Lovely handmade crafts

Made of paper! A fun collection of DIY toy ideas you can play with

20 years of experience as a nursery teacher / kindergarten teacherhiyoko sensei
I’m Hiyoko-sensei, a former nursery school teacher from Hyogo Prefecture. Ever since I was five, my dream was to become a childcare worker, and before I knew it, 20 years had passed since I achieved that dream. Through singing and playing with the children, I kept working with the spirit of someone in their twenties, even as I increasingly felt my physical limits year by year (haha). From here on, I’d like to share helpful information carefully and thoughtfully, drawing on my on-site experience.

This time, we’ve gathered lots of ideas for make-and-play toys using paper.

A single sheet might be thin and flimsy, but by layering or rolling it, you can create mouthwatering-looking foods, cute decorations, and toys that are fun to play with together with friends!

You can even make toys that look like the ones sold in stores!

Paper holds limitless possibilities—give it a try and make some fun toys!

Since paper has a rough side and a smooth side, be mindful of which side you use when making moving toys.

Make it with paper! A fun collection of handmade toy ideas you can play with (21–30)

Let’s try making a tangram

[Math Craft] Let’s make the ever-popular educational puzzle “Tangram” for kids! A math video where you build and play

Let's try making a tangram

Here’s an idea for making a handmade tangram, a puzzle that’s popular with children.

There are many store-bought options, but you can make one yourself if you have construction paper.

Creating it on your own also leads to discoveries about numbers.

Tangrams let you freely choose colors and shapes while having fun, and they nurture creativity and spatial awareness.

As kids cut out the pieces and arrange them, they naturally develop fine motor skills and concentration.

Completing a figure or making an original design gives them a sense of accomplishment and boosts their confidence.

A handmade tangram isn’t just a toy—it becomes a warm, enriching experience that supports children’s intellectual and emotional growth.

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Mini Shoot Game

[Easy Origami] How to Make a Moveable Basketball Toy You Can Play With [With Voice Commentary] Easy Origami Mini Toy Basketball | Moving Paper Toys Pop It

Mini Shoot Game

It’s a toy where you launch a ball from the lifted edge and aim to get it into the hole at the other end.

The target and the launching mechanism are all built into a single sheet of origami, which gives it a cohesive feel.

It’s important to fold carefully with the creases in mind; the overlapping folds create a spring-like lifted shape and a target that stays stable even when the ball goes in.

Since it’s made from a single sheet of origami, making major modifications is tricky, but you can change the feel by adjusting the strength of the mechanism or the angle of the target—so it’s worth experimenting.

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Made of Paper! A Fun Collection of Handmade Toy Ideas You Can Play With (31–40)

Wiggly caterpillar on construction paper

@hoiku.labo
[Easy Spring Craft Idea] Wiggly Construction-Paper Caterpillar 🐛💕Childcare Nursery teacher / Childcare worker Kindergarten Teacher Childcare job openings Childcare Column #NurseryTeacherThings #IWantToConnectWithChildcareWorkers #Nursery School Craft #DaycarePreparation Nursery School Practicum Childcare student Aspiring childcare worker Childcare Job Lab Nursery teacher skills Job change activities #JobChange #nursery_teacher_job_change Nursery teacher employment Production #Craft work Production drawing paper #ConstructionPaperCrafts Poster Board Craft
Sakura Fure Fure – THE SUPER FRUIT

Here’s a wiggly caterpillar made from construction paper with a fun, curious motion.

Prepare one sheet of construction paper and stick double-sided tape along the top edge.

Cut the paper vertically into even strips, leaving the taped section intact at the top.

Tip: make the face strip a bit wider.

After cutting, peel off the double-sided tape and loop the paper so it forms rings, attaching it from the back.

Finally, attach the face section, round it from the top, draw a facial expression, and stick on the caterpillar’s face to finish.

Once it’s done, wiggle it around and enjoy playing with it!

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Snug Little Caterpillar

No.092 “Snug Little Caterpillar♪” [Handmade Toy by a Nursery Teacher]

Snug Little Caterpillar

Let me introduce the Peekaboo Caterpillar that pops out when it sticks with a magnet.

Have the children help by threading pipe cleaners through the holes you make in the decorative balls with an awl.

They can create an original look by choosing the color order of the decorative balls, too.

Cut a plastic wrap tube into different lengths to make cylinders, then cover the outside with construction paper.

Stand the tubes upright on the construction paper, arrange them, and use glue to attach and secure them so they won’t fall over.

Put a magnet into a “Pita” pen (a magnetic pen) to finish—and you’re done! Give it a try!

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ring caterpillar

[Spring Craft] Easy as linking paper loops! A handmade caterpillar toy 🐛

ring caterpillar

Let me introduce a cute, three-dimensional ring caterpillar craft.

Cut several strips from construction paper.

Prepare a few different colors so that, when cut, your caterpillar becomes colorful—highly recommended.

Form each paper strip into a circle to make rings, then connect the rings together.

You can change the color order as you like.

Draw the caterpillar’s face on a circle of construction paper, attach pipe cleaners for the antennae, and glue the face to the front end to finish.

Making a ring caterpillar by linking rings is also great for fine motor skill development.

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Paper bag puppet

[Handmade Toys to Enjoy with Kids] Paper Bag Puppets / A DIY toy craft video where children, together with their parents, boost their creativity and creative drive

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.

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Funny Hundred Faces

[For Kids] Craft: “Funny Hundred Faces.” Easy to make and play with just paper and colored pencils. Art/craft/project ideas for elementary schools, kindergartens, and preschools. DIY activities usable in nursing homes and elder care. Introducing play tools you can make at home with your children.

Funny Hundred Faces

This “Funny Hundred Faces” activity is perfect for people who love drawing and have time to take it slow.

It’s a foldable where you open up a square-folded paper and the expression changes bit by bit.

Draw several different faces—smiling, crying, angry, and more.

You can use your teacher’s or friends’ faces as models, or your favorite animals like rabbits or cats.

If you make it with a big sheet of paper, it could even work as a simple mask.

Since the main focus is on drawing illustrations, have fun while you create it!

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