Lovely childcare

Recycle your empty cans! A fun collection of DIY toy ideas you can make

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.

Why not try making fun handmade toys using empty cans from juice or fruit, and even empty formula tins? These days, lots of cans come with cute designs, so it’s lovely to use the designs as they are! We’re sharing a variety of ideas, like instruments and lanterns that make clever use of an empty can’s features.

For anything involving fire, switching to an LED light will make it safer to play with, so definitely give it a try and make some fun toys with empty cans!

Recycle empty cans! A collection of fun DIY toy ideas (11–20)

Empty Can Tambourine

Let me share an idea for making tambourines out of empty cans and boxes.

What you’ll need: empty cans or boxes from snacks, double-sided tape or glue, parts made from construction paper, and decorative materials.

Have you ever thrown away a round cookie tin or an empty cheese box thinking it might be useful for something? Why not try making a tambourine that’s fun to create and delightful to play, together with your child! The step where you freely stick the parts together is exciting for both kids and adults.

Give it a try!

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Musical instruments you can make from scrap materials

[Summer Vacation Crafts] 8 + 1 Musical Instruments You Can Make from Recycled Materials

Musical instruments you can make from scrap materials

In daily life, we end up with lots of items we no longer need once they’ve served their purpose, like plastic bottles or candy boxes.

Here, we’ll introduce musical instruments you can make using such unwanted or no-longer-useful materials.

With a bit of creativity, you can craft all kinds of instruments—like making a whistle from an empty can or a xylophone from toilet paper rolls.

Instruments made from unexpected items are sure to spark children’s curiosity.

Most discarded items are thrown away as trash.

Why not add topics like recycling and the SDGs when making instruments from reclaimed materials?

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In conclusion

We introduced toys you can make from empty cans.

It’s fun that you can make instruments and lanterns from different kinds of cans, isn’t it? Try making any toy that catches your interest! When using tools like files or cutters, please handle them with care and keep safety in mind.