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[For toddlers] Simple but amazing craft ideas — including toys they can play with
There are so many opportunities to do crafts at daycare and kindergarten, aren’t there?
Crafts help develop fine motor skills, nurture imagination and concentration, and offer plenty of great benefits for children’s development.
But are there teachers and parents out there thinking, “What should we make?” and running out of ideas?
In this article, we’ll introduce simple yet impressive craft ideas.
Many of them can be played with after making them, so the kids are sure to have a great time!
They’re all easy to make with materials that are simple to gather, so please use these as a reference.
[For toddlers] Simple but amazing craft ideas. Playable toys too (1–10)
Mysterious Microphone
Let me introduce a mysterious microphone that will make you want to speak out loud.
Prepare aluminum foil, a paper cup, colored pens, and a craft knife.
Cut out the bottom of the paper cup with the knife.
Cover the top with aluminum foil and secure the edges with tape.
Make sure to fasten it tightly so the foil doesn’t come off.
Draw your favorite patterns around the cup with colored pens, and you’re done! If you speak from the side opposite the aluminum foil, your voice will resonate like a microphone and sound a bit strange.
Decorating it with round stickers is also recommended.
Plastic bottle bracelet
Let me introduce a stylish, original plastic-bottle bracelet.
Prepare a plastic bottle, a utility knife, scissors, an iron, nail polish, and masking tape.
Apply masking tape slightly below the middle of the bottle to mark where you’ll cut the bracelet.
Make a slit with the utility knife, then carefully cut along the taped area with scissors, avoiding cutting the tape itself.
Press a heated iron against the cut edges to round them and shape the bracelet.
Finally, paint the inside of the bracelet with nail polish—and you’re done! Using glitter nail polish is recommended for a sparkly finish.
Twisting Soap Bubbles
Make and play! Here’s an idea for unbreakable spinning soap bubbles.
You’ll need holographic origami paper, round stickers, a straw, scissors, reinforcement rings, a bamboo skewer, and tape.
First, cut the holographic origami paper into 5 mm-wide strips and stick eight of them onto a round sticker.
Cut four slits in the straw and apply a reinforcement ring.
After attaching the straw and the holographic paper, thread them onto the bamboo skewer.
Tape the top part in place, and you’re done!
straw airplane
A “straw airplane” flies in a fun way that’s different from a paper airplane.
Its unique shape makes it a quirky aircraft that kids are sure to love! Cut colored construction paper of your choice to make two rings, one large and one small.
It’s said that the rounder the circles, the better it flies.
Attach the rings to a straw, and add a paperclip as a weight to the smaller ring—that’s it, you’re done! Unlike paper airplanes, it flies straight, so competing for distance can be a lot of fun.
Fluffy sponge ball
Introducing a fluffy sponge ball that’s fun to touch! Prepare three sponges (you can find them at 100-yen shops), scissors, and a rubber band.
First, cut both ends of a sponge with scissors.
Make cuts on the left, right, and center to create eight tentacle-like strips.
Do the same with the other two sponges so each has eight “tentacles.” Stack the three cut sponges together, tie the center with a rubber band to secure them, and fluff the strips outward.
You’re done! Try tossing or rolling it and enjoy playing in different ways!
Bata-Bata Straw
https://www.tiktok.com/@renamama_asobi/video/7435247891200937233Let me introduce the freely moving flapping straw toy.
Prepare two bendy straws, a rubber band, a hairpin, and scissors.
Bend the accordion section of the straw and cut it to the same length.
Do the same with the other straw.
Cut the leftover straw in half.
Hook a rubber band onto the accordion section, then use the hairpin to thread the rubber band through the halved straw, and connect it to the accordion section of the other straw on the opposite side.
When hooking the straws onto the accordion parts, tie them securely so they don’t come off.
Slide the rubber band slightly to adjust, and it’s done.
You can enjoy dance-like movements.
Give it a try!
Paper cup cracker
We’re making a simple, safe, and endlessly fun paper cup cracker.
Pop a colorful paper cup cracker and play safely.
Prepare a paper cup, a balloon, and soft, fluffy, colorful pom-poms.
The colorful decorative pom-poms are soft and fluffy, so they’re safe even if they hit someone—great for playing with kids.
Cut out the bottom of the paper cup, then cover it with a balloon that’s been cut in half.
Tape the balloon in place so it doesn’t come off, put the decorative pom-poms inside the cup, and you’re done.
Pull the balloon’s rubber part back and let go with a pop, and the colorful pom-poms will shoot out.
It’s a reusable and fun paper cup cracker—let’s make them together!
gacha machine
Here’s a capsule machine that dispenses candy, made from everyday materials.
Prepare a paper cup, a plastic cup, plastic wrap, tape, construction paper, and scissors.
Make three holes in the paper cup: one in the bottom and one on each side.
For the turning handle, roll the construction paper into a tube.
Stuff the inside of the handle tube with tissue to reinforce it.
For the tray, cut the construction paper into small pieces and assemble a box shape.
Draw the chute on the paper cup with a felt-tip pen and cut it out with scissors.
Then cover the top with plastic wrap and secure it with tape.
Make a hole in the bottom of the plastic cup, then combine all the parts and secure them with tape.
Add candy inside, and your capsule candy machine is complete!
wristwatch
How about an easy-to-make, cute-looking wristwatch that feels surprisingly real? Kids often feel a little more grown-up when they wear a watch, right? It’s also great for learning how to tell time, so try making one together as a parent-child craft! All you need are a paper cup, pipe cleaners, and markers.
Cut the paper cup so that the bottom becomes the watch face.
For the numbers on the face, your child can copy from a real clock, or a teacher or parent can draw them—either is fine! Add favorite drawings or patterns to create a one-of-a-kind, special wristwatch.
The hands are made from pipe cleaners, so kids can move them freely and play with them!
Crayling
Introducing cute clay rings made with resin clay.
Prepare resin clay and a top coat from a 100-yen shop.
Roll out resin clay in your favorite color, form it into a loop, and make the ring base.
After letting it dry thoroughly in a well-ventilated area, decorate it as you like, such as adding beads.
Finally, apply a top coat for shine, and you’re done.
Resin clay is recommended for making accessories because it has vivid color and high strength.
Once opened, store it in a food storage container.