Let's make a DIY Fukuwarai! Simple ideas for fun with kids
Fukuwarai is one of the classic games that gets everyone excited with family and friends during the New Year.
But when you actually try to make one, you might find yourself wondering, “What should I use as the theme?” or “Isn’t there a more fun idea?” In fact, fukuwarai isn’t limited to traditional Okame and Hyottoko faces—you can handcraft it with free ideas like popular characters, Santa Claus, or even family photos! In this article, we’ll introduce unique, crowd-pleasing DIY fukuwarai ideas you can enjoy not only during the New Year, but in any season.
They’re all easy to make, so give them a try!
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Let’s make a handmade Fukuwarai! Simple ideas to play with kids (11–20)
Fukuwarai made with felt
If you make fukuwarai out of felt, it feels nice to the touch and lasts a long time.
In addition to the traditional Okame face, it could be fun to create fukuwarai sets featuring anime protagonists that kids love or even a portrait of Grandpa.
Once you have a few different sets, you can swap the base sheets and the eye-and-nose pieces between them for extra fun.
It’s best to sew the outline of the face—the foundation—on like an appliqué, but for those who aren’t handy, you can simply use fabric glue to attach it.
Magnet Fukuwarai
A New Year’s game, Fukuwarai.
It’s a simple game, but when you play it with family or friends in a big group, it gets really lively.
Let’s try making the game set by hand.
You can get the materials at 100-yen shops and the like.
Prepare a whiteboard, sheet magnets, and colored construction paper or colored pens.
Make parts like eyes, eyebrows, a nose, and a mouth out of the paper, and attach sheet magnets to the back.
Since magnets stick to a whiteboard, put the base face on the board.
Because it’s a magnetic board, the pieces won’t fall off once placed.
Everyone can watch, burst out laughing, and have a great time playing together.
Animal Fukuwarai
This is a cute animal face puzzle (Fukuwarai) that you can enjoy with your child.
Prepare separate cutouts for the outline, eyes, nose, and mouth of animals your child likes, such as cats and dogs.
Place the outline on the table and have them arrange each part! They can learn where the eyes and nose go in a fun, game-like way.
Traditionally, it’s played blindfolded, but younger children will still have plenty of fun even while looking.
Be sure to enjoy this traditional New Year’s game with adorable, pop-style illustrations.
Giant Fukuwarai
Have you ever seen giant shogi, which often appears at shogi events? People playing the roles of the pieces carry large shogi piece props on their backs and move back and forth across a board about the size of a schoolyard, following the instructions of the player.
It’s basically just shogi scaled up, but it gets really exciting.
Taking a hint from this, how about hosting a “Giant Fukuwarai Tournament” at a school festival or a town cultural fair? Blindfolded competitors would give directions like “Up!” and “To the right!” from atop a building to people acting as the eye and nose pieces.
Because it’s so big, it’s easy to attract a crowd, and it would surely become a major highlight of any event!
Oni Fukuwarai
Depending on how you arrange the pieces, you might end up with a lovable, silly ogre! An ogre-themed Fukuwarai is perfect for Setsubun on February 3.
Prepare plenty of parts like hair, eyes, nose, eyebrows, and horns, and have fun placing them while blindfolded.
You can simply lay the pieces down and play, but it’s also recommended to put double-sided tape on the parts so you can display the accidental ogre you create just as it is.
The scary ogre that everyone fears might just get a whole new image when you see the face that comes out of Fukuwarai.
Fukuwarai of Demon Slayer
The globally popular anime Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba! How about turning the characters from the series into a fukuwarai game and having some fun? If you use your favorite character, it might be even more enjoyable.
First, print out an image of the character and cut out the hair and each facial feature.
If any parts overlap with the hair or other elements, trace them onto a separate sheet of paper.
For the face outline, cut another sheet of paper into the shape of the outline and attach it to the hair.
After that, just play! Try arranging the parts while recalling each feature of the character.
Let's Make a DIY Fukuwarai! Simple Ideas to Play with Kids (21–30)
Thomas Fukuwarai
This is a handmade fukuwarai game inspired by the popular Thomas the Tank Engine that kids can’t help but get absorbed in.
By simply combining parts like the eyes, eyebrows, and mouth on a round face base, you’ll create a wacky, unusual Thomas, and you can practically picture the excitement every time you play.
Because it features a well-loved character, even small children will find it friendly and approachable, making it perfect for lively New Year’s family fun.
It’s an easy and enjoyable fukuwarai that Thomas-loving kids should definitely try.
