[Let’s Make and Play!] Handmade Toy Ideas You Can Create Yourself
Kids love new toys, don’t they?
They figure out how to play, add their own twists, and discover new ways to have fun.
Here are some ideas for making handmade toys that are easy to customize and adapt!
These ideas use materials you already have at home or can pick up at a 100-yen shop, so they’re all things you can start making right away.
It’s great for adults to make them, and there are plenty of ideas kids can make themselves, too.
Original, one-of-a-kind toys become extra special—and even more fun!
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[Let’s Make and Play!] Handmade Toy Ideas (31–40)
5 Easy DIY Crafts You Can Try
Kids love crafts, but as first graders it can be hard to stay focused for a long time.
So here are some quick craft ideas you can finish in a short time.
You can make five things: a moving boat, a guitar, a fortune slip (omikuji), a ghost that pops out of a box, and a spinning top.
The materials are mostly recyclables—things you likely have at home—such as milk cartons, plastic bottles, wooden chopsticks, straws, ice cream sticks, and plastic bags.
You can play with each item after you make it, so once you’re done, decorate it however you like and put it to use as a fun at-home activity.
Mini crane game with straws
@ranmaru_shien Mini Crane Game#HandmadeToysworkChildcareEducational# developmental support (ryōiku)#AtHomePlay
♬ Super Mario Bros Main Theme – Geek Music
This is an idea for enjoying a crane game easily using just simple materials.
Bend the accordion section of a straw and secure it firmly with tape to create the arm.
Wrap construction paper around it to add strength, and cut the tip with scissors, spreading it out like petals.
This serves as the crane’s claw, allowing you to grab small prizes.
For operation, lighter materials are easier to handle, so colorful pom-poms or small beads are recommended.
Because the straw is easy to move, even children can operate it without using too much force.
It’s a fun idea that combines the ease of crafting with playability.
Water Play Crane Game
@silk_haru3mama Playing a crane game while splashing around#HandmadeToys#Summer VacationSummer Vacation Craftwork#AtHomePlay
Idol – YOASOBI
A crane game made with plastic cups for water play is a craft that really shines in the summer.
Cut slits into the bottom of a plastic cup, fold the sections back, and make a small hole in the center.
Thread a straw through the hole and secure it firmly with a hot glue gun so it moves smoothly—even underwater.
Float the finished crane on the water and use small toys or beads instead of prizes, and you can play a scooping game.
The unique sensation of operating it in water is fun, and kids will get absorbed in the challenge.
It’s a cooling, summertime-perfect idea for play.
Operate with 4 strings! UFO catcher
This is a crane game that lets you freely play with strings while also exercising fine motor skills.
Use construction paper to make the pillars and frame, and fix bamboo skewers to the base to attach the strings.
Hang a weighted arm made from construction paper there, thread fishing line through it, and set it up so you can pull from four directions.
When you pull the strings, the arm opens; when you release them, the weight causes it to naturally close—allowing you to play just like a real UFO catcher.
Finally, add a prize retrieval slot, and you’ll have a solid finished product that can actually grab and collect prizes.
Building it while understanding the mechanism makes it educational, and it’s a unique idea that encourages trial and error through play.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.