[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.
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- [Childcare] Recommended for toddlers! Toy ideas you can make and play with
[For toddlers] Simple but awesome craft ideas. Playable toys too (51–60)
Spinning Snake
https://www.tiktok.com/@nerun_pokapoka_asobi/video/7453802298389613842Let me introduce the twirly snake—its colorful look is super cute! Prepare chenille stems (pipe cleaners), googly eye stickers, a paper cup, a straw, scissors, and felt-tip pens.
Wrap a pipe cleaner around a felt-tip pen to shape the snake, then stick on the googly eyes to finish the snake.
Punch a hole in the lower side of the paper cup and insert a straw to complete the snake’s dance stage.
Place the cup upside down and set the pipe-cleaner snake on top.
When you blow through the straw, the snake on the stage starts to dance! A bendy straw is recommended.
Give it a try!
ice cream
Here’s an idea for a toy that lets you play ice cream shop! You can make it using felt, magnets, cardboard, and stuffing.
Basically, you stuff cotton into felt cut into circles or half-circles to create the ice cream scoops and cones.
A sticker-type magnet attached to cardboard is placed in the flat part of the cone and the bottom of the ice cream, so when you put the ice cream on the cone, it sticks and won’t fall off easily.
Make different kinds of ice cream by changing the felt colors and toppings!
jellyfish
Here’s a jellyfish craft idea that’s soothing just to look at.
Arrange paper strips in a radial pattern and glue them down.
Make a ring using another strip, then glue the ends of each radial strip one by one to the ring.
Next, prepare a rectangular piece of paper and use a craft knife to cut the lower two-thirds into thin fringe, then roll it into a tube and glue it.
Wrap the fringed section around a toothpick to curl it.
Finally, connect the two parts with a piece of thread.
Adding beads to the thread will make it even cuter.
chain drop
Let’s make a toy called a “chain dropper” using a milk powder can! It’s very easy to make.
Attach the parts of Anpanman’s face to the lid of the can, then cut out the mouth area with a utility knife.
After that, secure the lid with tape so it won’t come off, and just put the chain inside! Little kids love putting things into small holes like this—and they love pulling them out, too! It’s a simple toy, but it’s a classic favorite among children.
Give it a try!
[For toddlers] Simple but amazing craft ideas. Playable toys too (61–70)
basket
Why not try making a basket out of construction paper? First, make a loop from a strip of construction paper.
Then prepare eight strips that are half the length of the paper used for the loop.
Cross two strips to form a plus sign and attach their ends to the outside of the loop.
Cross another two strips and attach them to fill the gaps.
Attach the remaining four strips in the same way, but this time, attach them to the inside of the loop.
Prepare two long strips and weave them through the gaps between the papers attached to the loop, alternating over, under, over.
Finally, add a handle and you’re done!
Snow globe made from a plastic bottle
Here’s how to make a snow globe using a plastic bottle.
Prepare an empty bottle from a lactic acid bacteria drink, decorative pom-poms, beads, glitter, liquid glue, and a hot glue gun.
Put the beads and decorative pom-poms into the empty drink bottle.
Fill the bottle about halfway with liquid glue, then add water.
Color a piece of paper with colored pens, place it into the bottle, and let it tint the liquid.
Mix everything together, then top up with water to push out any air, and you’re done.
Close the cap tightly and secure it with a hot glue gun so it won’t open.
Wrap vinyl tape around the top to finish.
Decorating with washi tape might make it even cuter!
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.