Fun to make! A collection of simple handmade doll ideas using a variety of materials
Do you all have dolls?
When we were little, we used them for make-believe play, changed their clothes, and some people carried them everywhere—when going out or even when sleeping—and still treasure them to this day.
This time, we’ve gathered ideas for making such dolls by hand.
Many of these dolls can be made from recycled materials like cans and cartons, and most of the supplies can be found at 100-yen shops.
So find a doll you like, make it, and have fun playing with it!
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Fun to make! A collection of easy handmade doll ideas using various materials (1–10)
balancing doll
This is a hand-operated doll inspired by ball balancing, where the figure sways gently as you move it, as if balancing on a ball without falling.
Cut colored construction paper into two strips of 20 cm, one strip of 15 cm, and two strips of 13 cm.
Apply glue to the ends of the paper and form circles and triangles.
Connect the parts for the face, body, arms, and legs to complete the doll.
Cut two circles of construction paper to match the size of a roll core from cellophane tape fitted with a marble, and draw any pattern you like.
Attach the paper circles to both sides of the tape core, and finally attach the doll to finish.
A doll whose face keeps changing
Here’s how to make a doll whose animal or character expressions change when you twist a mechanism.
Punch a window-like hole in a toilet paper roll.
Keeping in mind that you’ll draw the expressions on the inside, sketch the face and body parts.
Insert another roll that’s been cut and trimmed to be slightly smaller inside the first one, then draw the eyes, nose, mouth, and other expressions on the inner roll.
Rotate the inner roll and draw several expressions—joy, anger, sorrow, and fun—and you’re done! It’s a playful craft where you can enjoy the surprise of not knowing which expression will pop out next.
A doll made from work gloves
This is a finger-play puppet you can make with cotton work gloves typically worn for injury prevention during tasks or for DIY projects.
First, tuck all the fingers of one glove inside.
Then insert the thumb of the other glove inside it and tie the center of the glove using the middle and ring finger sections.
Turn the cuff inside out and shape it to finish the puppet.
You can have fun customizing it by adding eye stickers or blush to give the face expression, or sewing on buttons and a belt.
It’s a charming idea—watching the puppet’s head and body move freely is soothing and cute.
Fun to make! A collection of easy handmade doll ideas using various materials (11–20)
puppet
Here’s how to make a handmade puppet whose hands and feet are controlled with strings.
Draw a face and body on two toilet paper rolls: one cut to one-third and the other the remaining two-thirds.
Thread beads onto four strings cut to about 20 cm, tie knots, and attach them so that the strings for the arms and legs come out from the sides of the body.
Cut one more string about 20 cm and glue it inside the head to form a loop.
Attach the head’s top string to the center of a straw, then glue another straw across to match the length of the arms.
For the legs, attach straws of equal length as well.
Once assembled, you’ll have a marionette that moves freely.
A doll made from tissues
@monmon_nigaoe I tried making a bunny finger puppet with a single tissue ♡♡Simple craftfinger puppetCaricature Artist
♬ love is done – gani
Here’s how to make a cute rabbit finger puppet using just one tissue.
Prepare a tissue, colored pens, and clear tape.
Fold a single tissue in half, then fold both ends inward to meet the center crease.
After folding both ends up toward the center, it will look like a little triangular house; shape the fluttery parts into the rabbit’s ears.
Fold the shaped ears in half, make a ring big enough for your finger to fit through, and secure it with tape.
Finally, draw the rabbit’s face with colored pens, and you’re done! It would be fun to make lots of rabbit finger puppets and have them talk to each other as you play.
pop-up doll
@yopiko148 I tried making a paper cup puppet with fun movements ♡#StayAtHomeSquadLet's make it at home#tiktok classroom#HandmadeToys
Sambomaster – I Want to Work a Miracle With You
We’ll show you how to make a handmade doll using a paper cup.
Prepare a paper cup and some straws.
Keep the bendy part of the straw, and cut two pieces about 2 cm from the bottom end.
Attach these two pieces to the left and right sides of a full straw with tape so they look like arms.
Make one hole in the bottom of the paper cup and one hole on each side.
Insert the taped-together straw into the hole in the bottom of the cup, so that a single straw sticks out from underneath the cup.
Add additional straw segments to the arm parts to make the arms longer.
Finally, attach a face and hands, and your cute paper cup doll is complete! When you move the straw sticking out from the bottom, the doll moves too, which kids are sure to love.
Karakuri doll made of cardboard
Here’s how to make a mechanical puppet out of cardboard.
Prepare bamboo skewers, cardboard, colored pens, two ping-pong balls, a hot glue gun, yarn, and scissors.
Cut the cardboard and use the glue gun to assemble the head and jaw.
Make holes where the eyes go to pass a bamboo skewer through, then thread on the two ping-pong balls to complete the eyes.
Cut out the nose and eyebrows from cardboard, glue them on, and color them.
Draw a regular eye and a demon eye on the ping-pong balls to create expressions.
Make a horn mechanism from cardboard so the horns pop out when the demon eyes appear, add yarn hair to the head, and you’re done! Give this expressive mechanical puppet a try.