Lovely handmade crafts

Let's make a DIY Fukuwarai! Simple ideas for fun with kids

Let's make a DIY Fukuwarai! Simple ideas for fun with kids

Last updated:2025/12/9

Keyboard playerSAKI
I’ve been playing the Electone since I was six, mainly performing Disney music, anime songs, and music from dramas and films. I post performance videos on YouTube and social media, and I also give concerts. Building on my Electone experience, I took up synthesizer and piano during my student years and performed at school-sponsored events. As a writer, I’ve covered not only music-related topics but a wide range of genres, so I hope to draw on my experience to deliver articles that make readers think, “I want to try that!” or “I want to listen to that!”
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSICsasashina
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSIC. JFC-certified fact-checker. I’m Sasashina, a mom currently raising an elementary schooler and a preschooler. During my student years at Kyoto College of Science and Technology, I studied a wide range of fields including sound, lighting, and video technology, building a foundation in comprehensive stage production and creative expression. After graduation, I joined a music production company, where I still work, consistently building experience in production and engaging in a variety of music-centered tasks. Currently, I mainly handle articles for children, drawing on what I’ve learned about parenting and what I feel and discover through daily interactions with my kids. I hope my work can be of help to you, even in a small way!

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!

Let’s Make a DIY Fukuwarai! Simple Ideas to Play with Kids (1–10)

Fukuwarai with Hachiware and Chiikawa

[Super Hard] Tried Chikawa Fukuwarai and it was a total disaster #Chiikawa #Hachiware #anime #Japan #NewYear

Fukuwarai with Hachiware and Chiikawa

Among the characters in Chiikawa, let’s make a fukuwarai featuring the ever-popular, upbeat Hachiware and the slightly timid Chiikawa.

When making it, choose the size to match the number of players and the space you have.

It’s recommended to create the outline with construction paper and mount it on something sturdy like cardboard.

The ear shapes are distinctive, so draw them carefully.

For Hachiware, be sure to make the tuft of hair on the head properly.

Chiikawa’s pink cheeks are, above all, its signature and super cute.

Have fun making your fukuwarai!

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

Wacky Fukuwarai

@mii_asobi03
@mii_asobi03 👈 There are other posts too—save this and give it a try ✂️ ========================== We play Fukuwarai at home no matter the season 🤣 This Fukuwarai is sure to get everyone excited—family, friends, and relatives alike 🤣🩷 [Materials] • Cardboard • Felt • Double-sided tape • Hook-and-loop fastener (Velcro) ⚠️ Use the prickly side (the hook side) of the Velcro❗️ ========================== Hi, I’m Mii! Thanks for stopping by 😊🌈 I post my creations hoping they help add even one more fun parent-child memory 🩷 Follows and likes make me so happy 🥹✨ ==========================Play #AtHomePlay #Indoor Play Play ideas #EducationalPlay # Simple play Fukuwarai ⁡
♬ funny scene song(1294833) – K.Shiraki

It sounds like making and playing with a one-of-a-kind, quirky Fukuwarai would be a lot of fun.

Take a cardboard base covered with drawing paper and cut two holes where the hands will go.

Attach felt to create the outline of the face and the hair, adjusting the balance as you go.

Make the eyes, nose, mouth, and eyebrows out of felt, then stick hook-and-loop fastener on the back of each piece to finish.

Slip your hands through the holes and place the face parts to enjoy playing Fukuwarai.

It could also be fun to use family members’ faces—like Mom’s or Dad’s—as the motif.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

Hyottoko’s fukuwarai

Fukuwarai, New Year’s games, Hyottoko, Okame, handmade #shorts

Hyottoko’s fukuwarai

When it comes to classic motifs for fukuwarai, Hyottoko and Okame are the go-tos.

In this idea, you use a face illustration as the base along with parts for the eyebrows, eyes, nose, mouth, and cheeks.

The base sheet is laminated so you can enjoy it over and over.

The other parts are easy to make by combining colored construction paper, so feel free to make them and play.

If you want to reuse the parts, it’s a good idea to laminate them as well or reinforce them with OPP tape, etc.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

Doraemon’s Fukuwarai

The Fukuwarai game featuring Doraemon, the beloved national anime, looks like something both children and adults can enjoy together.

Let’s prepare a whiteboard, laminating sheets, scissors, double-sided tape, and felt-tip pens, and get started.

Cut a sheet of construction paper slightly larger than the whiteboard surface and insert it inside.

Cut out the outline, eyes, mouth, and nose, laminate them, and attach magnets to the back.

Stick the outline onto the whiteboard and decorate the surroundings with New Year’s motifs, and your Fukuwarai is complete.

Since the pieces are magnetic, you can stick and remove them over and over without worrying about losing parts.

Give it a try!

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

The Bread Thief’s Fukuwarai

This is a fun at-home activity where you can add lots of handmade touches.

Not only can you prepare the Bread Thief’s facial parts, but laminating them for reinforcement makes them more durable and easier to handle.

Also, using a sponge sheet for the base makes the pieces easier to stick on and adds a three-dimensional feel.

What’s more, if you make the small characters attachable with double-sided tape, the scene instantly becomes more vibrant and the picture book’s world expands dramatically.

It’s a handmade Fukuwarai that can be enjoyed not only at New Year’s but all year round.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

Fukuwarai with a rabbit

Since Christmas is near, let's make a New Year’s fukuwarai [DIY toy making, crafting, handiwork, rabbit]

Fukuwarai with a rabbit

The fukuwarai featuring the rabbit from Chiikawa is perfect for the cold winter and feels familiar to many who know the character.

Let’s get ready to make it with the rabbit’s face, cardboard, empty snack boxes, glue, and scissors.

First, cut away the excess around the rabbit’s face with scissors.

Paste it onto the cardboard and trim off any extra margins.

Then cut the eyes, cheeks, and nose into separate parts—and you’re done.

It might be even more fun if you add other characters too.

Give it a try with your child!

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

Anya’s Fukuwarai

[SPY×FAMILY] Anya craft: Spy x Family Fukuwarai

Anya’s Fukuwarai

The Anya fukuwarai from SPY×FAMILY looks like it would be very cute and fun.

The method is very simple: once you decide the size and shape of the face outline, cut it out with scissors.

Then layer construction paper or origami paper on top.

Next, shape the hair to match the face outline.

The key is to make the left and right sides symmetrical.

Create the shapes for the eyes, mouth, and ears to finish.

With smiling and angry expressions, it seems like the fukuwarai will really liven things up.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem