Lovely handmade crafts

A handmade water channel for water play. A fun toy for playing with waterways.

Deputy Editor of RAG MUSICsasashina
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSIC. JFC-certified fact-checker. I’m Sasashina, a mom currently raising an elementary schooler and a preschooler. During my student years at Kyoto College of Science and Technology, I studied a wide range of fields including sound, lighting, and video technology, building a foundation in comprehensive stage production and creative expression. After graduation, I joined a music production company, where I still work, consistently building experience in production and engaging in a variety of music-centered tasks. Currently, I mainly handle articles for children, drawing on what I’ve learned about parenting and what I feel and discover through daily interactions with my kids. I hope my work can be of help to you, even in a small way!

When you want to make water play even more fun, waterway play is a perfect fit.

You can connect milk cartons to make a long channel, build slopes to roll super balls and toys—there are endless ways to play.

This article introduces DIY waterway ideas and toys you can use for water play.

Most materials are upcycled and easy to make, and we also share ideas for creating a water table using items from 100-yen shops.

If you like, try incorporating them into your summer water play!

Handmade water channels for water play. Fun waterway play toys (11–20)

Turtle Channel

No.074 “Turtle Waterway” [Handmade Toy by a Nursery Teacher]

Turtle Channel

Here’s an idea for a turtle-themed waterway toy.

You’ll make it using milk cartons, clear cups, straws, and vinyl tape.

First, close the openings of all the milk cartons.

Then stack a clear cup on a milk carton, glue them together, and cut off the unnecessary top portion.

Next, connect two milk cartons bottom-to-bottom to make a single long piece, glue this to the very bottom, and similarly cut off any excess parts.

Make holes in the clear cup and on both sides of the upper and lower milk cartons, insert straws, then glue to secure them.

Finally, decorate with turtle and fish parts made from milk cartons and vinyl tape, and you’re done! Pour water in from the top and enjoy watching it flow.

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water slide

[Wakuwaku-san’s Craft Workshop] Make a “Water Slider” out of a milk carton—build it and play in the bath or pool!

water slide

Let’s make a mini water slide you can enjoy in the bath or pool using milk cartons! Prepare as many milk cartons cut in half as the length you want, and connect them to form the slide section.

To create a slope so water can flow, stack about two other milk cartons vertically and combine them with the slide section.

Next, make a little figure to go down the slide by cutting a milk carton into any shape you like—that’s it! Pour water from the top and let the figure slide down for fun!

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water tube

Introducing a water tube you can make with a clear hose! Attach the hose to a wire grid and place a container underneath to collect the water—done.

Instead of fixing the hose in a straight line, try looping it into circles so you can enjoy watching the flow.

Adding a funnel at the inlet makes it easier to pour in water.

We also recommend using colored water or tinted gelatin! Under sunlight, the water or gelatin will sparkle in different colors as it flows, and your child is sure to love it.

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Gutter waterslide

Marble Run: Gutter Waterslide Rainbow Rail & Colorful Balls

Gutter waterslide

Why not try making a water channel using rain gutters? Gutters are basically tools for collecting rainwater from roofs, but because they’re semicircular, you can easily create a channel just by connecting them.

In this idea, they’ve extended the length by linking elbow pieces.

The elbows turn the channel at right angles, but surprisingly, even if you roll super balls instead of water, they don’t fall out easily.

You can buy gutters and elbows at home improvement stores or online.

They’re sturdy and reusable, so why not incorporate them into your water play every year?

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In conclusion

We introduced ideas and toys for simple, handmade water channels. You can connect the items to create any waterway you like, or just link them into a long channel and let toys float along—it’s fun either way. Be sure to try it during water play!