Lovely handmade crafts

Craft a real playable DIY claw machine using everyday materials!

10 years as a kindergarten teacher / elementary school teacher / junior and senior high school teacher / childminderkepiko
Graduated from Kunitachi College of Music, Faculty of Music (now: Department of Music Culture and Education, Early Childhood Music Education major). In elementary school, my homeroom teacher was Jun Kusaba, a game researcher. After graduating from university, I worked as a kindergarten teacher for 10 years and as an after-school childcare instructor for 7 years, then took a position as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I engaged in activities that introduced Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational activities, working with many children. Later, through freelance writing, planning, and editing at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and sharing. Drawing on the perspective cultivated in the field of education and my experience as an editor, I provide practical information with an emphasis on both input and output, mainly in areas related to music and children. My hobbies include instruments, singing, handicrafts, toys, drawing, traditional games, the outdoors, and books. My special skill is spinning-top tricks.
Editor-in-Chief, RAG MUSICHane Keisuke
Editor-in-chief of RAG MUSIC. JFC-certified fact-checker. After working in a music studio and handling wedding sound, joined the RAG MUSIC editorial team in 2016. Experienced with a variety of instruments: marching band in elementary school, clarinet in junior high school wind ensemble, and drums in a band from high school onward. Drawing on my own musical activities and the experience gained through my work, I produce daily articles, including various song introductions, features on music festivals around the country, and live reports. In music, I enjoy not only rock from Japan and abroad but, lately, a wide range of J-pop as well.

A crane game that kids and adults can’t help but get hooked on! Why not try recreating it as a handmade version you can play anytime? Using familiar materials you already have at home, you can make a realistic crane game.

From the arm’s movement to the claw opening and closing, there are plenty of playful mechanisms.

Options range from battery- and motor-powered electric versions to manual versions operated with twine, with varying levels of difficulty.

You’ll enjoy the building process, and once it’s finished, you can have an exciting time playing with family and friends.

Here’s how to make your own handmade crane game.

Can be made with familiar materials! DIY crane game ideas you can seriously play with (1–10)

Magnet Crane Game

[How-To Guide] Perfect for at-home play and events! A magnetic crane game that also works as an educational activity

Magnet Crane Game

A crane game that uses magnets can become uniquely fun with just a few clever tweaks.

We recommend building a frame out of cardboard and attaching a clear plastic panel so you can see inside.

Install paper cups inside to hold prizes, and run a tension rod through the sides to create the crane’s range of motion.

Attach a magnet to the end of a string, and it turns into a mechanism that can lift prizes with metal embedded in them.

By turning a wooden rod to raise and lower the string, you can aim and drop with great control, making each attempt exciting.

It’s a compelling idea that lets you experience the fun of ingenuity while you play.

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A cardboard crane game operated with three strings

[Cardboard Craft] All-you-can-grab Earth Gummies: How to Make a Crane Game and How It Works

A cardboard crane game operated with three strings

This is a craft project that recreates an arcade claw machine out of cardboard—something that excites both adults and kids.

Best of all, the claw is realistic and can actually grab objects, so you can enjoy playing the game even after you build it! You’ll make the main frame, the claw control mechanism, the claw, the claw-opening mechanism, and the base of the body in that order.

The claw’s arm is designed to actually move, so it might take a bit of time and effort.

It’s more efficient if parents and children split up the tasks, so definitely give it a try!

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Handmade crane game out of cardboard!

[Craft] Handmade Crane Game with Cardboard♪ Get Toys at the Arcade! Educational Content for Kids ★ Sansan Kids TV ★

Handmade crane game out of cardboard!

A claw machine made from cardboard is a perfect activity for kids who love crafts.

By assembling the cardboard into a box and cutting out windows so you can see inside, you can create the feel of a real arcade machine.

If you use pipe cleaners for the arm, it will move flexibly, letting you enjoy the sensation of grabbing prizes.

Fill it with plush toys or light trinkets, and each attempt becomes more exciting—you can even compete with friends and family.

You can adjust the difficulty by changing how you build it, and once it’s finished, you’ll experience both the satisfaction of completing it and the fun of playing.

It’s a creative idea that lets you enjoy an arcade vibe using familiar, everyday materials.

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A claw machine made only with items from a 100-yen shop

A crane game fan recreated it using only items from the 100-yen shop‼️ Remotely controllable 🌟 I tried making a UFO catcher (claw machine)‼️ [100-Yen Shop Daiso DIY]

A claw machine made only with items from a 100-yen shop

A 100-yen shop has almost everything you need for everyday life.

Here’s a claw machine you can make using only items from a 100-yen shop.

By attaching an A3-size photo frame to a large plastic case as the base, you can build a tall, authentic-looking claw machine.

On top of the main unit, secure a wire mesh and operate the claw using a tape measure.

Turn the tape measure to control the arm with the claw.

It’ll be exciting if you can skillfully grab a prize with the swaying claw.

It’s easy to prepare, so give it a try casually!

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Simple claw machine with twine and clips

Let's all play together! How to make a crane game

Simple claw machine with twine and clips

How about making and enjoying a crane game—just like the popular ones at arcades—by yourselves? Connect several straws to create the crane’s axle, and tie on a piece of twine with a clip attached.

Pass the axle through a box made by cutting out cardboard, and you’re done: by rotating the straw section, the clip will catch items inside and lift them up! Fill it with light items like empty candy boxes or small figures, and you can play again and again—an exciting game packed with fun.

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