Handmade toys with magnets! A collection of fun, playable ideas
Here are some fun, handmade toy ideas that use magnets! There are plenty of ideas that both adults and kids can enjoy casually.
Try making them with everyday materials, adjusting the design to suit your child’s age.
As you experience the mysterious power of magnets together, help draw out your children’s creativity.
You’ll create memories filled with smiles for both kids and adults, along with the time you spend making them.
Why not have a great time by getting excited together, playing with the toys you made, and coming up with creative ways to play?
Handmade magnet toys! A collection of fun, playable ideas (1–10)
Unbreakable soap bubble
Let me introduce unbreakable soap bubbles.
Prepare wire, ring-shaped magnets, round stickers, prism tape, and a hole punch, then let’s get started.
Attach four strips of prism tape to the magnet so they form a dome, making sure not to cover the hole of the ring magnet.
On the side opposite the magnet, stick on a round sticker to secure it, then punch a hole in the center with the hole punch.
Using shorter pieces of prism tape, make another dome in the same way and add a round sticker as before.
Make one more of the same piece.
Curl the tip of the wire and thread the three pieces onto it from smallest to largest.
Finally, thread the one with the magnet so the magnet ends up on top, and you’re done! It will spin around like a soap bubble.
A car that moves with magnets
Let’s make a car that moves with the power of magnets! You’ll need a toilet paper tube, five plastic bottle caps, a straw, toothpicks, strong magnets, and so on.
Make holes in the toilet paper tube so that an axle straw can pass through.
Thread a toothpick through the straw, and decorate the tube with origami paper or drawings to give it personality.
Use an awl or similar tool to make holes in the centers of the bottle caps so a toothpick can pass through, then attach the caps onto the straw.
Finally, fix a strong magnet to the front bottle cap to form the car’s nose, and you’re done! The car will move in a curious way using the repelling force of the magnets.
Space Travel Game
Let me introduce a handmade space travel game.
Prepare 10 round magnets, round stickers, straws, and construction paper, and let’s make it together.
For the spaceship, attach a straw to a magnet, stick on a round sticker, and draw a rocket illustration.
Next, create a flight course for the spaceship on a base sheet of construction paper.
Cut black construction paper into circles and glue magnets at the center to make black holes.
Stick several of these black holes along the course, and you’re done.
Pilot the spaceship and try to reach the goal without getting swallowed by the black holes.
Magnetic darts
Magnetic darts you can enjoy with family and friends.
Try making your own darts set themed around characters or animals that kids love.
First, prepare a magnetic whiteboard.
Next, use circularly cut construction paper and write the point values from the center outward.
It’s also recommended to add a twist to the standard dartboard by attaching high-scoring paper circles to corners or other areas of the board.
Once you’ve made the dart “arrows” by combining straws and magnets, you’re done.
It’s a highly game-like toy that will liven up parties and events with children.
Sticky building blocks
How about making magnetic building blocks that stick together? First, prepare some plastic bottle caps and magnets.
Glue a magnet to the inside of each cap, then stack caps together and screw them closed.
Repeat this process.
Kids will find it exciting to see the pieces attract or repel when stacked, and they’re sure to enjoy it.
Another perk is that you can build in ways that aren’t possible with regular blocks.
One caution: it’s dangerous if put in the mouth, so please be careful.
A toy train with magnets
Let’s create a tiny world inside a plastic bottle! Here’s an idea for a toy train that moves with magnets.
Even without touching the train, it moves like magic—sure to capture children’s interest! You’ll need a 1.5-liter plastic bottle, magnets, string, two bottle caps, colored paper, scissors, a utility knife, cellophane tape, vinyl tape, double-sided tape, and an awl.
If you make it together with kids, the little world inside the bottle will grow even more imaginative!
Magnet UFO
Unpredictable! Irregular motion is fascinating! Here’s an idea for a magnetic unidentified flying object.
What comes to mind when you hear “UFO”? Some people might imagine round lights or being taken away in a bright beam.
The charm of this UFO is its irregular movement.
Let’s make a toy with addictive, unique motion by taking advantage of magnets’ properties! If there’s any chance a child might swallow a magnet, make sure a parent or teacher is always supervising nearby.