[Childcare] Easy to make! Handmade toys that delight 0-year-olds
As the months go by, a 0-year-old baby steadily grows and can do more and more.
Each little milestone is joyful and incredibly precious.
Many people may be thinking, “I want to make handmade toys” that match their baby’s development and interests.
So this time, we’re introducing handmade toy ideas that are perfect for babies under one.
These toys are packed with ideas that babies can look at, listen to, touch, and play with in fascination!
They’re all easy to make using familiar recyclables or materials from the 100-yen shop, so be sure to find something your baby will love and give it a try.
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[Childcare] Easy to make! Handmade toys that delight 0-year-olds (41–50)
Perfect for button practice! Onigiri
Here’s an idea for felt rice balls that help kids practice buttoning! First, cut a rectangle from white felt and fold it.
Keeping the middle of the folded edge intact, cut it into a rice ball shape.
Make fillings like pickled plum or salmon and sew on snap buttons.
Sew matching snap buttons to the center of the rice ball’s inside as well.
Sew a two-hole button to the upper inside part of the rice ball, and make a slit on the opposite side.
Finally, glue a strip of seaweed cut from black felt to the outside, and you’re done! Attach your favorite filling and close the rice ball with the buttons to enjoy making onigiri.
A toy with many ways to play when cut into small pieces
Cut a paper wrap core into five pieces and wrap them with felt to make a toy.
To prevent injuries from the cut edges, please cover them with masking tape or something similar.
Basically, once you cut and attach the felt, it’s done, but it could be fun to write numbers on them or add hook-and-loop fasteners so the cores stick together.
You can also prepare a string to enjoy threading, use them like building blocks, or connect them all to pretend they’re a train.
It’s a simple toy, but there are many ways to play with it!
cloth picture book
Why not try making a fabric picture book inspired by Anpanman? Fabric books are a staple toy for babies.
They often crinkle, include features that promote finger development, and pack in all kinds of clever ideas.
Let’s try making one by hand.
With your own ideas—like a buttoning activity using Anpanman’s face, peekaboo flaps or matching games with various characters—you can create a delightful fabric book.
If you’re not confident at sewing, using felt and glue to craft it like an art project is a great recommendation!
picture book
How about making a cloth picture book for babies out of felt? You can find colorful felt at 100-yen shops and craft stores, so try cutting, pasting, and sewing it to match your vision.
You can recreate a picture book your child loves, or add interactive elements they can play with.
There are many kinds of mechanisms: for example, motifs that can be peeled off with hook-and-loop tape, parts that fasten with buttons, and classics like puzzles or matching games.
cloth ball
Here’s how to make an adorably plump, softly cushioned fabric ball from gauze.
First, align gauze or another fabric with a pattern and cut it into lemon-shaped pieces.
Prepare six pieces of the same shape.
Divide them into two sets of three, and sew each set piece by piece.
Once you have two panels made of three pieces each, place the two panels right sides together, align and secure the centers so they don’t shift, and sew them together.
Turn it right side out through the opening, insert stuffing and a jingle bell, then stitch the opening closed to finish.
Since it’s made of fabric, it’s safe to play with and easy to wash, helping you keep it clean.
Try making one with your favorite patterned fabric!
Handmade maracas
Here’s an introduction to easy, handmade maracas you can make with everyday materials.
Gather a capsule toy case, a toilet paper roll, a plastic bottle, beads or buttons, and vinyl tape, and let’s get started.
Cut off the neck portion of the plastic bottle, roll the toilet paper core to make a sturdy handle, and attach it securely with vinyl tape.
Put the buttons or beads inside the capsule toy case, fasten it firmly with vinyl tape, and close the lid.
Once it’s finished, shake your maracas, sing along, and have fun!
Paku-Paku Bear
Pakupaku Kuma-san: a bear face sewn onto a large piece of felt with a zipper for its mouth.
Next to the bear, items like rice balls, bread, eggs, and vegetables are attached with snap buttons.
You can unfasten them and feed them to the bear—it’s a toy, right? The actions of unbuttoning and buttoning seem helpful for developing fine motor skills, and seeing the bear eagerly eat everything might spark children’s interest in food, making them think, “I want to try the same thing,” or “I wonder what it tastes like?”
In conclusion
We introduced recommended handmade toys for 0-year-old babies. There were lots of curiosity-sparking toys that babies can’t help but want to touch. Try making many toys that stimulate your baby’s five senses by being creative with colors and materials. If you play together with the toys you’ve made, your baby will surely show you many adorable expressions. We hope you enjoy a wonderful time with your baby.