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.

Make it with everyday materials! DIY claw machine ideas you can really play with (21–30)

A UFO catcher made from a candy box

[Easy Craft] UFO Catcher Made from a Tabekko Dobutsu Box! / Ginbis / Snack Box Upcycle / Animal Biscuits Crane Game / Recycled Craft / Claw Crane / Claw Machine

A UFO catcher made from a candy box

A UFO catcher made from an empty Tabecco Animal cookie box is a playful craft.

Use the box as the base, and create the frame and decorations with construction paper and colored paper.

Combine straws of different thicknesses—slide a regular straw inside a tapioca (boba) straw—to support the movement of the arm.

Reinforce it with parts from a milk carton, and thread string through it so the arm can move up and down; this mechanism is key.

Design the tip of the arm so it can grip prizes securely.

Using double-sided tape or glue during assembly will make it sturdier.

It’s a cute, fun-to-play idea that makes great use of everyday materials.

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How to Make a State-of-the-Art Crane Arm

[Crafting LIVE] I built the arm of a latest-model crane game

How to Make a State-of-the-Art Crane Arm

A crane game where you thoroughly assemble the arm is a craft that’s fun to build in itself.

Start by creating the arm’s frame, then attach the strap that supports the arm.

Add the part that grabs the prize to the tip and connect everything together to give it a crane-like shape.

To make it move, thread yarn through the arm, then run the yarn through the main box to set up a mechanism that transmits motion.

By changing the strength and angle with which you pull the yarn, the arm’s opening and closing will vary, helping you grab prizes more effectively.

The appeal lies in how the builder’s ingenuity changes the operability, and once it’s finished, the excitement comes from testing the controls as you play.

It’s a fun idea that sparks a spirit of challenge.

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Crane game made from a milk carton

[Milk Carton Craft] Easy! How to Make a Claw Machine

Crane game made from a milk carton

A claw machine made by recycling milk cartons is an eco-friendly craft you can try with everyday materials.

First, open up the carton, cut it into the necessary shapes, and secure everything firmly with duct tape.

Next, create the part where the string will be tied, and staple the arm’s joints while devising how they connect.

Make holes in the control handle, thread the string through, tie it tightly, and reinforce it with duct tape.

Once finished, you’ll have a mechanism that lets you operate an arm moving up and down to grab prizes.

The light weight and easy workability unique to milk cartons are key features, making it perfect for doing with children.

It’s a fun idea that lets you enjoy a sense of accomplishment while playing.

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A crane game operated with twine

[Craft] Grab-all-you-can candy: How to make and how it works—a crane game operated with twine

A crane game operated with twine

A crane game you can make by combining construction paper, bamboo skewers, and kite string, with the fun focused on cleverly moving the arm.

Secure the arm firmly with a hot glue gun and devise a mechanism so it moves up and down.

Then thread bamboo skewers so it can also be operated forward, backward, left, and right, creating a structure that lets you aim for prizes from multiple directions like a real crane.

Once it’s finished, prepare a box for the main body and decorate the exterior however you like to create your own original game machine.

It’s an idea you can truly enjoy, offering the satisfaction of operating it by hand and grabbing prizes yourself.

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Rubber Band Crane Game

Join forces for the 'Rubber Band Crane Game'

Rubber Band Crane Game

It’s a game where several people hold a tool made by connecting rubber bands and strings, and thread a paper cup through its end to operate it like a crane.

Participants pull the strings together, lifting the paper cup while keeping their balance.

Placing the cup in a target spot or stacking it is challenging, requiring cooperation and concentration.

It can be enjoyed by large groups, making it great for parties and school events, and it also helps spark communication.

Although it’s made from simple, everyday materials, it’s captivating and works as a hands-on crafting game—an engaging and appealing idea.

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