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.
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Made with dollar-store materials! Fun DIY toy ideas (1–10)
Squeeze
Let’s try making a squeeze toy you can enjoy for its squishy feel using gel tape! Gel tape is originally used as an anti-slip or cushioning material.
But if you cut the tape into squares, assemble it into a box shape, and simply put beads or slime inside, you’ve got a squeezable toy you can touch and play with! By reinforcing the overlapping gel tape sections from the outside with cellophane tape or similar, you can prevent the contents from leaking out.
Since squeeze toys tend to get dirty quickly, it’s super convenient that you can whip one up in no time using 100-yen shop materials!
busy board
A busy board is a board-style toy that you attach to the wall or floor.
Using a perforated design board—handy for DIY projects—you can easily make a busy board your kids will love.
Get items from the dollar store that kids might find interesting, such as a toy clock, zippers, or a calculator.
Then simply arrange them evenly on the design board and secure them with zip ties! It’s also a great idea to repurpose things you already have at home, like unused keychains.
Finishing it in bright colors or adding items that make sounds may capture their interest even more.
drop-in box toy
Let’s make a perfect drop-in toy for focusing attention on fingertip control using name tags that you attach to keys! Just remove the ring and the paper insert from the name tag, and you’re ready in no time.
Pinch the tag and drop it into a coin bank you can buy at a 100-yen shop.
If you decorate the tags with stickers or washi tape together with the kids, it will make them even more engaging.
You can use anything that can pass through the coin slot—like ice cream sticks or flower tags used for planters—so give it a try!
register
Barcode-scanning registers are fascinating machines for children, and something they want to touch.
Why not make a toy register using a 100-yen shop organizer and a calculator? Stack a slanted organizer on top of a drawer-type organizer, secure them with double-sided tape, and attach the calculator with a hot glue gun.
Then reinforce it with tape so the calculator doesn’t come off, and you’re done! If you also pick up a register checker and toy coins at the 100-yen shop, you’ll have the perfect toy for playing store.
gachapon
You can make a dream-like, endlessly playable gacha machine for kids using materials from a 100-yen shop! Stack assembly-style cardboard to create the main body of the machine, then use a utility knife to cut holes where the capsules drop and where they come out.
For the rotating mechanism, repurpose items like a socket or a doorknob, connect them to an internal board, and set up a system that lets the capsules fall.
Finally, cover the front of the capsule compartment with transparent cellophane, decorate the sides so the cardboard isn’t exposed, and you’re done!