[For Elementary School Kids] Handmade Toy Craft Ideas
There are plenty of opportunities to make handmade toys, like indoor play items or independent research projects.
Some of you might be thinking, “Isn’t there a toy I can make with things I already have at home?”
In this article, we’ve compiled a bunch of handmade toy ideas for elementary school children.
These are not only fun to make, but also fun to play with once they’re finished.
It’s also great to incorporate your favorite characters or designs when making them.
Be sure to check out these handmade toy ideas that you can enjoy with family and friends.
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[For Elementary School Students] Handmade Toy Craft Ideas (121–130)
pull-back car
This craft lets you experience the fun of a car you built yourself zooming forward powered by rubber bands.
Cut corrugated plastic (plastic cardboard) to match the size of the car body.
For the wheels, use bottle caps: make a hole in the center, then pass a bamboo skewer through to create the axle.
If you firmly attach this to the body with hot glue, it will start to look like a real car.
Hook a rubber band onto the rear axle and wind it by turning the axle forward, and you’re ready to go.
When you let go, the car surges ahead under the power of the rubber band.
You can freely design and color the body, so you can get particular about the appearance too.
Using everyday materials and a simple mechanism, it’s a hands-on project that’s both fun to build and a great way to learn, delivering dynamic motion.
Matchstick crafting play
Crafting with matchsticks—creating any shape you like—is a fun hands-on activity that nurtures creativity and fine motor skills.
From arrows and railroad tracks to burst-like patterns reminiscent of fireworks, you can freely assemble designs from flat compositions to three-dimensional forms.
You can arrange matchsticks to draw patterns like a picture, or angle them to build a 3D tower—the key is that each piece emerges from your own unique ideas.
The materials are light and easy to handle, allowing delicate expression even with small combinations of parts.
Displaying the finished pieces side by side reveals a miniature world and sparks the imagination.
With new discoveries each time you make something and the creator’s individuality shining through, matchstick crafts are an idea you can enjoy again and again.
Matryoshka
The craft of painting your own face and those of your family onto a matryoshka doll—where new companions appear one after another inside a small doll—overflows with the joy and warmth of imagination.
Start by applying a base color with acrylic paint to the surface of the wooden nesting dolls.
Once it’s dry, carefully paint expressive characters such as your self-portrait, family, or friends.
After the paint dries, add a coat of varnish to give it a sheen and significantly elevate the finish.
Each time you open it, a new face appears, making it a delight for viewers.
It also makes a perfect gift, and the key is to create it while thinking of someone special.
It’s a lovely art project that lets you feel the connection between craftsmanship and the heart.
Running Robot
An exciting craft! Let me share an idea for a running robot.
Some of you might want to do a craft project but can’t think of a good idea, right? This time, let’s make a running robot that uses a windshield wiper mechanism.
You’ll need a rectangular plastic bottle, bamboo skewers, straws, thick paper, cardboard, plastic bottle caps, rubber bands, and so on.
It’s a great idea that lets you learn how a wiper mechanism works through crafting! Give it a try!
[For Elementary School Students] Handmade Toy Craft Ideas (131–140)
Let’s try making musical instruments from around the world
Let’s make a rainstick, a musical instrument from around the world that sounds like falling rain.
Prepare toothpicks, an empty plastic wrap tube, rubber bands, beads, fabric scraps, nail clippers, a hole punch or awl, and glue.
Start by making spiral-shaped holes along the tube.
It can be slippery, so be careful while punching the holes.
Insert toothpicks into the holes.
Use the nail clippers to trim any parts of the toothpicks that stick out, then apply glue over them to secure.
Cover one end of the tube with fabric and fasten it with a rubber band.
Pour beads in from the other end, then cover that end with fabric and fasten it with a rubber band in the same way.
Decorate the tube, and you’re done.
It’s a rainstick that produces the sound of rain or waves—give it a try!
Transformable miniature house
Let me introduce a cute, transformable miniature house.
Using cardboard, choose the coverings for the ceiling, floor, and walls as you build each room.
The key is to keep in mind the kind of room you want to create while you work.
Try stacking rooms or changing the combinations to make a miniature house that’s uniquely yours.
By making the wall coverings with colored paper or using patterned paper for the miniature house, you can add originality and have even more fun.
Handheld fan made from scrap materials
Combine materials around you to make a handheld fan that creates a fun breeze.
Drill a small hole in a popsicle stick and pass a skewer through the center to form the base for the blades.
Prepare a straw to serve as the shaft, then attach a round-cut piece of cardstock and brightly colored origami paper to complete the blade section.
Make a hole in the center of the shaft as well, assemble everything so it spins, thread it through the straw, and insert it into the handle.
Wrap thread around it, pull, and pass it through a bead—the moment you pull, the blades will spin.
With a bit of ingenuity, you can change the look and the strength of the wind and enjoy the freedom of creativity.
It’s an idea that lets you repurpose scrap materials to create a one-of-a-kind project.