[Daycare/Preschool] Handmade toys that delight infants
Infants grow and change so quickly, don’t they?
The kinds of play they’re interested in vary with each developmental stage.
Constantly buying new toys to keep up can be tough!
If that sounds like you, this is a must-read.
Today, we’re sharing ideas for handmade toys that babies will love.
We’ve packed in ideas that stimulate children’s five senses—sound, shape, and texture—to spark their curiosity.
They’re all made from everyday materials, so they’re easy on the budget too.
Another perk of handmade toys is that you can adjust colors, designs, and sizes to suit each child’s personality.
Why not try making toys that your little ones will love to play with, while also enjoying the warmth that only handmade items can offer?
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[Daycare] Handmade Toys That Delight Infants (41–50)
Translucent origami kaleidoscope
Here’s an idea for making a kaleidoscope using a plastic wrap core and mirror-like sheets.
Cut the wrap core in half, then insert mirror-like sheets folded into a triangular prism.
Make sure the reflective sides face inward.
Cut a clear plastic sheet into a circle and attach translucent origami paper to it.
Make a hole in the center, insert a bamboo skewer through it, and secure it.
Align the bamboo skewer with the corner of the triangular mirror sheet and attach it so it runs along the side of the wrap core—then you’re done! If you smooth the edges of the clear sheet with sandpaper, it will be safer for children to play with.
Musical Instrument Crafting: Guitar
We’d like to introduce a DIY musical-instrument craft: a guitar you can play once it’s finished.
Prepare four paper cups, three rubber bands, a felt-tip pen, tape, and scissors.
First, place the bottoms of two paper cups together and secure them with tape so they don’t shift.
Next, make three slits in the rim of each of the remaining two paper cups.
Insert these slit cups onto the taped-together cups, and hook the three rubber bands onto the slits so they don’t cross over like an X.
Finally, pluck the rubber bands to check that they make sound—that’s it! The steps are simple, so give it a try!
Hatena Box
Let’s make a fun toy that looks like it could be in a Mario game! Keep the lid of a formula can open, and attach a drain cover that fits the opening by flipping it upside down over the top.
Since your baby will be putting their hand through it, be sure to use a soft silicone drain cover.
Draw a question mark on the surface of the can and decorate it however you like—that’s it! Put small toys or snacks inside and have your baby guess what’s in there, or let them pull out cards that match a sample picture.
Because they can’t see the contents, it helps develop your baby’s imagination.
Tall Poppo playing by pulling a chain
This is a toy that uses a wrap core, imagining it as a cute character called Noppo-san.
Thread a chain through the hollow center of the core so you can enjoy the sensation of pulling it.
First, wrap white tape around the part of the core that will become the face.
Using that section as the center, wrap tape in your favorite colors above it to look like hair and below it to look like clothing.
Next, cut out facial features from tape and stick them onto the face area.
Finally, pass the chain through the hollow and secure it—that’s it! You can add hands or dress Noppo-san in patterns you like to make them extra cute.
Paku-Paku Bear
Pakupaku Kuma-san: a bear face sewn onto a large piece of felt with a zipper for its mouth.
Next to the bear, items like rice balls, bread, eggs, and vegetables are attached with snap buttons.
You can unfasten them and feed them to the bear—it’s a toy, right? The actions of unbuttoning and buttoning seem helpful for developing fine motor skills, and seeing the bear eagerly eat everything might spark children’s interest in food, making them think, “I want to try the same thing,” or “I wonder what it tastes like?”
Fruit Concentration
These are felt cards you can use to play Concentration (Memory)! You can choose any motifs you like—fruits, vehicles, animals, anything is fine.
However, since Concentration is a game where you match pairs of identical cards, be sure to make two cards of each design.
Cut felt into card shapes and either glue or sew the motifs onto them.
If you’re making everything out of felt, it’s efficient to layer the same fabric and cut two identical pieces at once to save time.
If you want to keep things simple, you could also use store-bought appliqués and just stick them on.
Mike
For kids who love to sing, a toy microphone is a great recommendation.
If you make it with felt, it won’t break if dropped and the risk of injury is low, so it’s a safe choice.
Create the handle and the microphone head with felt, and stuff the inside with fabric scraps or cotton.
Adding a ribbon or other accents would make it extra cute.
You can buy both felt and cotton at 100-yen shops, so try making it in your favorite colors.
Once it’s finished, sing using your microphone—you’ll enjoy a fresh, exciting feeling!