Fun DIY Toy Ideas You Can Make with 100-Yen Store Materials

9 years of experience as a nursery school teacherShibata Risa
I am an active nursery school teacher with 9 years of experience. After graduating from university, I worked at a daycare center. The time I spent happily with children—playing piano, singing songs, and doing finger-play—are priceless memories to me. Currently, while raising three children of my own, I work at an after-school day service, engaging with children and providing individualized developmental support. Drawing on my diverse experiences as a childcare worker and as a mother, I hope to express and convey my thoughts through writing.

Kids love playing with toys.

We want to provide toys that match their developmental stages and interests and let them play a lot, but buying new toys every time can be costly, which is a concern.

So this time, we’re introducing toy ideas you can make with materials from the 100-yen shop.

From items that stimulate the five senses through seeing and touching, to those that promote fine motor development, to things that can be used for pretend play—there are plenty of fun toy ideas that babies to preschoolers can enjoy.

Another great point is that they’re easy to make without spending much money!

These are perfect not only for daycare and kindergarten but also at home, so be sure to give them a try.

Fun DIY Toy Ideas Made with 100-Yen Store Materials (31–40)

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?”

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sasashina

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Felt turtle

Sea turtles on the sandy beach are creatures many people go looking for, since you can craft a turtle shell that lets you breathe underwater using the turtle scutes they drop.

Kids might simply want to see sea turtles because they love them.

So why not try making a turtle doll out of felt? Small ones can be held, played with, or displayed, and larger ones might even work as cushions! Felt is sold at 100-yen shops, so try making one and giving it as a gift.

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sasashina

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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.

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sasashina

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Soap bubbles made with a plastic bottle

@n.annlee321
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You can play without blowing! Enjoy soap bubbles using a plastic bottle.

The key is to prepare a soft plastic bottle that dents with a squeeze.

Cut a hole in the cap with scissors and insert the mouthpiece of a bubble wand into the hole—voilà, it’s ready in no time.

Dip the tip into bubble solution and squeeze the bottle to pump out bubbles.

This is a perfect idea for young children who might have trouble blowing bubbles or for kids who want to practice hand and finger movements.

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Stretchy soap bubble

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Here’s an idea for stretchy soap bubbles that lets you enjoy a unique, one-of-a-kind texture.

First, prepare a straw and a wet wipe.

Wrap the wet wipe around the tip and secure it with a rubber band.

Next, make a bubble solution by mixing water and dish soap, and pour it into a container.

Then dip the tip into the container and slowly lift it up.

You should see a chain of tiny bubbles appear, connected together.

The slightly sticky, mysterious look is really fun.

If you investigate why this happens, it can turn into a learning experience too.

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