Make Your Own Toys & Games

Every child loves to role play their favorite adults. Both my children enjoy this time. They get an effective learning activity and I get time to do chores, work, even a cup of coffee.

A friend or pet that requires only water and sun light. You will notice that your friend grows grass for hair.

You'll Need:
Shallow dish
Rubber bands
Grass seed
Sawdust
Old Nylon stocking

Find out how to make your own homemade bubbles that really work!!

The Next time you all sit down for a meal try this Brain Teaser with your kids. It works their mind and develops their Language skills. Oh, and by the way they will think it's fun!

Too cold or wet for the sandbox? Try this alternative. Your kids will love it. You might hate it, but your kids will appreciate it.

Learn how to create a working truck from a Soapbox...it is called a soap box Truck. You can Get things rolling on a rainy day with this toy truck project. Your children will love making this toy truck from materials around the house.

CRAFT MATERIALS NEEDED:
Small, noncorrugated cardboard box
Acrylic paint and brushes
Scissors
Glue
Craft wire
4 black buttons
2 beads
Toy figure

Children can learn how to make these fun Tadpole Racers toys. Race them with your friends and make these toy vehicles with items that you find around the house. It is a vehicle made with a marble.

Crafts Materials Needed:

Marble
Silver foil

Your kids will love this Thomas the Tank Shoebox Train craft. It really looks like Thomas the Tank Engine. Your kids can Make this Thomas the Tank train from a shoebox and the rest of the arts and crafts supplies mentioned below.

Arts and Crafts Materials Needed:

-1 large shoebox
-1 small shoebox (i.e. for toddler size shoes)
-Paint: blue, red, black, yellow, gray[made by mixing black and white] (we used washable watercolors and it took several
-coats with drying time between each one to get good coverage. There is probably an easier way to do it than we did---a different kind of paint that would coat better but we just used what we had on hand)
-Glue (we used tacky glue)
-toilet paper roll
-Yellow foam and/or circle/rectangle foam shapes
-Llarge wiggly eyes
-Leanne's templates from the Thomas paper craft: face and bumper (see below)
-scissors
-(optional) thin doweling (we used 3/16")
-(optional) 3" round woodsies (size can be adjusted/changed to fit the relative size of your train)
-(optional) drill and drill bit (and adult assistance on this part of course!!)
-(optional) use the template from Wendy for the wheels.

Your kids will love these tin can stilts as if you bought them a new toy. These tin cans are made from materials around the house and they get your kids OUT of the house, playing in the fresh air. Make tin can stilts (parental supervision) with your children and the following arts and crafts materials:

Craft Materials Needed:

Two large tin cans (food)
cord or string

Your kids will love these tin can stilts as if you bought them a new toy. These tin cans are made from materials around the house and they get your kids OUT of the house, playing in the fresh air. Make tin can stilts (parental supervision) with your children and the following arts and crafts materials:

Craft Materials Needed:

Two large tin cans (food)
cord or string

Children can learn how to make a real Toy Canoe that really floats in water. This toy canoe is like the birch bark canoes built centuries ago by the Indian tribes in New England, this lightweight toy craft cuts quickly and smoothly through water. Your kids can learn all about about native Indians used to make their canoes with this nifty and fun crafts project idea.

CRAFT MATERIALS NEEDED:
Cardboard
Scissors
Darning needle
String
Acrylic paints and brushes
Box of paraffin wax
Tall tin can
Metal tongs

Wooden Stilts - Make wooden stilts (parental supervision)

Crafts Materials Needed:

Wood approximately 2" by 2" or 50mm by 50mm
screws

Hey kids, learn how to Make a Toy House for Your Beanie Babies or Bean Bag Toys, Stuffed Animals or dolls. Children can use unused items around the house to make his or her own Bean Bag Toy House - Instructions to make a house for a bean bag toy or other stuffed animal is below with the following arts and crafts materials:

CRAFTS MATERIALS NEEDED:

# Boxes - shoe box, milk carton, small cardboard box, etc
# Paint
# Tape
# Glue
# Misc Supplies such as Scrap Material, Ribbon, Buttons, Etc

Have fun with your kids and show them how to make a Blanket Tent like you used to make when you were a kid. If you don't know how to then learn how to make a fun fort or tent out of blankets and chairs with this tutorial for kids, children, and teens.

Materials Needed:

Two chairs
Blanket

Dolls House - Make your own doll house out of a shoe box, wallpaper, carpet, scissor, and paint

CRAFTS MATERIALS NEEDED:

A Shoe box
glue
wall paper
a bit of old carpet
scissors
paint

Make a Box Town - This is an easy way to make a toy town using old boxes, cartons, colored paper, scissors, tape, paper tubes, and crayons. Modular Modern House - Make a mini house using a shoe box, cardboard, and paper towel roll - shared by Angie.

CRAFTS MATERIALS NEEDED:

old boxes
cartons
colored paper
scissors
tape
paper tubes
crayons.

Kids - Learn how to Make a Modular Modern House with arts and crafts supplies that you already have around the house. This is an easy way to make a toy town using old boxes, cartons, colored paper, scissors, tape, paper tubes, and crayons. Children will love creating this Modular Modern House using a shoe box, cardboard, and paper towel roll - shared by Angie.

CRAFTS MATERIALS NEEDED:

# 1 shoe box
# 1 paper towel roll
# 1 piece of cardboard as long as the shoe box, but a good deal wider than the shoe box is deep.
# Glue, tape or adhesive putty--but only if you want to make the modular design permanent.

