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!
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Let’s Make Toys with Cardboard! Easy and Fun DIY Toys (21–30)
Cardboard Badminton
Let’s have fun using recycled materials! Here’s an idea for cardboard badminton.
When you think of badminton, you use a racket and a shuttlecock, right? This time, let’s make both pieces of equipment using scrap materials you can find at home, like cardboard.
What you’ll need: cardboard, an A4-size clear plastic file, tissue paper, a permanent marker, tape, a ruler, scissors, and more.
The way the shuttlecock spins around as it falls is unique and really fun to watch!
A full-fledged crane game that even beginners can make
This is a crane game that delivers a stable finish by proceeding through the steps in order.
Cut the cardboard into individual parts, and thread bamboo skewers and string to create the movement mechanism.
Carefully securing everything with glue improves durability.
By combining binder clips and popsicle sticks for the arm, it can perform a gripping action, and using wooden dowels and boards expands the range of control.
The moment you lift a prize feels just like the real thing, and it’s sure to captivate not only children but adults as well.
It’s a practical idea that keeps material costs low while offering both a sense of accomplishment and plenty of play value.
Let’s try making a big dice!
An item that’s perfect for events and parties! When you think of dice, most are so small they feel tiny even in a child’s hand.
But this time, let’s use cardboard or large origami paper to make big dice and have some fun.
With oversized dice, you can become the game piece yourself in a life-size board game, making for a memorable, high-impact event! You can also create the game board squares together with kids using recycled materials, turning the process into an exciting, hands-on activity.
A marble coaster with interchangeable tracks!
When you keep playing with the same toy, you can get bored, right? At times like that, try making a marble run with interchangeable courses so you can keep it fresh! First, build the base track out of cardboard.
Using bamboo skewers or similar materials, create features like an escalator-like lift that carries the marbles upward, or a spiral where the marbles twirl down.
For the swap-in courses, prepare pieces of cardboard shaped to fit into the base track, and on each one attach small cut pieces of cardboard, straws, or short wooden sticks to make a variety of course types.
By swapping these in and out, you can enjoy your marble run for a long time without getting bored!
A crane game where you can grab capsules
A capsule-compatible claw machine made from cardboard offers an impressive look and engaging controls.
Cut the main body parts from cardboard, temporarily hold them in place with tape, then assemble.
Making use of the corrugated structure increases strength and stability.
Thread yarn through the claw section for opening and closing, and set up additional yarn to support the body so it can be operated.
To prevent the claw from opening too wide, use items like batteries as stoppers for a more realistic motion.
Reinforce the claw so it can grip capsules without dropping them, and add eye designs to give the appearance a sharper finish.
Small adjustments to the details change the difficulty, making this a three-dimensional idea that expands the fun of play.