Toys you can make from cardboard crafts! Authentic ideas you can build and play with
“It moves like the real thing!” “It’s just like an arcade!” Want to try making cardboard crafts that will amaze your family and friends?In fact, with a bit of ingenuity in assembling cardboard, you can create all kinds of fun projects like a claw machine, a basketball game, and even a cardboard car.Besides cardboard, most of the materials you’ll need are everyday items, along with a utility knife and glue.Why not take on the challenge of creating your own original project without fear of failure?In this article, we’ll share cardboard craft ideas that both kids and adults can enjoy!
- For summer vacation homework! Simple and amazing crafts for elementary school students that you’ll want to make after seeing them
- You can make them with cardboard! Cool katanas & swords
- Simple yet amazing crafts: craft ideas that elementary school students will want to make
- Let's make toys out of cardboard! Easy and fun handmade toys
- Adults will be hooked! A collection of craft ideas using toilet paper rolls
- DIY science projects that elementary school boys will love: ideas you can make with everyday materials
- [For Upper Elementary Students] Simple but Awesome! A Collection of Summer Vacation Craft Ideas
- [For Adults] Simple yet Impressive Crafts: A Stylish, Eye-Catching Collection
- Paper cup crafts that elementary school kids will love! A collection of fun project ideas
- Craft ideas using plastic bottle caps [for boys]
- [For Kids] Today’s Handmade Craft Ideas
- Crafts parents and kids can enjoy together. Recommended craft ideas to keep children entertained.
- Fun crafts using straws
Toys made from cardboard crafts! Authentic ideas you can build and play with (61–70)
Ball toss game
This is an easy, carnival-style shooting game craft made from cardboard that kids and adults alike can enjoy.
First, seal the cardboard box lid with packing tape.
Cut holes in the box.
If circles are tricky, feel free to make squares, triangles, or any shapes you like.
Next, make balls out of newspaper.
Tear the paper to your preferred size, crumple it into a ball, and secure it with packing tape—that’s it! It’s also fun to draw pictures or add colors as you like.
When children are making this, be careful to avoid cuts from box cutters or scissors.
Bowling Made from Cardboard
Let’s use the cardboard boxes that keep piling up from online shopping to make a bowling game.
You can cut the cardboard to about the same size as regular pins and attach some weights to create sturdy pins.
Or, take a completely different approach and make a small, tabletop version—that sounds fun too.
For the ball in the mini-bowling version, marbles are recommended! You can roll them as-is, or build a cardboard launcher with a slight incline.
Try customizing the setup to match your play space and the players’ ages.
air cannon
The air cannon everyone loves is surprisingly easy to make.
First, prepare a cardboard box—sturdier, thicker cardboard works better.
Seal all sides with packing tape so there are no openings.
Make sure no air can leak.
Use a compass to draw a circular hole on one side of the box, then cut it out with a utility knife, and you’re done.
Next, fill the box with smoke and tap the side to launch smoke rings.
You’ll want to play with it over and over!
slide
Let’s use cardboard to make a fun slide inspired by the Shinkansen.
It’s important to build it sturdy with a strong frame so it can withstand the motion of riding on top and sliding.
First, create the shape of the sliding board you’ll ride on, then attach a frame underneath made by firmly layering cardboard.
Next, make the outer sides—which will also serve as handrails—in a Shinkansen design and attach them to complete the slide.
The longer the sliding distance, the harder it is to build it sturdy, so proceed while considering a balance that you can construct reliably.
Air hockey
Here’s an introduction to making an air hockey set out of cardboard.
In this video, we use 4 mm-thick cardboard, but you can also make it with any size of corrugated cardboard you like.
Cut the cardboard into parts and glue them together with a hot glue gun to build the rink.
Next, make the puck parts using plastic sheets (shrinky plastic).
Cut the plastic into a circle and punch three holes for marble sockets.
Wrap thin strips of cardboard around the plastic sheet with a hot glue gun to form the puck’s edge.
Finally, make the handheld mallets out of cardboard, and you’re done! Laying down parchment paper will make the puck slide more smoothly.
Decorate it however you like and have fun!
Christmas tree
This is about making a Christmas tree out of cardboard to heighten the festive holiday atmosphere.
Cut the cardboard into a tree shape with branches spreading out to the sides, then combine the pieces to create a three-dimensional Christmas tree.
Since plain cardboard can look dull, it’s important to decorate the whole thing with Christmas colors.
Pay attention to how you secure the base and to additional decorations, and create your own unique Christmas tree.
glove
This project is about deliberately making an essential piece of baseball gear—a glove—out of cardboard.
Although it’s made from cardboard, the construction method is based on real gloves: you punch holes in the small parts and assemble them by lacing them together.
Refer to how an actual glove is composed of different pieces, and carefully adjust the size.
To highlight the surprising, woven-laced construction, it’s recommended to use laces in a color different from the cardboard.