Let's make toys out of cardboard! Easy and fun handmade toys
We’re introducing handmade toys you can make out of cardboard.
This time, they’re geared toward children of preschool and kindergarten age!
We’ve gathered ideas that are easy to make and play with, focusing on ones kids will love.
Some projects may take a little more time to make, but if you create them, the kids will definitely be thrilled!
If you want to make handmade toys or enjoy crafting together with your child, be sure to use these ideas as a reference.
They’re perfect for everyday play at home, as well as for playing with lots of friends at preschool or kindergarten!
Let’s make toys out of cardboard! Simple and fun handmade toys (1–10)
slide
This cardboard craft lets kids play on a classic playground favorite—the slide—right at home, like a dream come true.
Get some large boxes and build a sturdy, durable version, then invite friends over to play! It’s sure to bring everyone together and have them squealing with excitement!
cardboard pachinko
You can even make the classic “pinball” you see at festival stalls out of cardboard! It’s fun to launch the ball using the stretch of rubber bands.
The building process might be fairly technical and a bit challenging, but it’ll surely become a toy that kids will love and play with for a long time! Get creative with the pockets and artwork to make it even more fun!
clattering doll
How about a fun toy made with cardboard and straws called the “Clattering Doll”? Insert straws into the gaps in the cardboard’s corrugated edges to create steps, and the doll will clatter down them.
You can make a Santa for the holiday season, or craft your child’s favorite character—whatever they’ll love!
train
Kids really do love trains, don’t they? And when their favorite trains come right into the room, it makes them so happy! Try creating an epic project out of cardboard for their smiles—one of the best things about cardboard is that you can decorate it freely, like drawing their favorite characters.
vending machine
This is a very interesting project—it’s about making that familiar “vending machine” out of cardboard.
It even has a proper slot for inserting money, and items drop down, making it quite a detailed craft.
Many kids are dying to buy things from vending machines, so why not bring one home and set up a unit for the whole family?
Marble Maze
Here’s a cardboard toy that kids will be totally absorbed in! Introducing the Marble Maze: build walls and obstacles out of cardboard and tilt the board to guide a marble from start to finish.
Add clever mechanisms, and have fun making it stylish, cute, and cool while you design it!
snap frog
Using rubber bands and cardboard, you can make a fun toy that hops like a frog! After you’ve built it, draw or decorate it however you like to create your own unique little frog and have fun playing with it! It’s also fun to compete to see how far you can make it jump!
lottery drum
Isn’t this something that would feel like a dream even for adults by now? You can even make a lottery “garapon” out of cardboard! If you turn it properly, a ball will come out, so you can use it to have fun with the whole family.
Of course, it’s also a great and amusing creation as a toy for kids!
cardboard car
Let’s use a cardboard box to make everyone’s favorite: a car! You can buy a dedicated kit, or draw the windows and gauges yourself.
The key parts are the steering wheel and the tires—of course, you can draw them, but how about making them out of cardboard? It’s your time to shine!
Battledore and shuttlecock
Perfect for the New Year season! You can even make a “hagoita and shuttlecock” set out of cardboard.
Wooden ones are the usual standard, but with cardboard you don’t have to worry if they get lost or broken.
Plus, you can paint and draw on them yourself, making your New Year memories even richer every year!