Toys you can make from cardboard crafts! Authentic ideas you can build and play with

Whac-A-Mole

Whack a Mole Game from Cardboard DIY How to make pokemon

Let’s build a cardboard whack-a-mole game where you judge and hit moles that pop up at random.

When you turn the side handle, a complexly shaped piece of cardboard attached to an inner cylinder moves, causing the moles to pop up irregularly.

The popping pattern changes depending on the shape of the cardboard mechanism inside the cylinder, so customize this part and gradually make it more complex.

The popping also varies with the speed at which you turn the handle, making for a fun element of strategy as well.

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kappamaki

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cardboard gun

Make a gun out of cardboard | How to Make a Cardboard Gun

One thing boys like is guns, right? There are even instructions online for making a cardboard gun that can shoot chalk.

But that seems a bit too dangerous, so I’ll introduce a cardboard gun that shoots rubber bands instead.

First, cut cardboard into the shape of a gun and attach a clip slightly above the handle.

Make two of these and join them together to form the base.

Next, attach the trigger and set it up so that the rubber band hooked onto the clip will launch when you pull it.

Depending on how you build it, you can even make it fire in rapid succession, so be sure to look it up! Also, even though they’re just rubber bands, don’t aim at people.

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yamamoto

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cardboard car

Adults can ride too! We built a giant cardboard car and took it for a drive!

It’s a simple craft where you assemble cardboard into the shape of a car, and the fun part is that you can actually get inside it.

First, take the cardboard apart to create parts, then put them together to form a car.

The key here is how you connect each part—use tricks like layering the cardboard so the structure doesn’t collapse.

Once the shape is complete, add decorations to make it look more like a car; adding a decorative door that shows you can get inside is also recommended.

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kappamaki

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rattle

[Handmade Toy] Make a Rattle with Cardboard!

We’re going to make a lottery drum (garagara).

The materials are lots of ping-pong balls, wooden chopsticks, and cardboard.

First, make the main body from cardboard.

It’s easiest if you imagine a whole uncut cake.

A hexagon or a circle will both work.

Make an exit on the side for the balls to come out.

The size should be just a little larger than a ping-pong ball.

If you have room, try making another opening on the side for putting ping-pong balls in.

Use hook-and-loop fastener (Velcro) so the lid doesn’t open.

Create an axle in the center of the main body using chopsticks, and fix it to a base made of cardboard to finish.

You can write prize numbers on the ping-pong balls, or simply write “Winner.”

piggy bank

It gobbles up your allowance too! I made a piggy-bank ghost!

A piggy bank is complete just by making a hole in a box, but adding a little twist might make it more fun.

For example, it could have several openings for taking money out even though there’s only one slot for putting money in, or dedicated slots for 10-yen, 50-yen, and 100-yen coins.

It might also be interesting to make it not only a rectangular shape, but a pyramid, a car, or a baseball bat.

You can enjoy crafting and save money at the same time—two birds with one stone!