Did you know that US toy sales increased by over $2 billion dollars between January and September 2021? The demand for children’s toys is growing despite the prices also rising. This is where DIY toys come into the picture.
Have you considered homemade toys for your child as an alternative to store-bought kid’s toys? Are you struggling to come up with DIY toy ideas?
The following guide will explain a few easy ways to make toys for kids right at home. Read on to learn how to keep your child entertained with custom toys and save money while you’re at it.
Homemade Toy Vehicles
Do your kids love planes, trains, and automobiles? It’s simple to create toy vehicles on your own and children love making their own designs, too. Save your egg cartons and buy a back of sponges for starters.
Egg cartons make really good trains. Connect as many cartons as you want in as many colors as you want. They have built-in compartments for smaller toys to sit in as passengers. Use construction paper for wheels and accessories.
An egg carton’s length makes it a good shape for fire trucks. Consider using water bottle caps for wheels, construction paper for the ladder, and yarn for the fire hose. Use red paint or markers to decorate the truck with your child.
Try cutting sponges into fun boat shapes. Use straws or popsicle sticks combined with a plastic or cloth sail to make a homemade sailboat. The sponge boats float in the bathtub or make for a great outdoor toy.
Pretend Food
It’s simple to make pretend food for play dinners with your child. The possibilities are vast and inspire imagination both in their creation and when it’s time to play. Find a few small rocks, some cardboard, and sponges.
Cut different colored sponges into pieces for your child to assemble into layer cakes. Cut additional sponge pieces into balls and other shapes to top their cakes with.
Circle-shaped pieces of cardboard make for good cookies or even hamburger patties and buns. Use a marker or paint to draw on some chocolate chips, sprinkles, or grill marks and sesame seeds for your burgers.
Small flat rocks work well for pretend cookies and desserts also. Use paints to decorate your dessert rocks. A perfectly shaped rock might make a great baked potato! Make sure they’re large enough and not a choking hazard.
Consider plastic molds if you really want to add detail and make more realistic toy food. You can read about plastic injection molding and decide if the process is something you’re interested in.
DIY Toys With Noise
It’s simple to make homemade musical toys that provide entertainment and creative fun.
Paper cups with balloon skins over the tops instantly create a set of toy drums. Paper towel rolls filled with beads, taped shut, and decorated makes for great shakers.
Try gluing some jingle bells to paper plates to make a tambourine. Grab a couple of old CDs and some string to make cymbals. Get creative and see what other fun sounds you can make with materials you have on hand.
Ready To Make Some Toys?
The possibilities are endless when it comes to making fun DIY toys for your child or with your child. We hope this guide has given you a few good ideas to start with and sparked a few more creative ideas of your own.
Check out the rest of our blog for more awesome tips and fascinating information.
