[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 (61–70)
Crafts you can play with
In this Reiwa era, where digital devices have surrounded us since the day we were born, it’s nice to enjoy some analog play from time to time.
So here’s a summer craft you can make and play with right away: the “Wobbly Tree.” Glue a branching tree onto half of a toy capsule.
Hang rubber bands from the branches one by one, and the person who knocks the tree over loses.
If you substitute the toy capsule base with something else, you can make an even bigger tree.
There are also videos introducing other playable crafts, so if you’re interested, be sure to check them out.
A kalimba that makes a hopping sound
A kalimba is a traditional African instrument consisting of a wooden box fitted with thin metal or bamboo tines.
This time, let’s make a kalimba using an empty candy box and plastic spoons! The method is simple: just use rubber bands to fasten the spoons to the empty box.
To improve stability, you’ll need to create grooves to hold some chopsticks, but don’t worry—the process is as easy as making small cuts with scissors.
Place your handmade kalimba on a desk, hold the body down with your hand, and pluck the spoons to produce interesting sounds.
Try experimenting with how the way you secure the spoons changes the pitch.
Drop-in game with a straw
“Straw drop” is a type of therapeutic play that supports children’s development.
Through this activity, kids can build fine motor skills and concentration.
By grasping straws and dropping them into holes, they also enhance hand–eye development and observation skills.
Recognizing colors and shapes and developing an interest in numbers stimulate their senses and cognitive abilities, making this a recommended support tool.
It also gives children a sense of achievement.
Since they can learn while having fun, try making your own version and enjoy it together with the kids!
Maze lacing (threading)
Known as a toy that helps develop fine motor skills in the hands and fingertips, “string threading” is highly recommended for children’s finger training.
It’s perfect for kids who are still gaining control of their hand movements, as it also helps build concentration.
Since threading requires a great deal of focus, it’s effective for strengthening attention as well.
It’s also a fun and beneficial activity for infants and toddlers, and is useful in therapeutic and developmental settings.
It fosters a sense of accomplishment in children, too.
Because kids can learn while playing, try making your own original handmade version and enjoy it together!
ghost puppet
The “Ghost Puppet,” made by sewing together white and black felt with a sewing machine, is a handmade puppet idea that can be enjoyed at nurseries and kindergartens.
The ghost’s body is securely stitched by machine, and the eyes and mouth are attached with glue using felt, making it durable and long-lasting—safe for small children to play with.
If you show the sewing machine in action during the process, it will spark children’s curiosity, and the finished puppet will be a hit in pretend play and performances.
It’s a perfect craft for seasonal events like Halloween, and a recommended idea for childcare workers and parents.
Mario Puppet
The felt “Mario Puppet” is a DIY idea that uses a popular character loved in preschools and kindergartens.
Using red and blue felt, you can recreate Mario’s hat and overalls, and easily finish by gluing on parts like the mustache.
While making it, you and the children can naturally communicate by choosing colors and deciding where to place each piece, creating fun memories.
Once completed, it’s great for pretend play and can help foster creativity and expressive skills.
It’s a puppet with the unique warmth that only handmade crafts can offer.
Paper bag puppet
“Paper bag puppets” are a handmade craft idea that children can enjoy at daycare and kindergarten.
Using familiar materials like paper bags, construction paper, origami paper, and yarn, it requires no special tools, making it easy for anyone to try.
Children can create freely by sticking papers of their favorite colors and patterns onto the bag or adding yarn as hair accessories, which naturally fosters their imagination and expressive skills.
The making process itself is play, and after completion the puppets shine in pretend play and puppet shows, so they can be enjoyed for a long time.
It’s a perfect craft idea for both early childhood settings and activities at home.
Magnet Game
@ritsuki.makas #tokuteginou🇲🇨🇯🇵kenshuseijapan#jbcotobhukie#kaigoindo🇯🇵 @Jb cotobhukie @Raahmaniar #PET bottle capCap magnet game
♬ A fun song with an exciting atmosphere(944577) – yanagamo
Boys go crazy for it! The “Magnet Game” using plastic bottle caps is a quirky and fun craft that flips caps using magnetic repulsion.
Stick a magnet onto a cap, and attach another magnet to the tip of a chopstick that serves as a control wand.
The key is to align the magnets so they repel each other.
Then just bring the chopstick close—if the cap flips with a snap, you’ve succeeded! The thrill when you pull it off is unbeatable.
It’s a great way to naturally learn about the properties of magnets while playing, and it’s especially recommended for elementary school boys.
Ogre puppet made from a paper cup
@hoikushisatomi [Easy to Make] Oni (Demon) Puppet CraftNursery teacher / Childcare worker#100-yen shop DIY#NurseryTeacherDailyLifeSetsubunOni of SetsubunPuppet
♬ Find you in the dark feat. Nenashi – Ovall
The “Oni puppet” made from a paper cup is a unique handmade craft idea that can be enjoyed year-round.
By simply attaching horns and a face designed from origami or construction paper to a paper cup, you can create an oni with lots of expression.
Both the materials and tools are simple, making it appealing for children to work at their own pace.
During the process, imagination is nurtured through experimenting with colors and shapes, and it naturally encourages interaction with caregivers and teachers.
The finished piece is fun to display and is a highly satisfying craft made from familiar materials.
Handmade croissant craft
@n.annlee321 Pretty hard to do in real life, huh? 🥹#ElementarySchoolMomSummer Vacation CraftParentingChildcareHandmade#100-yen shop DIY#100-yen-shop
♬ Touch – KATSEYE
Croissants, whose toasty aroma practically comes through just by looking at them, are a popular bread across generations.
Let’s recreate that delicious croissant appearance using materials you can get at a 100-yen shop.
For the base, cut a puzzle mat into three different sizes, then glue them together while creating steps.
Once the base is complete, apply double-sided tape across the entire surface and wrap brown yarn around it to mimic the look of a croissant.
Since the layered dough and variations in browning are part of a croissant’s appeal, experiment with how you wrap the yarn and also use paint to reproduce these details effectively.
