Simple DIY Kids Play Table

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This simple DIY Kids Play Table and Chairs is the perfect place for the littles in your life to play games, make crafts, and even have a tea party.

Plus, this is a great project no matter what your skill level. This kids’ table began its life as a solid oak end table from a thrift store that was easily upcycled into this sweet little set for my granddaughter’s birthday.

This post is sponsored by Dixie Belle Paint Company, but all ideas and creations are my own.

The Chairs

I often see cute little vintage children’s chair sets when I’m shopping at flea markets, antique malls, and thrift stores. Last summer, I came across this pair at a big outdoor antique sale.

Priced at just $15 dollars for the pair, I knew they were coming home with me.

They had been badly painted in a chalky yellow paint, over red originally I think, but they were the perfect size for our tiny girl. 💕

I knew I could fix them up with some TLC and a little paint.

The first thing I did was give the chairs a good sanding with some medium grit sandpaper. I wasn’t trying to take them down to the bare wood, just trying to remove some of the drips and brush strokes from the previous bad paint job.

Next, I used a little wood glue on a couple of the chair legs to make sure they were extra strong and sturdy to hold up to kids playing with them.

Finally, I gave the chairs a thorough cleaning with my Dixie Belle Pristine Clean to remove any grime and dust that might prevent my paint from adhering well.

The Table

Now that I had the chairs, I needed a little table to go with them.

I set out to my favorite thrift stores to find a piece of furniture that could be used as a small table.

Simple DIY Kids Play Table upcycle project

I knew I had found the one when I came across this oak end table with a simple design. It was just $3.99 at Goodwill!

It was just slightly too tall to pair with the chairs, but that was solved by using a circular saw to trim the legs of the table down by a couple of inches.

One table leg was a tiny bit wobbly, so I removed it, added some extra Gorilla wood glue to the holes for the dowel pins, and then clamped it back together to dry overnight.

After a good sanding (with my Ryobi Corner Cat Sander) across the top of the table and the table legs, it was finally time for the fun part. Paint!

Base Coat

I planned to use Dixie Belle’s Silk Paint for this DIY project, and it doesn’t require an additional primer because it was one built in.

But, the yellow paint on the chairs was such a chalky mess, that I decided to seal it in with a coat of Boss primer in white. I also went ahead and applied a coat of Boss to the table, too.

Floral Wood Applique

To make the chairs a little more “girly” for our sweet Evie, I glued a floral wood applique onto each of the chair backs. It was a great addition without much extra cost and really gave the chairs some pretty detail.

Simple DIY Kids Play Table wood applique

Dixie Belle Silk All-In-One Mineral Paint

Dixie Belle’s Silk Paint is my absolute favorite paint to work with.

It has a built-in water-based primer, built-in topcoat, and UV protection. Plus it is water, mildew, grease, and scuff resistant. I mean, what could be better for a DIY kid’s table?

For the chairs, I went with the color Conch, which is the perfect, soft shade of pink.

Dixie Belle has so many beautiful shades of white and off-white paint. I experimented a bit to find just the right one for this little dining table.

Ultimately, I decided to go with Saltwater, which is a neutral warm white, but you can’t go wrong with any of these shades.

I gave the table a couple of light coats of paint and allowed it to dry overnight.

Lace Transfer

Next, it was time to give the tabletop a little vintage style using Dixie Belle’s Lace Transfer. This was my first time working with this particular stencil, and I was not disappointed. It’s so pretty and delicate-looking.

Dixie Belle’s Transfers are a great way to add color, dimension, and details to your DIY projects.

Plus, they’re so easy to apply!

I began by taking accurate measurements to divide the table into four sections, which I marked lightly with a pencil.

Each transfer sheet was just about the right size to meet in the middle of the table and extend to the edge of the table on all sides.

Simple DIY Kids Play Table lace transfer

One at a time, I laid each transfer sheet in place and then used the included transfer tool to firmly rub the flat surface of the transfer until it adhered.

I trimmed up the edges of these top pieces as needed by running a razor blade along the straight board on each side of the table.

I only applied my transfer to the top of the table, but you could also apply transfers to the table aprons, the frame, the legs, the legs of the chair, the chair seat.. anyplace you want to add extra design details, or color.

Gilding Wax

I love Dixie Belle’s Gilding Wax because it’s such a quick and easy way to highlight furniture details. I just dipped my finger in the silver wax and outlined the fine details on the floral wood applique to add contrast and just a little bit of sparkle.

chairs for kids Simple DIY Kids Play Table

Gator Hide

For most projects, Silk Mineral Paint does not require an extra top coat, but because I wanted this table to stand up to whatever the kids may dish out, I decided to add a thin coat of Gator Hide (which is Dixie Belle’s toughest top coat) to the entire table and both chairs for an extra layer of protection.