Play equipment that delights children. Toys and play tools that can be enjoyed from early childhood.
We’ve put together a collection of play items that kids will love!
We’ll introduce lots of toys and play gear that both boys and girls can enjoy, so use this guide to make trips to the park more fun, fill downtime on camping trips, or keep kids entertained indoors on bad-weather days.
In addition to gift-worthy items, there are plenty of affordable playthings that are easy to find at 100-yen shops and similar stores.
Even though they’re from 100-yen shops, the quality is surprisingly high, making them perfect when you want to try something a little new!
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Play equipment that delights children. Play tools and toys enjoyable from toddler age (11–20)
hopping
Many moms and dads probably played with these when they were kids, right? A “hopping” toy has a T-shaped handle, a place to put your feet, and a spring built into the footrest so you can jump up and down and bounce along as you move.
It might seem a bit dangerous, but with kids’ good sense of balance, they’ll likely pick it up quickly and hop around with ease.
Watching them might even make you want to give it a try yourself (lol).
unicycle
Unicycles—many moms and dads probably remember having them at school and playing with them back in elementary school, right? With unicycles, kids tend to be clearly split between those who are good at them and those who aren’t—maybe it comes down to athletic coordination.
Even among children in elementary school or younger, there are surely many who can ride a unicycle or want to give it a try.
It helps develop a sense of balance, and even if adults can’t hop on easily, kids often improve dramatically in just a few hours.
Be sure to play safely—wear a helmet and watch out for injuries!
origami
Origami is something almost everyone has played with at least once.
These days, there are very colorful sheets with both sides colored or even with characters printed on them, and there’s a wide variety sold at 100-yen shops, so kids probably enjoy choosing them.
There are countless ways to fold origami—from simple ones that even small children can do to challenging designs for adults.
It’s great for adults to join in and fold together, too.
Many tutorials are also available on video sites recently, so be sure to check them out for reference.
water gun
When you think of summer, you think of playing in the water.
Many families enjoy splashing around at the beach or river, and even at home with inflatable pools.
And the perfect item for those times is the water gun! Water guns have been around for ages, but recent ones come in all kinds: models that hold a lot of water, shoot incredibly far, or look big and cool.
In summer, toy stores line up with them, and these days even 100-yen shops carry large, cool, and functional ones—no wonder so many kids want them.
It also sounds fun to make a target on a wall and try some target practice with water guns.
clay
Playing with clay—hasn’t everyone done it as a child? We used it in kindergarten, nursery school, and even in elementary school.
In recent years, clay has become more colorful, and there are more options that don’t have strong smells or leave stains.
Best of all, you can easily buy it at 100-yen shops, and the variety is surprising.
For small children, there are clays made from materials that are safe even if they put them in their mouths.
Clay can be used over and over, you can remake things endlessly, and above all, it nurtures imagination.
It’s perfect for playing at home.
paint
When you think of paint, you might picture kids using watercolors to make drawings—but how about broadening the horizon and creating an art piece instead? Painting pictures on drawing paper with watercolors can certainly be fun, but try using acrylic paints on canvas.
Rather than “drawing,” play with color: flick paint from the brush, pull bold, splashy lines, and keep laying colors on.
You might just end up with a wonderful piece that would surprise even an artist!
Playthings Kids Love: Toys and Play Equipment for Toddlers and Up (21–30)
3D maze
A 3D maze where you manipulate a sphere to guide the ball inside to the goal! Set the ball at the start position and follow the numbers to navigate the maze within the sphere.
If the ball slips off the course along the way, it’s an immediate out—you’ll have to start over.
You may feel the frustration of not being able to touch it directly, but the moment you steer the ball to the goal, you’re guaranteed a rush of satisfaction! It’s the perfect maze for whiling away a weekend at home with your kids—give it a try.
