Handmade toys with cardboard! DIY game ideas that will captivate kids

Painful crocodile

How to Make “Itaiwani”: Whac-A-Gator, Pokémon, Craft, Cardboard, Hogator

It’s a luck-based game where you press the crocodile’s teeth one by one, and if the mouth snaps shut, you lose.

You can change which tooth is the “losing” one each game using parts on the back, so you can enjoy it just like the commercially sold toy.

Since you’ll cut out fairly small pieces with a craft knife and assemble them with a hot glue gun, it should be a rewarding challenge for a child’s summer craft project.

Care is needed if small children are doing the crafting, but once it’s finished, it offers a real sense of accomplishment and a fun way to get excited with family and friends.

Give it a try!

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Hoshino Takashi

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Wani Wani Panic

How to make Crocodile Game with Cardboard. Whac-A-Mole DIY. tutorial.

This project builds a Whac-A-Gator-style game out of combined cardboard pieces, where targets like crocodiles pop out of holes one after another.

The key is the bent wire hidden inside the base; its unique shape creates the targets’ distinctive popping motion.

It’s also recommended to make targets in various designs, not just crocodiles, to add the fun of anticipating what will appear.

The simple look composed of rectangular shapes makes it easy to customize freely, which is another highlight.

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kappamaki

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Cardboard vending machine

[Summer Vacation Craft] How to Make a Vending Machine (Cardboard & Milk Cartons) [Independent Research / Vending Machine / Upcycled Craft] How to Make an Easy Vending Machine!

Let me introduce a cardboard vending machine that looks just like the real thing.

Insert a coin and press a button, and a drink will come out from inside.

Gather materials like milk cartons, cardboard, bubble gum, rubber bands, paper clips, plastic sheets, tape, glue, a ruler, scissors, and a utility knife, and let’s get making.

First, create the internal parts of the cardboard vending machine.

The key is to carefully measure and cut each piece and assemble them together.

Measure the base cardboard as well, and build while checking that it’s large enough to hold the drinks.

It also sounds fun to make your own original drinks!

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mayumi

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Air hockey

How to make Air Hockey at home smooth Slick Puck DIY

This project shows how to make the familiar arcade air hockey game using cardboard.

The key is the puck; if you make it glide smoothly, the game will feel fast and exciting.

The overall field is basically a piece of cardboard with walls and goals attached, and laying down baking paper will make the puck slide even more easily.

The puck contains a marble inside; as the marble rolls, it helps the puck glide across the field.

The larger the field, the more strategy and back-and-forth the rallies will have, so it’s important to consider that balance when you build it.

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kappamaki

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table soccer

Let's make a DIY table soccer game out of cardboard and play a match at home.

Table soccer is said to have originated in Europe around the 1890s.

Though its structure is simple, the game is surprisingly challenging.

If you can make it using everyday materials—mainly cardboard—it could be perfect for a child’s summer craft project.

Plus, for kids who aren’t very familiar with table soccer itself, it’s sure to be a hit as a game even after it’s finished.

Adding green fabric or colored paper to the field will make it feel more like real soccer, so it’s a fun craft to get creative with.

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Hoshino Takashi

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