Here are some ideas for handmade toys you can make with plastic bottles.
This time, we’ve gathered ideas for children who attend nursery schools and kindergartens.
Kids love toys, but they often get bored quickly, don’t they?
That’s when handmade toys made from everyday items are a great choice!
They’re more cost-effective than buying toys, and the process of making them is a fun activity in itself.
We’ve got lots of playful ideas that babies and toddlers will love, so give them a try and make some yourself!
- Let’s make it with 3-year-olds! Fun handmade toy ideas
- Fun DIY Toy Ideas You Can Make with 100-Yen Store Materials
- An empty box becomes a toy! A collection of ideas for handmade toys
- Fun! A collection of handmade toy ideas made from Styrofoam
- [Childcare] Simple DIY ideas you can use for pretend shops
- Age 4: Simple and Fun! Handmade Toy Ideas
- [Childcare] Recommended for toddlers! Toy ideas you can make and play with
- Recycle your empty cans! A fun collection of DIY toy ideas you can make
- [For toddlers] Simple but amazing craft ideas — including toys they can play with
- [Daycare/Preschool] Handmade toys that delight infants
- Toddler-approved fun! DIY toy ideas for 2-year-olds
- Make it with wood! A collection of easy DIY toy ideas!
- Make it with everyday materials! A collection of DIY toy ideas recommended for 1-year-olds
Full of surprising ideas! Let's make toys using plastic bottles! (1–10)
Face Bottle Shower
You can make a toy that sprays water by poking holes in a plastic bottle with an awl.
You can play with it outdoors in summer or in the bath.
What you need: a plastic bottle, colored tape, and an awl for making holes.
How to make it: First, decorate the plastic bottle freely with colored tape.
It’s even more fun if you cut the tape into shapes like eyes and a mouth to give it a face.
Make holes in the bottom of the bottle.
That’s it—you’re done.
It looks easy to make, doesn’t it? If you change where you make the holes, it can transform into a “tears” version or a “pee” version.
Please be very careful when using the awl to make holes.
Kendama
We’re going to make a kendama using everyday items.
You’ll need two plastic bottles, yarn, newspaper, tape, and colored paper.
First, cut the two plastic bottles in half.
Join the two mouthpiece ends together and secure them with tape so they don’t come apart.
This will be the cup section where the ball lands in a kendama.
Next, make the ball.
Crumple half a sheet of newspaper into a ball, wrap it with colored paper, and tape it in place.
Attach the yarn to the middle section of the plastic bottle and connect it to the ball you made with colored paper.
And you’re done! How is it? Surprisingly easy, right? Be sure to cover the cut edges of the plastic bottles with masking tape so you don’t hurt your hands.
Dropping-in game
This is a toy that lets you put objects in and take them out through holes in various places.
Even babies can play with it.
You’ll need a large plastic bottle, a utility knife, tape, scissors, and drinking straws.
To make it, cut the straws into small pieces and seal them inside the bottle with two caps.
Be sure to tape them securely.
The pieces rattle and make sounds that spark children’s curiosity.
Next, create slots for inserting items at the top or bottom of the bottle.
It’s even more fun if you play while chatting, saying things like, “You can put it in from here, too.” Be sure to cover any cut edges of the bottle with tape so children don’t hurt their hands.
spinning top
We’re going to make an old-fashioned spinning top.
You’ll want to compete to see which one spins longer! What you need: a plastic bottle, a straw, colored tape, and tape.
For the plastic bottle, choose one with a bottom that is indented inward in a convex shape—that part will be the spinning surface of the top.
First, make the top itself by cutting the bottle about 1 cm up from the bottom.
Decorate the cut edge with colored tape.
Next, use the straw to make the handle for holding the top.
Cut the straw slightly longer than what feels comfortable to hold, then make slits at one end to create a squid-leg shape, and attach it to the top body you just made.
This part can come off easily, so make sure to adhere it firmly.
Marble Drop
It’s a toy where you drop marbles one after another through small holes so they fall downward.
You’ll need a plastic bottle, a utility knife, scissors, marbles, and tape.
Since you’ll be using a knife and scissors, adult supervision is necessary.
To make it, cut an opening with the utility knife, make holes large enough for the marbles to pass through, and attach pieces with tape.
Make two identical panels and tape them so the plastic bottle returns to its original shape.
Decorating with masking tape is a fun part.
The craft takes time, so be sure to start when you have plenty of time to spare!
Floating bottle
Sequins swaying gently in liquid—you can easily make a floating bottle like that.
All you need is a plastic bottle, liquid laundry starch (or school glue), water, sequins, beads, and tape.
You can put anything inside, so choose items that will catch a child’s interest.
To make it, put the sequins and beads into the plastic bottle.
Fill it halfway with water, then fill the remaining half with liquid starch (or glue diluted with water), and mix gently to avoid creating bubbles.
Secure the cap with tape to prevent accidental ingestion.
The ratio of water to starch will change how slowly and smoothly everything drifts.
Experimenting with different mixtures can be fun!
maracas
These maracas can make a wider variety of sounds than real maracas.
You will need a plastic bottle, string, bells, beads, scissors, and tape.
You can put anything inside! How about shiny items that catch kids’ attention? To make it, poke a hole in the cap and thread the string through.
Put bells and beads into the plastic bottle, decorate it with masking tape, and you’re done.
Making a hole in the cap can be tricky, so please help with that part!