Hey kids, learn how to make your very own castle toy with a Pringles Can Castle. You can then have tons of fun playing with your castle. THIS ARTS AND CRAFTS PROJECTS CALLS FOR PARENTAL SUPERVISION!!!

CRAFTS MATERIALS NEEDED:

Pringles Chip Can
Acrylic Paint
Exacto Blade (With parental supervision)
Ice Pick
Wooden Dowel
Craft Foam
Bond527 Adhesive
Toothpicks

Hey kids, Learn how to make a very cool Western Town out of Recycled Boxes with this arts and crafts project for children. With this craft for kids, you can Make a western town out of old boxes and then have fun pretend playing with it.

CRAFTS MATERIALS NEEDED:

# Small Cardboard Boxes (such as those holding Aspirin, handsoap, etc.)
# Paints of any kind and/or fine point magic markers
# Glue (prefer hot glue gun)
# Scissors
# Short string of multi-colored Christmas "twinkle" lights (optional)

Children can learn How to Make a Handmade Bean Bag with this Arts and Crafts Idea for Kids and Teens. a Basic Bean Bag can be turned into a lot of fun games.The Basic Bean Bag is the perfect project for beginners. It is easy to make and only requires a small amount of yarn. The garter stitch technique, used in this project, calls for repeating the knit.

CRAFTS MATERIALS NEEDED:

* Yarn, bulky, skein
* Knitting needles, size 8, one pair (or whatever size feels comfortable)
* Dried beans, ¾ cup, approximately for each bean bag
* Tube of thin nylon socks, tights, or pantyhose, 8 inches long, one for each bean bag
* Yarn needle

Children will love Making Bean Bags with this arts and crafts activity for children. Here are the Instructions to make bean bags to play fun games with. Great simple sewing project!

CRAFTS MATERIALS NEEDED:

# Fabric Scraps
# Needle
# Thread
# Dried Beans

Kids!! Learn how to make your very own Rain Stick (A musical instrument that sounds like real rain). You can bring the sound of nature inside with this cool Rain Stick Crafts activity. Join a dozen kids and make a musical rainstick with these great instructions from Canadian Living.

CRAFTS MATERIALS NEEDED:

• Sturdy cardboard tube, 46 to 120 cm (18-1/8 to 47-1/4 in) long, such as mailing or drafting tube (available at stationery stores) or tube from fabric bolt (ask at fabric stores)
• 22-gauge hobby wire (approx half a roll for short stick, 1 roll for long stick), cut in 30 cm (11-7/8-in) lengths
• Dry rice, beans and lentils (approx 125 mL/1/2 cup for short stick, 375 mL/1-1/2 cups for long stick)
• Clear packing tape, 48 mm x 66 m (approx 1 roll for 20 sticks)
• Construction paper
• Gift wrap
• Permanent nontoxic coloured markers
• Coloured feathers
• Stickers
• Sequins
• White craft glue and brushes for glue
• Scissors and ruler

Learn how to make Rainy Day Homemade Puzzles with these crafts activity instructions. Your children will love to Make this homemade puzzle out of the following materials:

CRAFTS MATERIALS NEEDED:

Old animal or flower greeting cards
glue
Decoupage Glaze
Scissors
envelope

Learn how to make your very own toy with this Sea Turtle Marionette crafts activity for kids to make from materials around the house - Trash to Treasure. Learn how to make this cool toy turtle marionette with the San Diego Zoo's instructions on their site for this cool children's arts and crafts project.

CRAFTS MATERIALS NEEDED:

# 1 clear plastic deli container with a snap-on lid, like the ones that parmesan cheese comes in. This is the turtle's shell.
# 4 plastic spoons to make the flippers. Carefully break off the handles of the spoons, leaving only about one-half inch of the handle and the scoop part. An adult could also snip off the handles with wire cutters, but don't try that yourself.
# 1 plastic container from individual-size pudding cups. This is the turtle's head.
# 4 wine bottle corks for legs
# 4 buttons–2 for eyes, 2 for anchors for your marionette strings.
# 1 piece of sponge for the turtle's tail
# 5 twist ties
# 2 popsicle sticks for your marionette control
# 4 small screw eyes to connect the legs to the shell
# Thick white glue
# Nail
# Hole punch–the kind you hold in your hand
# Heavy thread
# Acrylic paints, if you'd like to paint your turtle

Are you looking for something for your kids to do on a rainy day? I like this Wishing Well childrens' crafts idea, especially on boring, nothing-to-do type of days. This crafts for kids, has easy to follow instructions for making a miniature wishing well using a tin can and popsicle sticks. Once all the glue is dry and you are done with this crafts, then your wishing well is ready for pennies or whatever else you want to do with it!

CRAFTS MATERIALS YOUR KIDS NEED FOR CHILDRENS' ARTS AND CRAFTS ACTIVITY

# Tin Can
# Popsicle Sticks
# Glue

Your children can celebrate Halloween by creating these scary ghosts made from a lid and a grocery bag. This easy to make for kids arts and crafts project is for a Cool Whip Lid / Plastic Grocery Sack Bag Ghost. Heres a fun Halloween project thats inexpensive...uses primarily recycled household items ...and the kids just love how they"fly".

CRAFTS MATERIALS YOUR KIDS WILL NEED FOR THIS CHILDRENS' ARTS AND CRAFTS ACTIVITY:

# Plain white lid (from a margarine container, for example)
# 3 black construction paper circles for eyes and mouth
# 2 sheer white plastic grocery sacks
# 2 white pipe cleaners
# Scotch tape
# Glue stick
# Black yarn
# Hole punch