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!
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Toys You Can Make with Cardboard! Authentic Ideas You Can Build and Play With (11–20)
soccer game
Soccer game making is perfect for kids who love games and sports.
It’s that game you often see at inns, where you spin the rods to play.
You can easily make your own using a shoebox.
First, cut off the lid and cut out rectangular openings on the two short sides.
These will be the goals, so make them large enough for the ball to pass through.
Next, thread wooden chopsticks through the indentations that serve as handles, and attach four straws at right angles to them.
These straws are the parts you’ll spin to play.
Finally, clip clothespins onto the straws, and you’re done! This way, your child can keep playing with friends even after the summer project is finished.
If you want to add more atmosphere, try decorating it with origami paper to make it look like a field.
vending machine
Some of you may have seen videos of people making vending machines out of cardboard.
It sounds kind of fun to build your own, doesn’t it? This video shows how to make a small box-shaped gum vending machine.
When you press the button, the product drops into the slot below.
What’s great about projects like this is that you can learn the basic inner workings of a simple vending machine.
Give this cardboard vending machine a try—it’s educational and fun to play with even after you’ve finished making it.
Marble Maze
We’re going to make a toy where you roll a marble and guide it to the goal.
The materials are cardboard and a marble.
You can also attach a plastic sheet on the top so the marble doesn’t fall out.
To make it, first build a box about 3 cm deep.
Decide on the start and goal positions, then combine pieces of cardboard about 2 cm high to freely create a maze.
Dead ends make it fun, so go ahead and build a maze that makes your head spin.
Before showing it to anyone, be sure to test it yourself to see if you can actually reach the goal.
gachapon
You can make a dream-like, endlessly playable gacha machine for kids using materials from a 100-yen shop! Stack assembly-style cardboard to create the main body of the machine, then use a utility knife to cut holes where the capsules drop and where they come out.
For the rotating mechanism, repurpose items like a socket or a doorknob, connect them to an internal board, and set up a system that lets the capsules fall.
Finally, cover the front of the capsule compartment with transparent cellophane, decorate the sides so the cardboard isn’t exposed, and you’re done!
locked treasure chest
Treasure chests are so exciting, aren’t they? And this one even comes with a lock! It’s a perfect craft idea for curious kids, since they can make it while learning how a lock works.
The process is to use cardboard to create the box, lid, and key—each part separately—and then assemble them.
As long as you cut the parts correctly and prepare them, all that’s left is to glue them together, so it goes smoothly.
You’ll use a hot glue gun to bond the cardboard, so be careful to avoid burns while handling it.
There’s also a downloadable template, so be sure to use it as a reference and give it a try!
wristwatch-type tranquilizer gun
You’re familiar with the nationally beloved anime Detective Conan, right? Many kids probably admire the wristwatch-type tranquilizer gun that appears in the series.
Some people even make that watch-shaped tranquilizer gun out of cardboard.
There are versions that shoot BB pellets or hairpins, and the blueprints for them are available online.
It’s probably difficult for children to make on their own, so we recommend that an adult take the lead.
Once it’s finished, you might be tempted to shoot at people, but don’t—someone could get hurt.
It’s much more fun to use illustrations or toys as targets!
Toys Made with Cardboard Crafts! Authentic Ideas You Can Make and Play With (21–30)
3D maze
Children who love 3D and spherical labyrinths often get absorbed in spinning the maze to guide the ball in numerical order or maneuvering it to avoid obstacles.
For elementary schoolers who enjoy 3D mazes, a cardboard 3D maze is highly recommended.
Draw a rough maze sketch on cardboard and assemble the parts.
If you create the design and maze on paper beforehand, the building process may go more smoothly.
Turning a favorite game or anime into a maze also sounds fun.
It’s a craft project that elementary school children can get completely absorbed in over summer vacation.
