Lovely childcare

Toddler-approved fun! DIY toy ideas for 2-year-olds

9 years of experience as a nursery school teacherShibata Risa
I am an active nursery school teacher with 9 years of experience. After graduating from university, I worked at a daycare center. The time I spent happily with children—playing piano, singing songs, and doing finger-play—are priceless memories to me. Currently, while raising three children of my own, I work at an after-school day service, engaging with children and providing individualized developmental support. Drawing on my diverse experiences as a childcare worker and as a mother, I hope to express and convey my thoughts through writing.
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSICsasashina
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSIC. JFC-certified fact-checker. I’m Sasashina, a mom currently raising an elementary schooler and a preschooler. During my student years at Kyoto College of Science and Technology, I studied a wide range of fields including sound, lighting, and video technology, building a foundation in comprehensive stage production and creative expression. After graduation, I joined a music production company, where I still work, consistently building experience in production and engaging in a variety of music-centered tasks. Currently, I mainly handle articles for children, drawing on what I’ve learned about parenting and what I feel and discover through daily interactions with my kids. I hope my work can be of help to you, even in a small way!

At around age two, as a sense of self begins to emerge, children start to assert themselves clearly.

Their curiosity and desire to say “I want to try!” become stronger, which expands their range of activities.

They can also perform finer finger movements, widening the kinds of play they enjoy.

It’s wonderful to support their physical and emotional development through lots of play.

With that in mind, here are some recommended handmade toys for two-year-olds.

From toys that use the fingers, to sound-making items, to things perfect for pretend play—this collection is packed with handmade toy ideas that two-year-olds will be captivated by.

Find the ones that best fit your child’s stage of growth and give making them a try.

Ideas for Handmade Toys That Delight 2-Year-Olds (41–50)

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?”

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Mike

For kids who love to sing, a toy microphone is a great recommendation.

If you make it with felt, it won’t break if dropped and the risk of injury is low, so it’s a safe choice.

Create the handle and the microphone head with felt, and stuff the inside with fabric scraps or cotton.

Adding a ribbon or other accents would make it extra cute.

You can buy both felt and cotton at 100-yen shops, so try making it in your favorite colors.

Once it’s finished, sing using your microphone—you’ll enjoy a fresh, exciting feeling!

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cake

How to make a felt cake

cake

Here’s an idea for felt cakes you can use for pretend play.

Basically, make a pattern for the cake shape you want, then cut the felt to match and sew it together.

You could make several slice-shaped shortcakes that combine into a whole cake for easier play.

Place a piece of cardboard on the bottom of each cake, then stuff it with cotton and sew it closed.

For the cream, cut the felt into a pinwheel shape and sew it so the tips gather tightly—this will make it look realistic.

After that, add your preferred toppings, like cream layers in the cross-section and strawberries!

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Make a little snake and go for a spring walk

[Ages 1–2] Let’s go for a walk with the Wiggly Snake!

Make a little snake and go for a spring walk

Here’s a craft to make spring walks even more fun: a wiggly snake! Prepare construction paper, twine, scissors, crayons, glue, and stickers.

Draw on the construction paper with crayons, then add stickers or pieces of cut origami paper.

Using scissors, cut the paper into a spiral snake shape.

If you draw guide marks where you’ll cut, it will be easier.

Attach the twine to the head, and you’re done.

Take your freely wiggling snake for a walk—up, down, left, and right—and have fun!

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Instrument making

"Let's create beautiful tones with handmade instruments!" [2-year-olds] | Torikai Yuuikuen [Nursery/Kindergarten]

Instrument making

Enjoy making instruments with the children and play together.

Since you’ll be using plastic bottles and empty tissue boxes, please gather plenty of materials in advance.

For maracas made from plastic bottles, let the children decorate them freely with drawings or stickers, then fill them with cut-up pieces of straw to complete them.

For the guitar, cut a rectangular hole in the top of an empty tissue box and stretch several rubber bands lengthwise across it.

If you have an empty box with a lid, it can become a drum just by tapping the lid with your hand.

Feel free to adapt these ideas based on the teachers’ creativity.

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Magnet and fabric sticking play

@nagoya_kodomo
Sticky play made with magnets and fabric 🫧🫰🏼Childcare Translation Handmade #Childcare Crafts Aspiring childcare worker Vocational college student Childcare goods Childcare student #GoodLuck
Sachi Are – Naniwa Danshi

It’s fun how they stick with a snap! Here are some ideas for magnet-and-fabric sticking play.

Let’s make fabric toys that even infants can enjoy! You’ll need fabric or felt, magnets, fabric adhesive, needles, and thread.

If you create popular characters or illustrations from picture books with fabric or felt, children will be captivated! Sew magnets into each piece, and they’ll snap together so kids can play over and over.

Please be very careful to prevent accidental swallowing of magnets.

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maracas microphone

[4-year-olds] Looks just like the real thing?! Handmade microphone!

maracas microphone

Let’s make a realistic-looking microphone using a plastic wrap core! You’ll use half of a core, so please cut it in advance.

First, glue origami paper onto the wrap core, and on the side where the paper overhangs, tape a short piece of yarn to the inside of the core.

Then crumple the excess origami paper and push it inward to form a rounded shape.

Finally, tape a capsule toy container to the opposite end to complete your microphone! It’s also cute if you put beads inside the container so it makes a sound.

Enjoy karaoke at home with your very own mic!

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In conclusion

We introduced some recommended handmade toys for two-year-olds.

I think there were plenty of fun ideas that stimulate children’s five senses.

One of the charms of handmade toys is that you can adapt them to a child’s development and current interests.

Since you can make them at low cost using familiar recyclables or materials from the 100-yen shop, try making some while imagining the smiles on the children’s faces!