Lovely handmade crafts

Easy DIY! Introducing educational toys that can be easily made with 100-yen shop items and things around the house.

9 years of experience as a nursery school teacherShibata Risa
I am an active nursery school teacher with 9 years of experience. After graduating from university, I worked at a daycare center. The time I spent happily with children—playing piano, singing songs, and doing finger-play—are priceless memories to me. Currently, while raising three children of my own, I work at an after-school day service, engaging with children and providing individualized developmental support. Drawing on my diverse experiences as a childcare worker and as a mother, I hope to express and convey my thoughts through writing.

You want to provide toys that match your child’s development and changing interests, but buying new ones every time can get expensive, right?

If that sounds familiar, this is for you.

Here are some easy, handmade toy ideas you can try.

They use items from 100-yen shops and materials you likely already have at home, so they’re low-cost and beginner-friendly—another great bonus!

We’re focusing on how to make educational toys that build concentration, imagination, and fine motor skills.

Try incorporating them into playtime at home, as well as in daycare or kindergarten!

Easy DIY! Introducing educational toys that can be easily made with 100-yen shop items or everyday materials (21–30)

A puppet made of cotton work gloves and paper clay

Let's make a handmade hand puppet using work gloves and paper clay!

A puppet made of cotton work gloves and paper clay

Unique puppets! Here are some ideas for puppets made with work gloves and paper clay.

When you hear “puppet,” many people probably picture something made of fabric, right? This time, let’s make a work-glove puppet using paper clay.

You’ll need lightweight paper clay, work gloves, a sculpting spatula, scissors, cardboard, duct tape, and paint.

Compared to puppets made only from fabric, these have more three-dimensionality and impact, so they’re likely to shine in puppet shows and events.

It’s the perfect idea for anyone looking to create a unique puppet!

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Button play with colorful buttons

Button play is very effective for helping children practice using their fingers and energizing their brains.

By fastening and unfastening buttons, they develop fine motor skills.

Using both hands also teaches them how to coordinate and differentiate between the strength of the right and left hands.

Focusing on the activity may improve their concentration and stamina.

Choose button colors that match your child’s developmental stage and interests, and try making an original, handmade puzzle with a bit of creativity.

Enjoy it together with the children!

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Yo-yo made with caps

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The well-known “yo-yo” is actually great for developing children’s finger dexterity.

You can even make one with everyday materials.

Using their hands helps children improve their concentration, and watching how the yo-yo moves stimulates their senses and nurtures their sense of rhythm.

Here, we’ll show you how to make a yo-yo using a plastic bottle cap.

You can use other materials too, so feel free to craft variations that suit your child’s stage of development and enjoy making them together!

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Tangram

Tangrams are a fun and helpful tool for children’s development.

A “tangram” is like a puzzle where you combine several shapes to make new ones.

It nurtures the ability to recognize shapes, think in space, and use imagination.

As children create various figures, they use their hands while playing, which boosts concentration and helps calm the mind.

The charm of tangrams is that kids can develop many skills while having fun.

Try making your own homemade tangram and enjoy creating different shapes together with your child!

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Handmade zipper teaching materials

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Independent Project Production Log 24: ZipperTranslation Handmade teaching materials Special Needs Education #Autism Neurodevelopmental disorder After-school day service Tokachi
3:03 PM – Sharou

In therapy for child development, zippers are commonly used.

The zipper activity mainly aims to improve hand use.

It also supports children’s focus and their ability to do things on their own.

Especially for children with developmental disabilities, the motion of opening and closing a zipper is an important practice.

By repeating this motion, they become more aware of fine hand movements and gain more successful experiences.

This kind of practice is useful in daily life, too.

Here, we introduce a handmade zipper toy to make practicing with zippers more enjoyable.

Please have fun trying it together, tailored to your child’s developmental stage!

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