Lovely handmade crafts

Let's make toys with paper cups! Simple and fun handmade toys

Deputy Editor of RAG MUSICsasashina
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSIC. JFC-certified fact-checker. I’m Sasashina, a mom currently raising an elementary schooler and a preschooler. During my student years at Kyoto College of Science and Technology, I studied a wide range of fields including sound, lighting, and video technology, building a foundation in comprehensive stage production and creative expression. After graduation, I joined a music production company, where I still work, consistently building experience in production and engaging in a variety of music-centered tasks. Currently, I mainly handle articles for children, drawing on what I’ve learned about parenting and what I feel and discover through daily interactions with my kids. I hope my work can be of help to you, even in a small way!

Let me introduce some handmade toys using paper cups!

If “store-bought toys get boring quickly” or you “want to do crafting play with your child,” try making toys with easy-to-find paper cups.

We’ve gathered ideas that children of preschool and kindergarten age are sure to love, so have fun!

Paper cups, which we usually use for drinking, can move or even become musical instruments! They’ll surely make kids’ eyes sparkle with interest.

Let’s make toys with paper cups! Simple and fun handmade toys (41–50)

Authentic handmade guitar

[Summer Vacation Craft] Authentic! How to Make a Cool Guitar (Toilet Paper Rolls, Rubber Bands, Paper Cups) [Handmade Instrument, Playable Toy, Playable Craft] Upcycled Fun • Lower and Middle Elementary Grades • Independent Study

Authentic handmade guitar

Here’s an introduction to a genuine-sounding guitar you can make using items like toilet paper rolls and paper cups.

You’ll also use a sample-size paper cup; the key is to choose one whose bottom fits the toilet paper roll.

Cut slits in the paper cup, hook rubber bands onto both the cup and the toilet paper roll, and stack the two pieces together.

By adjusting the position of the toilet paper roll, you can improve the sound when you pluck the rubber bands.

If you attach the sample cup and make a pick, you can create an even more authentic guitar—give it a try!

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A flying octopus? Tako-copter

A flying octopus? A toy like a bamboo-copter made from a paper cup: the 'TacoCopter' #easyCraft #paperCup #flyingCraft

A flying octopus? Tako-copter

It’s a toy that combines paper cups and a round chopstick to spin like a bamboo-copter and soar into the sky.

By spreading “wings” that catch the wind and coloring it mainly red, it takes on a curious form—a flying octopus.

You’ll use two paper cups and a round chopstick: attach the chopstick and the octopus’s facial parts to a paper cup with only the bottom left to create a launcher.

Then cut slits into the other paper cup, spread it out to form propeller-like blades, and attach it to the launcher to finish.

Fine-tune the propeller angles to make your octopus fly even higher.

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frolicking paper cup ghost

Since it's Halloween, I want to let the paper cups join in the fun too.

frolicking paper cup ghost

The moment you saw “a frolicking paper cup,” you probably thought, “What on earth is that?” But if you actually make one, it’s exactly that—and it’s really fun! First, make two slits on opposite sides near the rim of the paper cup.

Next, loop a rubber band around a battery and secure it with tape.

Then hook the rubber band attached to the battery onto the slits in the cup, and you’re done.

Twist the battery to wind up the rubber band, set the cup on a table, and let go of the battery… The paper cup frolics around beautifully.

If you draw a ghost or an animal on the cup, it looks adorable and somehow even more excited—you won’t be able to help laughing! Be sure to try it with your child and have fun together.

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Paper Cup Catch Ball

[Higashimurayama City] Simple Craft: How to Make a Catch Ball Machine

Paper Cup Catch Ball

Here’s a DIY idea to make a simple catch-and-throw ball machine like the ones you often see outdoors.

You’ll need a paper cup, a balloon, and a paper plate.

Cut out the bottom of the paper cup with a utility knife, then cut the top off the balloon and stretch it over the bottom of the cup, securing it firmly with clear tape.

Tie the balloon’s mouth so that the knot sits as close to the center as possible.

Cut the paper plate to remove one-quarter of the circle along with the center, then make radial slits on the inner edge and attach it to the rim side of the paper cup.

You can play with it as is, but it looks cute if you draw on it or decorate it with colored paper.

It’s a fun item you can use both indoors and outdoors.

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clock

A tinkling sound rings♪ An alarm wristwatch made from a paper cup

You can make a wristwatch with a paper cup! Draw three lines on the side of the paper cup so that they face each other in pairs, and make cuts along the two outer lines.

Cut off the wide outer sections where you made the cuts.

Match the remaining strip to the length of your wrist and add slits.

Use the pieces you cut off earlier to make the second hand and hour hand, and thread them onto twine with a bell attached.

Draw a clock face on the bottom of the paper cup, make a hole in the center, and pass the twine with the bell through it to finish!

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