POULSBO — Wally Harrison may operate under the stealthy guise of a peacefully retired grandpa, but don’t be fooled. The 79-year-old former home and boat builder’s shop remains abuzz as he takes on his newest role: kid entertainer extraordinaire.

Harrison now runs PeggZ, a business he started after developing wooden furniture designed for kids ages 2 to 7 to both build and use themselves. Initially created as something to give to his young neighbors, Harrison’s furniture has begun to sell itself.

“A lady came by and said ‘that’s great, I’ll take one’ and she didn’t even know how much it was,” he said. “I’ve got to produce more of them. That’s the stage I’m at now.”

The items include such as stools, chairs, writing tables and play tables, but the business aspect isn’t what keeps Harrison going. It’s the effect building furniture has on kids.

“The whole concept is for kids to be able to build their own fun,” he said. “It’s instinctive, they seem to take right to it.”

Though PeggZ is just beginning to take off, Harrison’s contribution to children in Third World countries has been going on for much longer. He continues to build cars and send them with mission groups and medical teams to give to children in need. With supplies for the cars costing thousands of dollars each year, money earned from PeggZ has been able to partially finance his charity, Harrison said.

“It started with a passion and it grew,” he said. “It’s very gratifying to see it work like this.”

Harrison has now sold more than 100 pieces of PeggZ furniture, each of which are strong enough to hold over 200 pounds. The furniture is especially good for developing hand-eye coordination and motor skills, he said.

“It just seemed logical to me,” Harrison said when asked how he came up with the idea to build the furniture. “I’m always thinking of stuff to do… I have a lot of other ideas, but this is keeping me pretty busy.”

Harrison, along with his wife Marge Harrison, who helps run the business, plans to add other types of furniture to his line, including buildable bookshelves and cradles.

“It has been so successful that we are treading lightly to see where it’s going to go,” Harrison said. “The fun is just knowing the kids who are doing it.”