[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 (41–50)
Marble Rolling Tower
How about a stylish marble run, a Marble Rolling Tower, made from toilet paper cores and colored construction paper? First, stack three toilet paper cores vertically to make one long tube.
Next, let’s create the tracks where the marbles will roll using colored construction paper.
Prepare a rectangular sheet of colored paper, cut it lengthwise in half, then fold the half sheet in half two times.
Unfold the second fold, and along the crease you just made, cut a series of deep, fine slits from one edge to the other.
Once that’s done, fold it into a long, thin triangle to form the track.
Finally, attach the track diagonally to the tube like a slide, and glue a piece of cardboard to the very bottom of the tube as a base—done! Try making it with different colors of paper.
Marble Climbing
When you think of a marble run, you usually imagine marbles rolling from top to bottom, but this one makes the marble go upward.
First, prepare a wooden board with many holes big enough for a marble to fall through, and combine it with other wooden boards at an angle to form a box shape.
Next, make a small box just large enough to hold a marble.
Cut holes in the front and back of this box so the marble can pass through.
Attach strings to the box so you can pull it from both sides, creating a mechanism that lifts the marble upward—then it’s complete.
If, while lifting the marble, it slips through the box’s holes and falls into one of the holes in the wooden board, you’re out.
If the marble climbs all the way to the top without falling, you win!
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.
Rubber band gun craft made from cardboard
https://www.tiktok.com/@nami_aidakko/video/7137171160109829377A rubber band gun made from cardboard is a simple craft that parents and kids can enjoy together! Use thick cardboard, cut out the body following a template, and make the trigger using chopsticks or a clothespin.
Set a rubber band and it can actually shoot.
It’s quite safe, and all the materials are easy to find.
It nurtures children’s creativity, and adults can get absorbed too, feeling like a kid again with this target-shooting craft.
Decorating it to create your own custom gun is also recommended! Be sure to use this as a reference and have fun getting creative!
Cardboard Frisbee
https://www.tiktok.com/@yuri_mama4254/video/7489039637948714295After cutting the cardboard into a circle, make a triangular notch in one spot.
Decorate the cardboard with stickers or drawings using a pen.
Hook a rubber band onto it and let go of the cardboard—it will fly.
You can make the target out of cardboard as well, or simply stack paper cups for an easy option.
The frisbee’s size is up to you, but if it’s too big or too small it can be hard to handle, so around 10 centimeters is recommended.
Strikeout for kids
@nami_aidakko Voice LibraryStrikeoutCardboard artShooting GalleryHashtag-like
♫ Dear Boy — Hump Back
This is a cardboard craft project for a strikeout game that’s super popular at festivals! First, choose a piece of cardboard sized to fit the children.
Cut out a 3×3 grid, then decorate the cut-out pieces.
Finally, adjust the cut-outs so they fit nicely into the frame.
It’s easy to make, and since it’s cardboard, it’s also great for use as a shooting game target! Share ideas, get creative, and have fun together—kids and adults alike!