For my eagle scout project I made 'builder bords' (example below) they are essentialy life size lincon logs made from planks of wood for children to play with.
Builder Bords are made from 3/4 in. Pine plywood, ripped into planks in home depot to save time. They are then sanded, cut and routed into the final shape. The final step is to apply a multiple layers of polyerthane varnish on top.