The economy has forced many people to look for ways to save money at every turn. Few ideas will provide as much fun and satisfaction as making homemade toys for your children. While most of these ideas are very simple, they will provide hours of fun for the whole family.
You do not have to be particularly handy to create most of these toys. The idea is to keep it simple yet fun and create toys that your children will really love. The next time you have time on your hands and are looking for a rainy day project, consider making one of these homemade toys for your child.
Tin Can Phones :
This craft project is as easy as it gets. Simply find two tin cans and a good length of sturdy string. Use a hammer and screwdriver to hammer a small hole into the bottom of one of the cans. Thread the string through and tie off a knot that is big enough to hold. Repeat this process on the other can. Make the hole and thread the other end of the string through it. Tie it off with a large knot that will hold when the string is stretched tight. You will have so much fun watching children play with this toy. They will hide behind doors and across rooms from each other to whisper silly things in the cans. Everyone that gets a glimpse of this toy will get a tickle remembering and going back in time. Have fun watching your children play with this one and don’t forget to participate by whispering a few little secrets.
Beanbag Bullseye Game :
This game requires only some material, two old towels, a needle and thread and some dry beans. First you will want to make eight hand sized beanbags. Be sure to make four of one color or pattern and four of another. Sew the material into bag shapes and fill them half full of dried beans. Stitch them closed and give them a shake to be sure the beans won’t escape. Find two old towels you can live without but, be sure they are each a different color. Lay one towel out flat. Cut circles of material from the second towel and stitch them on to the first towel to create a bullseye pattern. The whole family can enjoy this game. Each player gets a turn till all bags have been tossed. You can give each ring a certain number of points or just say that whoever gets the closest to center wins. This is a very simple and easy toy to make at home that everyone will love.
Wooden Blocks :
You will need woodworking tools to cut blocks out of whatever wood you have to use. If you do not have woodworking tools, you can still take your wood to a local lumber store and ask them to cut blocks of all shapes and sizes from it. They will probably charge you a small fee but, it is likely to be very nominal. Whether you cut your own blocks or have them cut for you, personalize them yourself. Use bright colored safe paints to make your blocks unique and fun. Children will have endless hours of fun building and creating things with these blocks. This is also a homemade toy that your children might possibly pass on to their own.
Puppet Socks :
This homemade toy will give you good use for any single socks around your house. Sock puppets are so easy to make and so much fun. Find old buttons, ribbons, bows and anything else you would like to use to make your puppet unique. Stuff your hand into your sock and pull in the end so you know where the mouth will be. Mark the places you want to attach eyes and any other items. Attach your button eyes and other accessories with simple tight stitches. Once you see how much fun you have making these puppets, you are very likely to want to make many more. Have a blast with it and put on family puppet shows or tell favorite stories through your puppet.
All of these homemade toys are great because of their simplicity. They give parents and children a very wide open chance to use imagination. Homemade toys have a way of becoming treasures to children as they grow up. Be sure to make things that will last so that they can be passed on to future grandchildren. Have a ton of fun with your kids and enjoy making homemade toys and memories with them. Look for more of my craft ideas here.
