[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 (11–20)
nori-maki (seaweed roll; sushi roll wrapped in seaweed)
Here’s how to make a sushi roll–shaped toy that’s delightful in look, sound, and feel.
You’ll need items like plastic bottle caps and beans (or similar) to make the rattle sound.
Put the sound-making beans inside a cap, seal it with tape, then attach felt pieces for the seaweed, rice, and fillings to give it a sushi-roll look, and you’re done.
You can stack them like building blocks, use them as play kitchen props, or simply shake them to enjoy the sound—there are many ways to play.
Change the fillings and they can even serve as board game pieces.
They’re suitable for a wide range of ages, from babies to young children.
The making process is fun too, so craft them together with kids and enjoy playing with your sushi roll toys.
Magnet Crane Game
A crane game that uses magnets can become uniquely fun with just a few clever tweaks.
We recommend building a frame out of cardboard and attaching a clear plastic panel so you can see inside.
Install paper cups inside to hold prizes, and run a tension rod through the sides to create the crane’s range of motion.
Attach a magnet to the end of a string, and it turns into a mechanism that can lift prizes with metal embedded in them.
By turning a wooden rod to raise and lower the string, you can aim and drop with great control, making each attempt exciting.
It’s a compelling idea that lets you experience the fun of ingenuity while you play.
cupcake
Let’s hand-make adorable ice cream cupcakes, perfect for pretend play and cute as decorations, using items from the 100-yen shop.
The ingredients for these sweet-looking, delightfully textured cupcakes include clear glass dishes, cake cups with cute patterns, and materials like yarn, sequins, and beads.
Just like real ice cream or cupcakes, add toppings however you like to show off your sense of style.
If you tuck an LED light inside the “ice cream,” it can also become a lovely piece of ambient lighting for your room.
penlight
How about making a colorful glowing light stick for the dark using a small light from a 100-yen shop? All you need are a small light from a 100-yen shop, a small plastic bottle from a lactic acid bacteria drink, and colored cellophane.
Gently place small pieces of colored cellophane into the plastic bottle, then insert the light into the bottle’s opening.
If the opening and the light don’t fit snugly, wrap rubber bands around the light to adjust the size.
Secure the light and the bottle firmly with vinyl tape, and you’re done.
lottery game with many strings (Senbonbiki)
Here’s a fun handmade toy that lets you enjoy a festival atmosphere at home: a “Senbonbiki” prize-drawing game.
Senbonbiki is a lottery-style prize game where snacks or small prizes connected by strings are placed inside a big box.
It’s an exciting festival game where you wonder whether you can snag the prize you’re aiming for—or what surprise you’ll win.
It’s also easy to make.
Put the string-tied prizes inside a cardboard box, and players choose one of the strings sticking out at random and pull.
Whatever lifts up smoothly is the prize you win.
With a little creativity in what you put inside, you can make a unique Senbonbiki of your own.
Candy pot
Let’s make a gashapon-style candy jar using cute items you can find at a 100-yen shop.
By playing with colors and combinations, you can create a stylish candy pot that blends perfectly with your interior.
For the base, you can use a flowerpot, and for the top decorations or handle, you can go with antique-style motifs or something pop and playful—the ideas are all up to you.
Fill the jar with colorful candies and treats.
It’s fun to look at, fun to display, and fun to taste—brighten up your life with a handmade candy pot.
A full-fledged crane game that even beginners can make
This is a crane game that delivers a stable finish by proceeding through the steps in order.
Cut the cardboard into individual parts, and thread bamboo skewers and string to create the movement mechanism.
Carefully securing everything with glue improves durability.
By combining binder clips and popsicle sticks for the arm, it can perform a gripping action, and using wooden dowels and boards expands the range of control.
The moment you lift a prize feels just like the real thing, and it’s sure to captivate not only children but adults as well.
It’s a practical idea that keeps material costs low while offering both a sense of accomplishment and plenty of play value.
Handmade crane game out of cardboard!
A claw machine made from cardboard is a perfect activity for kids who love crafts.
By assembling the cardboard into a box and cutting out windows so you can see inside, you can create the feel of a real arcade machine.
If you use pipe cleaners for the arm, it will move flexibly, letting you enjoy the sensation of grabbing prizes.
Fill it with plush toys or light trinkets, and each attempt becomes more exciting—you can even compete with friends and family.
You can adjust the difficulty by changing how you build it, and once it’s finished, you’ll experience both the satisfaction of completing it and the fun of playing.
It’s a creative idea that lets you enjoy an arcade vibe using familiar, everyday materials.
A crane game operated with twine
A crane game you can make by combining construction paper, bamboo skewers, and kite string, with the fun focused on cleverly moving the arm.
Secure the arm firmly with a hot glue gun and devise a mechanism so it moves up and down.
Then thread bamboo skewers so it can also be operated forward, backward, left, and right, creating a structure that lets you aim for prizes from multiple directions like a real crane.
Once it’s finished, prepare a box for the main body and decorate the exterior however you like to create your own original game machine.
It’s an idea you can truly enjoy, offering the satisfaction of operating it by hand and grabbing prizes yourself.
How to Make a State-of-the-Art Crane Arm
A crane game where you thoroughly assemble the arm is a craft that’s fun to build in itself.
Start by creating the arm’s frame, then attach the strap that supports the arm.
Add the part that grabs the prize to the tip and connect everything together to give it a crane-like shape.
To make it move, thread yarn through the arm, then run the yarn through the main box to set up a mechanism that transmits motion.
By changing the strength and angle with which you pull the yarn, the arm’s opening and closing will vary, helping you grab prizes more effectively.
The appeal lies in how the builder’s ingenuity changes the operability, and once it’s finished, the excitement comes from testing the controls as you play.
It’s a fun idea that sparks a spirit of challenge.