Pinecones are one of those things you just can’t help picking up when you see them on the ground.
There’s even a children’s song called “Matsubokkuri,” so they’re well known among kids.
They’re used for all sorts of things—autumn crafts, Christmas ornaments, even experiments.
In this article, we’ll introduce handmade toys that use pinecones.
From toys you can actually play with to dolls that make the most of their distinctive shape, give these a try the next time you find a pinecone.
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Let's make toys with pine cones! Easy and fun handmade toys
Pinecone Kendama
Let’s make a kendama by using a pine cone as the ball! First, tie a piece of twine securely to the pine cone.
Next, tape the bottoms of two paper cups together and attach the twine with the pine cone to that.
Then, combine one more paper cup with a toilet paper roll to form a cross-like shape, and the kendama’s form is complete! After that, decorate it however you like—draw patterns or glue on cutouts from construction paper in your favorite shapes.
Hold the toilet paper roll as the handle and have fun playing!
Magic Bottle
Amazingly, there’s a pine cone inside a bottle with such a small mouth that a pine cone shouldn’t be able to fit! This toy is like a surprising magic trick.
How does a pine cone end up inside a bottle that seems too small? It’s because the pine cone was once wetted to make its scales close.
Just leave it in a cup of water for 20–30 minutes and it will shrink before your eyes.
In that state, drain it well and put it in the bottle, and you’ve got a magic bottle that looks like a miracle! It also makes a great decoration, so give it a try.
Pinecone Hedgehog
Let’s make a hedgehog with an impressively spiky body using a pine cone! We’ll use the rough, scaly look of the pine cone to represent the hedgehog’s spines.
First, attach some paper clay to the bottom of the pine cone to form the hedgehog’s face.
Use a brush or pen to draw the eyes, and extend a bit of the clay to shape the nose.
Finally, make the hedgehog’s hands and feet with paper clay to complete it.
Try using pine cones of different sizes to create a parent and child, or add more friends and have fun as you craft!
Pinecone Necklace
How about using a pine cone as the main pendant for a necklace? Thread a cord through the pine cone so it sits in the center, then add other decorations around it.
For example, you can use colorful straws cut into 2–3 cm pieces as beads, or, depending on the children’s ages, larger beads are also recommended.
Once you’ve strung enough beads to fit the children’s head sizes, tie the ends of the cord and you’re done! It would also make a nice gift for parents or guardians.
The Mysterious Creature of the Pine Cone
How about decorating pinecones to conjure up mysterious little creatures? Paint the pinecones, stick on pom-poms, or wrap them round and round with thread to decorate them.
Add googly-eye stickers to give them a creature-like look—highly recommended! You can display them as they are, or attach a string so you can hang them up.
Make lots of them and create wonderful autumn memories with these cute fall creatures.
pinecone doll
Let’s use pinecones and air-dry clay to make all kinds of figurines! For example, you can treat the pinecone as a person’s hair and sculpt a face from clay to attach to it, or imagine it as a lion’s mane and add a face and body.
Look for things that resemble the shape of a pinecone and create freely.
You can attach the clay to the pinecone with glue.
Once the clay dries, you can paint it—finish it in any colors you like.
To remove debris inside the pinecone and prevent insects, it’s recommended to sterilize the pinecones by boiling them before crafting.
In conclusion
I introduced some toys made with pinecones.
Did you find a toy you’d like to make? Around October, you should be able to find fallen pinecones, so please pick some up and give it a try.
Be sure to disinfect the pinecones, for example by boiling, before using them.