[Childcare] Recommended for toddlers! Toy ideas you can make and play with
Toys you can make and play with can be created from everyday materials if you match them to your child’s age and interests.
Through crafting, kids can have fun, grow attached to what they make, and even find opportunities to communicate with friends.
Here, we’ll introduce simple, easy-to-make toy ideas for toddlers.
There are plenty of options for indoor play and for enjoying outside!
Many can be made easily using familiar recyclable materials, so please use this as a reference and try making them together with your children!
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[Childcare] Recommended for toddlers! Toy ideas you can make and play with (91–100)
helicopter
If you want to spark children’s creativity, how about making a paper-cup helicopter? It’s an idea where you create a propeller using a bamboo skewer and rubber bands attached to a paper cup.
Since there are several somewhat complex steps, make sure a parent or guardian provides support when working with younger children.
By changing the cup’s color, adding drawings, or decorating with stickers, you can create a helicopter full of originality depending on your arrangements.
Through activities like this, try experiencing how familiar everyday materials can take on new shapes and functions!
Plastic-bottle kendama
If you have small bottles at home, like those for lactic acid drinks, try making a kendama! After you make it, you can enjoy playing with it.
Using a smaller bottle makes it easy for little hands to hold, making it perfect as a toy.
Since this craft involves using a utility knife and scissors, adults should assist according to the child’s age.
The cut edge of the bottle can be dangerous, so please cover it with vinyl tape or similar.
You can also seal decorations inside the handle or decorate it with washi tape—so cute! It would be fun to make a few and hold a parent–child kendama tournament, too.
[Childcare] Recommended for toddlers! Toy ideas you can make and play with (101–110)
plastic bottle shower
All you have to do is poke holes in the bottom of a plastic bottle with an awl, and your plastic-bottle shower is complete! It’s the perfect toy for water play season.
If you decorate the bottle with waterproof materials like vinyl tape, you can give it a unique, personalized look.
You can also change how the water comes out by adjusting the number and size of the holes, so you can prepare different patterns and have fun experimenting.
Plastic-bottle showers are safe and suitable even for infants, making them an excellent choice.
It’s a good idea to make plenty as summer approaches.
Button practice toy
Here’s a toy idea that lets kids practice buttoning using Anpanman’s facial parts.
It’s made with felt.
First, stack two circular felt pieces to create the base of Anpanman’s face.
Embroider the eyebrows, nose, cheeks, and mouth outline on it, then sew buttons onto the eyes, nose, and cheeks.
After that, sew the corresponding attachable parts that fasten onto the buttons, and you’re done! You can use either snap buttons or regular buttons with holes—choose whichever seems more fun for your child.
Perfect for button practice! Onigiri
Here’s an idea for felt rice balls that help kids practice buttoning! First, cut a rectangle from white felt and fold it.
Keeping the middle of the folded edge intact, cut it into a rice ball shape.
Make fillings like pickled plum or salmon and sew on snap buttons.
Sew matching snap buttons to the center of the rice ball’s inside as well.
Sew a two-hole button to the upper inside part of the rice ball, and make a slit on the opposite side.
Finally, glue a strip of seaweed cut from black felt to the outside, and you’re done! Attach your favorite filling and close the rice ball with the buttons to enjoy making onigiri.
bowling
This is a PET-bottle bowling game that even small children can enjoy indoors.
Decorate the bottles with the children’s artwork made using stickers, crayons, scissors, and glue! Kids will love the tactile fun of sticking on stickers and the fresh experience of drawing with crayons.
If scissors are used, teachers should provide age-appropriate support.
Wrap the finished drawings around the PET bottles and enjoy bowling! The excitement of a first bowling game will have their hearts racing.
When they knock the pins down well, they’ll also feel a great sense of achievement!
drop-in box toy
Let’s make a drop-in toy that makes a fun sound when pieces fall in.
The base is an empty milk can.
Cut a hole in the lid to create the entry for dropping pieces.
Next, decorate the can with felt or other materials.
It would be lovely to make the round lid look like Anpanman’s face, too.
Once the can is ready, make the pieces to drop.
You can do this by combining two plastic bottle caps—simple! Its straightforward design makes it easy and appealing to try.
