Make it with everyday materials! A collection of DIY toy ideas recommended for 1-year-olds
One-year-olds are curious about everything! Homemade toys are perfect for nurturing that curiosity.
You can make them with familiar materials you already have at home, and adapt how they’re used to suit your child’s development.
Using items like plastic bottles, milk cartons, and fabric, you can create everything from toys that promote finger dexterity to cleverly designed, interactive playthings.
Here, we’ll introduce ideas for handmade toys that one-year-olds will be eager to play with.
Enjoy making safe, fun toys that are easy to incorporate into childcare settings, too!
Handmade toys to promote finger development (1–10)
Magnet and pipe cleaner toy
Let’s make a toy using an empty 6-piece cheese box, magnets, and pipe cleaners.
By using the way the iron in the pipe cleaners sticks to magnets, you can create a fun toy.
It’s important to cover it with a clear lid so that small pipe cleaners don’t go into the mouth.
Try making all sorts of fun designs with the pipe cleaners—like dandelion flowers, a lion’s mane, or fireworks.
The magnet will go inside two plastic bottle caps glued together; be sure to reinforce it thoroughly so it can’t be put in the mouth.
bodkin (drawstring threader)
A recommended lacing activity for one-year-olds positively supports fine motor development.
Take colorful pool noodles from a 100-yen shop and slice them into rings with a bread knife to make donut-shaped pieces.
Children can thread these rings onto a string; to prevent the rings from slipping off at first, tie one ring to the end of the string.
To make threading easier, attach a wide tapioca (bubble tea) straw to the tip of the string.
For safety, wrap tape around the cut edges.
Sticky! Plastic bottle cap
Would you like to make a game with plastic bottle caps to promote finger development in one-year-olds? Stick two bottle caps together and attach hook-and-loop fastener to the flat side.
If you make a lot, they transform into a toy that children can stick together and pull apart according to their interests! Prepare caps in various colors so children can choose, and pick tapes in different colors and patterns as well.
Because children focus intently while playing, it’s perfect for indoor playtime.
It’s also easy to tidy up, so try incorporating it into your childcare activities.
drop-in box toy
For toys for one-year-olds, it’s best to make items that are easy to grasp and safe if put in the mouth, or large enough that they can’t be swallowed.
For example, you can stack two plastic bottle caps, cover them with colorful felt, and attach large snap buttons so they can be linked together; children can drop them through holes or connect them to play.
Another recommended item is to prepare a thick, colorful cord and thread onto it pieces of clear vinyl tubing cut to about 5 centimeters in length.
Snap game
Snap play can be enjoyed in many ways to match children’s interests.
Why not create snap play pieces tailored to their preferences? First, prepare some fabric, cut it, and sew it—by machine or by hand—into a pouch.
Next, stuff it with cotton filling; the key is to pack it in firmly and generously.
After sewing the opening closed, attach snaps to both ends.
Kids can snap them together to play, and by linking many pieces they can even make rings.
Make plenty and have fun playing together!
Clothespin play
Why not make a DIY clothespin activity? Playing with clothespins not only exercises little fingers, but also nurtures imagination when children use them in pretend play.
First, prepare a thin, flat piece of cardboard.
Cut it into the shape of the motif you want to make, then cover it with construction paper or origami paper.
Choose familiar motifs for children, such as vegetables or animals.
After attaching the facial features, reinforce the piece with book tape or cellophane tape.
Then just clip the clothespins onto the motif and play! Encourage children to use their creativity—turn the clothespins into a fish’s tail fin, a rabbit’s ears, and more.
buttoning
Between ages one and two, children gradually become interested in buttoning.
If you prepare it as a toy in the nursery room, some children may pick it up.
Felt is recommended because it’s soft and easy to handle.
Cut it into shapes you like, sew the edges to prevent fraying, make buttonholes, and sew on the buttons.
If you prepare many pieces, children can choose according to their interests and try buttoning them.
It’s a perfect activity for the period leading up to moving up to the next class.