[DIY] A Collection of Handmade Moving Toy Craft Ideas
These days, the DIY sections at 100-yen shops and home improvement stores are incredibly well stocked! In the past, you had to walk all over the store to gather items, but now you can get everything in no time.
That just shows how popular the hobby of making things at home has become.
In this article, I’ve rounded up craft ideas on the theme of “moving toys”! I’ve focused on projects that even small children can easily try.
Be sure to read to the end!
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[DIY] Handmade Moving Toy Craft Ideas (1–10)
Paper Plate Aquarium
Let me introduce a super cute paper plate aquarium with fish that move! It’s a craft you can also use for pretend play, perfect for kindergarten or preschool projects, or to make and enjoy with your child.
Here’s how to make it: First, attach colored construction paper to a paper plate to create an underwater scene, and glue on materials like pebbles and pipe cleaners.
Next, draw fish on cardstock and attach a paper clip to the back of each fish.
Cut out the center of another paper plate, layer a piece of clear film over the opening, and glue it in place.
Put the fish on top of the decorated plate, then place the cut-out plate over it and staple them together to finish.
Now, use a magnet from the back of the plate to make the fish “swim” around!
floating top
It’s like magic! Here’s a craft idea for a floating spinning top.
Attach magnets, circular-cut sticker paper, and a handle made from a split bamboo skewer to make the top.
After creating a circular base, attach magnets at equal intervals on both the top and bottom surfaces.
Make sure to attach the magnets so they repel the top when it’s brought near.
Once the base is placed inside a clear case, it’s complete.
Spin the top inside a transparent container on the base, and when the rotation stabilizes, slowly lift it upward.
Then lower the container, and the top will keep spinning while floating.
If it doesn’t work well, try adjusting the positions of the magnets or the balance of the top.
Rolling around on a walk
Let me introduce a toy idea you can take for a walk: “Rolling on a Stroll.” Cut two cardboard tape cores so that when you stick them together at the rims, a circular opening appears in the center.
After joining the cores, attach a clear file sheet on the back side of the opening, stick on some fish stickers, and then cover them from the front with another piece of clear file.
To finish the main body, add illustrations of a dog or cat on top so the fish stickers are visible beneath.
About 15 cm from one end of a string, wrap some paper around it and reinforce it with vinyl tape.
Create a triangle shape by taping the other end of the paper wrap to a point along the opposite side of the string.
Your toy is now complete.
When you go for a walk, you can enjoy the sight of the dog or cat chasing the fish!
[DIY] Handmade Moving Toy Craft Ideas (11–20)
Magnet car
We’d like to introduce a fun craft that lets you learn about magnets while you play: the “Magnet Car.” Make it together as a family and experience the wonders of magnetism! First, cut two drinking straws and glue them parallel to each other on the side of a paper cup.
Next, make a hole in the center of a plastic bottle cap, insert a cut bamboo skewer through it, thread it through the straws, and then attach another bottle cap on the other end to secure it.
Make the rear and front wheels the same way, and finally attach a magnet to the back of the car to finish! At this point, be sure to check which side is the S pole and which is the N pole—that’s the key.
When it’s time to move the car, bring another magnet with the same pole as the one attached to the car close to it.
Use the repulsive force of the magnets to push the car and have fun playing!
cardboard computer
A laptop that’s perfect for remote and at-home work.
How about a handmade computer for kids who want to use the same things adults do? It’s also very popular for pretend play, so give it a try with your children! Since it uses cardboard, it’s cost-effective, and the fact that it can fold like a real laptop is a big plus.
Make the screen and keyboard separately, tape them together with packing tape, and secure two ribbons on the left and right so it stays open! Another highlight is that you can put your favorite drawings on the screen.
It would be great to finish it off as a unique piece by painting the cardboard your favorite colors or decorating it with stickers and washi tape.
maracas microphone
Let’s reuse a plastic bottle and make a maraca microphone that’s sure to shine at karaoke! First, cut off the neck portion of the plastic bottle.
Next, fill an empty capsule toy case with beads or similar items, then align it with the cut bottle neck and secure it with tape.
Finally, take a toilet paper roll with a lengthwise slit, roll it to fit into the bottle neck, insert it, and wrap tape around it to hold everything in place—and you’re done! Try changing the capsule colors or decorating with colorful vinyl tape or washi tape for a stylish finish!
Bata-Bata Straw
Here’s an idea for a “flapping straw” toy that makes a fluttering sound when you spin it and let go while it’s hooked onto a rubber band.
Prepare two straws, and cut both so that, with the accordion section centered, the two ends are the same length.
Take the straw pieces without the accordion section and cut one of them in half.
You’ll use the two accordion straws and only one of the half-length pieces.
Thread a rubber band through the half-length straw, then hook the accordion straws onto both sides—that’s it! When playing, shift the straws slightly so the rubber band doesn’t hit the accordion sections, then spin it.