Lovely childcare

Handmade toys with magnets! A collection of fun, playable ideas

10 years as a kindergarten teacher / elementary school teacher / junior and senior high school teacher / childminderkepiko
Graduated from Kunitachi College of Music, Faculty of Music (now: Department of Music Culture and Education, Early Childhood Music Education major). In elementary school, my homeroom teacher was Jun Kusaba, a game researcher. After graduating from university, I worked for 10 years as a kindergarten teacher and for 7 years as an after-school childcare instructor, then took a post as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I also engaged in activities that shared Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational play, working with many children. Afterwards, through freelance writing, planning, and editing work at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and conveying ideas. Leveraging the perspective cultivated in educational settings and my experience as an editor, I aim to deliver practical information—focusing on fields related to music and children—that values both input and output. Hobbies include instruments, singing, handcrafts, toys, drawing, traditional play, the outdoors, books, DIY, and crafts. Special skill: spinning-top tricks.
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.

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)

Sticky building blocks

[Educational Play] I tried making magnetic building blocks with plastic bottle caps!!

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.

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Magnet and pipe cleaner toy

No.108 “Magnet and Pipe Cleaner Toy” [Handmade Toy by a Nursery Teacher]

Magnet and pipe cleaner toy

Let me introduce a toy using magnets and pipe cleaners.

Prepare an empty 6-piece cheese box, bottle caps, pipe cleaners, a plastic sheet, drawing paper, string, clear tape, vinyl tape, and glue, and let’s make it.

Line the inside of the empty cheese box with drawing paper to create the base.

Cut the plastic sheet into a circle to make a window.

Choose the colors of the pipe cleaners, cut them to length, and place them inside the cheese box to get ready.

Put a magnet inside a bottle cap, and tape two caps together with vinyl tape so the magnet won’t fall out.

Make a hole in the cap, thread the string through, and create the magnetic part that will move the pipe cleaners.

By holding the magnet against the outside of the cheese box, the pipe cleaners inside gather and move, making it a fun toy to play with!

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Dreamland with a magnet

Easy Craft: How to Make 'Dreamland with Magnets'

Dreamland with a magnet

Learn about magnets while having fun crafting! Here’s a magnetic Dreamland idea.

The charm of this project is that you can make a mysterious, entertaining toy that moves using capsules and magnets.

You’ll need origami paper, a white board, construction paper, magnets, empty gashapon capsules, poster paper, a color wave sheet, glue, scissors, and pens.

Draw roads on the board and decorate with construction paper and the color wave sheet.

Put a car illustration on an empty capsule and place a magnet inside—then it’s done! Move the capsule with the car illustration by guiding a magnet from the back of the board!

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Handmade magnet toys! A collection of fun, magnetic play ideas (11–20)

Bug-catching toy

[Handmade Toy] Magnet Stick-On Bug Catching Game 🐞 | Summer Vacation Craft

Bug-catching toy

We’ll introduce how to make a bug-catching toy.

Get construction paper, magnets, straws, paper clips, glue, and some netting ready.

Cut colored construction paper into circles and assemble them into bugs.

Attach one paper clip to each bug and secure it with cellophane tape so it won’t come off.

Next, let’s make the bug-catching net.

Cut a ring out of thick paper and remove the center.

Thread the netting through the ring and staple it in place.

Make the handle out of a straw and attach it securely, then glue on a magnet, and you’re done! Have fun seeing how many bug cards you can catch.

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Climbing ladybug

Easy magnet craft! A climbing ladybug! Recycle plastic wrap and toilet paper cores! #crafts #handmadeToys #summerVacationCrafts #recycledCrafts

Climbing ladybug

Climbing up! Sliding down! A freely moving ladybug is so much fun! Here’s an idea for a climbing ladybug.

For children, ladybugs are familiar insects they see in picture books or on walks, right? This unique idea makes it look like the ladybug is playfully roaming around.

What you’ll need: round magnets, a toilet paper tube, a plastic wrap tube, a half-sphere of Styrofoam, wooden sticks or chopsticks, construction paper, pens, scissors, and double-sided tape.

Give it a try!

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Magnetic Fukuwarai

Magnet Fukuwarai #shorts #children #childcare #crafts #handmade #Fukuwarai #NewYear #kidsToys #How to make children’s toys

Magnetic Fukuwarai

Let’s play with magnet sheets and a whiteboard! Here are some ideas for magnetic Fukuwarai.

Fukuwarai is one of Japan’s traditional games, typically enjoyed during New Year’s celebrations.

It’s a unique game where you place facial parts—eyes, nose, mouth, ears, eyebrows—onto a face in the correct spots while keeping your eyes closed.

This time, let’s make a version using magnet sheets.

What you’ll need: magnet sheets, a whiteboard, a pencil, paper, construction paper, scissors, a craft knife, and double-sided tape.

This should also help solve the common problem of pieces shifting out of place while you play!

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Candy Magnet

How about doing this with your child over spring break? Candy magnets made from plastic bottle caps

Candy Magnet

Let’s make something with plastic bottle caps! Here’s an idea for candy magnets.

How about turning materials you’d normally throw away into cute candy magnets? You’ll need two plastic bottle caps, double-sided tape, masking tape, magnets, fabric scraps, and embroidery thread.

By using leftover fabric from home or school, you can create something with even more sentimental value.

Give it a try with the kids!

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