Recommended for 5-year-olds! Simple DIY toy ideas
Five-year-olds become more dexterous and better at using tools, so you’ll start to see them trying to express the images they imagine through their own creations.
We want them to build up lots of experiences while enjoying the fun of making things on their own.
So this time, we’re introducing handmade toy ideas that will further expand the world of making for five-year-olds.
From toys with unique movements, to ones that invite deep, focused play, to those that encourage interaction with friends—we’ve gathered plenty of handmade toy ideas that kids will love.
Incorporate each child’s free ideas and creativity, make adjustments as you go, and try making and playing a lot together with friends and teachers.
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Recommended for 5-year-olds! Simple handmade toy ideas (71–80)
Button practice toy
Here’s a toy idea that lets kids practice buttoning using Anpanman’s facial parts.
It’s made with felt.
First, stack two circular felt pieces to create the base of Anpanman’s face.
Embroider the eyebrows, nose, cheeks, and mouth outline on it, then sew buttons onto the eyes, nose, and cheeks.
After that, sew the corresponding attachable parts that fasten onto the buttons, and you’re done! You can use either snap buttons or regular buttons with holes—choose whichever seems more fun for your child.
origami
We’re introducing how to fold a stylish spinning top that you can make with just three sheets of origami paper! It’s perfect for making and playing together with your child or friends.
You’ll create each part with the three sheets of paper and assemble them at the end.
There aren’t many difficult steps, and you won’t need glue or scissors, so kids can easily give it a try.
You can also freely customize it by changing the colors or adding patterned paper, letting you express your originality! It would make a delightful handmade gift from a child, too!
finger puppet
Why not try making a cute Anpanman finger puppet out of felt? The part that goes on your finger will serve as the body, so sew the face base onto it and attach Anpanman’s facial features.
For the eyebrows and mouth, it’s better to use short pieces of thread rather than felt.
Use red felt for the body, but since that alone can look a bit plain, be sure to recreate Anpanman’s outfit details and cape as well.
When cutting out the small circular pieces for the nose and cheeks, I recommend using a hole punch.
milk carton
This is a spinning top made from an opened milk carton, with four wings spread out in all directions.
As you cut each wing, try to keep them the same size and aim for a shape that spins more easily.
To improve spin, cut the tips of the wings at an angle and attach a plastic bottle cap in the center as the axle.
It’s recommended to build it with the inside (white side) of the carton facing up, as it makes pen decorations easier.
To keep the wings straight and stable, you can also reinforce them by layering thick paper or cardboard.
milk carton car
Here’s an idea for a milk carton car that you can actually ride and enjoy.
This project uses a plant stand with casters and milk cartons to make a vehicle.
Once the base is complete, cover it with felt and decorate it.
The visual design is up to you, but it’s a good idea to use popular characters as motifs.
You could also model it after an Anpanman car.
By the way, the plant stand with casters can be purchased at a 100-yen shop.
It’s a very cost-effective idea, don’t you think?
Cup-and-ball (kendama) made with paper cups
Here’s a paper-cup kendama that’s fun for practicing tricks.
The main materials for this idea are two paper cups, string, and origami paper.
First, prepare a ball made by rolling up origami paper and attach a string to it.
Next, connect the two paper cups bottom to bottom, gluing the string between them.
In no time, your kendama is complete.
It could also be fun to decorate the cups however you like.
By the way, if it’s hard to catch the ball, try attaching the string to the rim side of the cup instead.
Picture matching cards
Here’s an introduction to a memory-boosting toy: matching picture cards.
These are cards made with felt, featuring different characters.
The cards come in pairs and are played like Concentration.
It’s fun to design lots of popular characters like Jam Uncle and Dokin-chan.
You’re free to choose which characters to include, so why not research which ones the children like? By the way, using felt from a 100-yen shop is perfectly fine.