Handmade fabric toy ideas: toys that make babies happy
Babies are full of curiosity and love to put toys in their mouths or toss them around for fun.
You want to let them play freely, but watching them can make you worry they might get hurt.
So in this article, I’ll introduce some fabric toy ideas.
Fabric toys are less likely to cause injury even if they hit something, and toys made entirely of fabric can be washed, so they’re hygienic too!
I’ve gathered a variety of ideas that kids will love, so please use them as inspiration and give them a try!
- Handmade felt toys: simple and cute ideas
- Handmade plushies with everyday items! A collection of ideas perfect for beginners
- [Daycare/Preschool] Handmade toys that delight infants
- Handmade fabric book ideas: a wonderful gift for babies
- Let’s make baby goods by hand! Introducing popular handmade recipes
- [Educational] DIY Montessori-style toy ideas
- Make it with everyday materials! A collection of DIY toy ideas recommended for 1-year-olds
- [Childcare] Easy to make! Handmade toys that delight 0-year-olds
- A handmade collection of Anpanman ideas to enjoy
- Let’s make it by hand! A toy made with felt and Velcro
- Easy DIY! Introducing educational toys that can be easily made with 100-yen shop items and things around the house.
- [For Kids] Recommended Ideas for DIY Toothbrushing Dolls
- Handmade baby gym ideas. Let’s DIY baby toys!
Handmade fabric toy ideas: toys that make babies happy (1–10)
Hook-and-loop fastener remover
Here’s a simple toy you can make right away if you have the materials: a hook-and-loop (Velcro) pull toy.
Cut a strip of hook-and-loop tape to your preferred length, punch a hole at one end with a hole punch, thread a string through the hole, and tie it tightly—that’s it.
Kids can peel the tape apart with a satisfying rip and stick it back together again.
The string keeps the two pieces from getting separated, so you don’t have to worry about losing one side.
It’s also hygienic: if a small child puts it in their mouth, you can wash it and let it dry.
Try making them in different colors and lengths!
Food Education Puppet
Here’s how to make cute puppets that are great for food education.
The puppets are made from felt and sized to fit an adult’s hand.
Use three pieces of fabric with the same pattern to create the hand opening and a pocket where food mascots can be inserted.
Sew hook-and-loop tape to the bottom of the pocket so the mascots can be removed later.
Make food mascots—like rice balls or apples—small enough to fit into the puppet’s mouth.
How about making the puppet as an animal your child loves, such as a bear, cat, or dog?
playmat
A play mat that you can enjoy using with toy cars and stuffed animals.
There are many store-bought options, but how about making that play mat yourself? Use large sheets of felt from a 100-yen shop for the materials.
Create roads on the base felt, and if you like, also make houses, trees, and parking lots out of felt.
Use fabric glue to attach them to the base felt.
For more durability, sew along the edges of the felt with a sewing machine.
Sew on the backing felt, and it’s complete.
Handmade fabric toy ideas: toys that delight babies (11–20)
beanbags
Otedama (beanbags) are classic toys that have been loved for generations.
While many are sold in stores, they’re easy to make by hand—so try creating your own with fabric you like! First, prepare one rectangular piece of fabric.
Fold it in half and do a running stitch along the side opposite the fold.
Next, sew one of the left or right sides with a running stitch, pull the thread tight, wrap it around about three times, and knot it off.
Turn the fabric inside out, fill it with azuki beans, then close the opening—and you’re done! It’s very simple, so make a few and have fun playing with your kids or friends!
Pup-pu! A toy that makes a sound when you press it.
Here’s how to make a fabric toy for infants that makes a “poo-poo!” squeaking sound when pressed.
The sound-making insert is available at craft stores.
Prepare some scrap fabric, place two pieces right sides together, sew around, turn it right side out, insert the sound-making material, and stitch the opening closed—that’s all there is to it.
You can also sew on a strip of fabric with elastic so your child can slip their hand through, and using worn-in gauze makes it pleasantly soft to the touch, which is recommended.
You can also try variations, like adding a small bell inside, or making different versions.
cloth picture book
If your little one ends up putting paper books in their mouth or tearing them, why not try making a cloth book? You could create a storybook, or turn it into an interactive pop-up style.
It might be fun if it makes sounds, has buttons so parts can be attached and removed, or includes laces for threading play.
There are plenty of ideas for cloth books, so be sure to look for ones you like.
It’s also a great idea to make one during pregnancy and give it as a gift to your baby when they’re born!
Swirly roll
Many parents have probably experienced their child turning the bathroom into a sea of toilet paper! For some reason, kids just can’t resist pulling it out when they see a roll.
So why not make this toy instead? Sew several square pieces of fabric together to make a long strip, then glue one end to the inside of a cut-to-length plastic wrap (cling film) core.
Thread a string through the core and you’re done! Wind the fabric strip onto the core, hang it on the wall, and let your child pull it out to play—just like toilet paper, but mess-free!