When it comes to characters popular with toddlers, “Anpanman” is definitely one of them!
In this article, I’d like to introduce ideas for handmade Anpanman toys.
I’ve gathered lots of ideas, from using recycled materials like plastic bottles and milk cartons to durable fabric toys you can use for a long time.
There are many cute Anpanman toys available to buy, but sometimes you might want to make your own.
If that’s the case, please use this as a reference!
Some ideas are easy to make, so it’s also great to enjoy crafting together with your child.
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Handmade Anpanman toy ideas (1–10)
Marble Drop
Why not try making a marble drop inspired by Anpanman? The base will be a plastic bottle.
First, cut it into three equal sections, then insert a piece of thick paper between the sections and reassemble them.
Punch marble-drop holes in the thick paper and decorate it to evoke Anpanman.
You could also make the thick paper look like Anpanman’s or Baikinman’s face.
Once you add the marbles, it’s complete.
Its cute appearance and the sound of the marbles dropping will captivate children.
How to fold a Pac-Pac AnpanmanNEW!
Here’s an idea to adapt the classic origami “fortune teller” into Anpanman.
First, do the blintz fold twice and complete the fortune teller.
Then paste a slightly smaller piece of red origami paper inside the fortune teller, fold it into a triangle twice to create an X-shaped crease.
Apply glue to the top and bottom two of the four triangles formed by the creases, fold it in half along the vertical center line, and press firmly to secure.
This creates Anpanman’s mouth.
Finally, round off the edges of the finger holes on the back, attach the facial parts, and you’re done!
You can enjoy matching pictures too! A plastic bottle toy
Here’s an idea for a PET bottle toy that’s perfect for educational play.
First, prepare several plastic bottles.
Next, cut each bottle at about one-third from the top.
Then, insert a piece of thick paper with a character drawn on it into the open section.
Finally, stick a sticker of the same character on the bottle cap, and it’s complete.
Kids can enjoy opening and closing the caps and matching the character designs.
Using caps in different colors makes it look colorful and extra cute.
Advance! 3D AnpanmanNEW!
When you look at a flying Anpanman from directly above, it definitely looks like this! This piece uses a single sheet of origami to represent both hands, the nose, the head, and the cape.
Once finished, you can make the cape flutter, or place it on a table and press the cape to enjoy a little hopping motion.
However, this idea requires making very precise folds, so it takes patience and concentration to complete.
It’s best for an adult to fold it and let children play with it.
Drawing the eyes and eyebrows with a pen above the nose will make it look even more like Anpanman!
How to fold a playable Anpanman spinning topNEW!
Let’s make a Beyblade you can easily battle with using origami! In this idea, you’ll use four sheets of origami paper to create the outer body, inner body, handle, and hand decorations, then combine them into a single Beyblade.
The inner body and handle are basically made with the zabuton fold.
The outer body follows the same steps as the trick boat up to a point.
After making two boats, squash both sides into squares, then transform them into diamond shapes.
Draw the Anpanman illustration on this part.
Finally, make four hand decorations using origami paper cut into quarters, insert them into the illustrated section, and you’re done! The folding steps themselves aren’t difficult, so it’s perfect for parent-child origami time.
felt ball
Felt balls, which can be played with in many ways, are also recommended.
First, download a pentagon template from the internet and use it to cut cardboard.
Next, cut felt to match the pentagons you’ve made and embroider the characters on them.
Once you have 12 pieces, assemble them, stuff them with filling, and you’re done.
I hope you’ll play freely—roll it to see which character shows up or toss it in the air.
You can also put a bell inside to enjoy the sound.
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.
drop-in box toy
Let’s make a drop-in toy that makes a fun sound when pieces fall in.
The base is an empty milk can.
Cut a hole in the lid to create the entry for dropping pieces.
Next, decorate the can with felt or other materials.
It would be lovely to make the round lid look like Anpanman’s face, too.
Once the can is ready, make the pieces to drop.
You can do this by combining two plastic bottle caps—simple! Its straightforward design makes it easy and appealing to try.
Stroll Pet
Here’s an idea for a “walking pet” that’s sure to make strolling more fun.
The structure is quite simple.
First, connect two cores from rolls of packing tape.
Next, decorate the cores however you like, then cover them with clear tape.
Tie on a string so you can pull it along as you walk, and it’s done.
You can give it the look of an animal to enjoy a walk-like experience, or use characters like Anpanman for a cute touch.
It’ll feel like you’re taking a walk together, and it’s sure to be fun.
Fukuwarai (a traditional Japanese “lucky laugh” face-making game)
Here’s an idea for making an Anpanman fukuwarai out of felt.
Fukuwarai is typically a New Year’s game, but by changing the motif it’s perfect for everyday play too! Cut out the base face and parts for your favorite characters—like Anpanman, Baikinman, or Dokin-chan—from felt.
Once it’s ready, put on a blindfold, feel each piece with your hands to guess what it is, and place it on the face! You can find felt in a variety of colors at 100-yen shops, so be sure to check them out.