Lovely childcare

An empty box becomes a toy! A collection of ideas for handmade toys

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.

Don’t you find yourself surrounded by empty boxes—like tissue boxes or candy boxes—before you know it?

It feels like such a waste to just crush them and throw them away!

This time, we’re introducing easy, handmade toys you can make using those empty boxes.

Boxes come in all kinds of shapes, so we’ve gathered a wide range of DIY toy ideas—from unique toys that make the most of each box’s shape to games you can really get absorbed in.

Take a look and see which ones you can make with the empty boxes you have at home!

Empty boxes become toys! A collection of handmade toy ideas (1–10)

Empty Box Puzzle

That time I spontaneously made a puzzle using an empty box #handmadeToy #Anpanman #vlog

Empty Box Puzzle

Let’s make a simple puzzle using empty boxes.

Prepare two rectangular empty boxes, colored construction paper, OPP tape, crayons, and scissors.

Cut four pieces of colored paper to match the size of the boxes, then use crayons or pens to draw any pictures you like.

Once you’re done, paste the drawings onto the boxes to fit their shape, and reinforce them with OPP tape on top to prevent tearing.

With only two pieces and few parts, even small children can stay focused and have fun!

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play kitchen

[Handmade Nursery Toys] How to Make a Simple Pretend-Play Kitchen from Empty Boxes [Pretend-Play Kitchen]

play kitchen

Here’s an idea for making a play kitchen out of empty boxes! You’ll need a box with a lid, a pump, and a tray.

The box should be tall enough to fit the pump inside, and a lift-off lid is recommended rather than a flap-top.

To make it, place the tray on the back of the box, trace around it, and cut that section out.

Once that’s done, close the lid and place the tray on top.

Next, make the faucet by doing the same with the pump: cut a hole in the box lid.

Secure the pump by sandwiching it between the lid and the box body.

After that, draw a gas stove or decorate with cute colored paper, and you’re done.

Create a lovely kitchen in your favorite colors!

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Accessory box

Summer Vacation Craft Series ♡ Part 4: Making an Accessory Box from Empty Boxes [Koujoucho] DIY

Accessory box

Don’t your accessories often go missing? This time, let’s make an accessory box using an empty box and give your precious accessories a proper home! First, prepare an empty box with a lid.

Remove the lid and punch six evenly spaced holes.

Add thickness by attaching batting (quilt wadding), then wrap it with your favorite fabric.

Attach beads to the holes you made earlier to complete a cute lid.

For the box itself, also add thickness with batting, wrap it in fabric, and glue it down.

Use felt to connect the lid and the box body, and also line the inside and the back of the box with felt to make it cute.

Take a piece of felt about half the size of the box, roll it up tightly, secure it with a glue gun, and attach it inside.

Make several rolls and glue them in—this will hold your rings! You can put necklaces or anything else you like in the remaining space.

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Rolling ball

Work No. 022: Exciting Mailbox [Handmade Toy by a Nursery Teacher]

Rolling ball

Why not make a fun “drop-in, pop-out” mailbox? Prepare three 2-liter carton boxes.

You’ll stack the three boxes vertically, and for the bottom box, add a board or piece of cardboard inside to create a slope so that items dropped from above slide out smoothly.

Then cut out the lower half of the front so you can retrieve what falls in.

After that, add playful features: cut holes so balls can be dropped in, make tunnels using plastic bottles, and more.

It’s a toy with a drop-in-and-come-out mechanism that will get kids excited.

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single-lens reflex camera

[Handmade Toy] Transform an empty chocolate box from Valentine’s Day into a DSLR camera! Craft play | Perfect for pretend play #short #craft #DIYtoys #handmade #parenting

single-lens reflex camera

Why not try making a DSLR camera out of empty boxes? The process is very simple.

First, make the camera body: cover an empty box of a convenient size with black construction paper.

For the lens, we recommend using an empty container from tube-packaged snacks! Cut it to your preferred length, wrap it in black construction paper, and attach it to the body.

If it has a clear lid, leaving it on makes it look like a cute lens.

If not, plastic wrap or colored cellophane also works well.

Finally, use buttons or stickers to create the shutter button, add your own stylish touches, and you’re done!

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