5. Build Faucet
I used a pipe flange and a PVC pipe to make the faucet. There’s a PVC fitting that screws into the flange
and then the straight PVC length fits right in. I used two elbow joints and a shorter length of the main pipe to make the faucet itself. Then I spray painted the whole thing blue to match the knobs.
Step 5. Install knobs
I wanted the knobs to be able to spin so I drilled a hole in the sink edge and then ran a machine screw up through the hole and secured it in place with a nut flush against the top of the sink. I added a second nut to hold the faucet up a few millimeters from the sink. I threaded the knobs on the screw and then kept it from falling off with an end cap. The knobs spin around the machine screw essentially.
Step 6. Install the pump
The submersible pump I used comes with an attachment that allows it to fit the 1/4 tubing I’m using. I had to stretch the tube a tiny bit to fit it around the pump but that was easy. Then I ran the tubing up through the ‘faucet’ and trimmed it flush with the end of the PVC. The pump has to sit inside the plastic container fully covered with water to work. I drilled a small hole in the back of the sink for the chord to fit through.
It’s super easy to adapt these things to have a switch on them, but I just plug it in when Arthur wants me too and it works just fine. The plastic tub just sits underneath the wooden sink so I can empty or fill the water as needed! He CANNOT get enough of the whole thing. We have it set up on our kitchen counter for now and it gets a lot of action. He’s pretty good about splashing so things don’t get too wet… but having a towel handy probably wouldn’t be a bad idea!
Materials
(Affiliate links included for your convenience, but most of these will be less expensive at a hardware store… links are to show you the product.)
– plastic container
– 1×2
– 1×3
– 1×8
– 3/4-inch plywood
– submersible pump
– 1/2″ PVC pipe
– 1/2 flange
– 1/2-inch PVC elbows (2)
– 1/2″ male adaptor (to screw the ‘faucet’ into the flange)
– spigot handles
– 1/4″ machine screws (2 inch-long)
– 1/4″ nuts
– cap nut (2)
– flexible plastic tubing (internal diameter of 1/4″)
Here’s a time lapse video showing you how I put it all together in case it helps to see it!
OMG! I need this for Charlie- he is just like arthur – obsessed with the sink!
Ryan could build this in his SLEEP! I can’t wait to set it up outside when the weather is warmer!
OK you win the best mom award! My daughter would LOVE this. I’m always telling her to stop playing in the bathroom sink. You’re brilliant.
Haha! It’s a really easy build… you guys could easily figure it out!
This is incredible! I cant wait to build this. Thank you for thinking up such an easy DIY alternative to those cheap plastic sinks.
Good luck! My son LOVED it!
love this idea! Do you selL these? If not, can you make it to wherE the faucet Can turn on and off?
Hi! I don’t sell these and I’m sure there’s a way to make the faucet working… would require actual plumbing valves.
This is awesome! I was wondering if you have any idea about adapting it to have a switch. The location I have available, it will have to stay plugged in, as I won’t be able to access it on a regular basis.
Hi! I would look for a remote control switch. I have a few for lights. You leave things plugged into the switch and then just use the remote!
Hello, I was wondering if the spigot handles do anything or are they just for show? THanks!
Hi there! Nope! Just decorative!
Thanks!
I realLy want to try and attempt this, but im confused about some of the measurements For the wood. One side says 8 in And one side says 12 in.
Hi there! The 8″ length is an insert on the top of the sink so it sits inside the ‘walls’ of the sink. The 12-inch length is the side and will overlap the two front pieces. Hope that makes sense!
This is really great! THANKS! I WAS WONDERING IF AFTER HAVING HS FOR AWHILE THERE IS ANYTHING YOU WOULD DO DIFFERENTLY IF YOU WERE DOING IT AGAIN.
I don’t think so! My son loved this and got a lot of fun out of it!!
we made this last week for our little one’s 2nd birthday. she’s enthralled with water. everything works great… we’ll just need to figure out how to help her learn not to have water run down her arms (and all over the “sink” and floor when playing under the stream! did that initially happen for your kiddo?
Haha! Yes…. water was not wildly contained. Ideal to have it outside, but a towel on the floor and a kitchen counter worked too!
Hi,
Does your son not touch the pump? If it has to be fully submerged, doesn’t that mean it’s in the « playing area »? Thanks!
He was more interested in the water coming out of the faucet! Haha!