Toys and Games

May the Fourth Be with You: Toilet Paper Tube Star Wars Characters

May the Fourth Be with You: Toilet Paper Tube Star Wars Characters

Happy Star Wars Day, fellow geek crafters! Is the Force strong with your kids? They’re definitely going to love these awesome DIY toilet paper tube Star Wars characters! In general, I find cute toilet paper roll toys to be pretty darn delightful, but this R2-D2 is definitely at least 37 different kinds of fantastic! Want […]

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DIY Toys: Clothespin Animal Puppets

DIY Toys: Clothespin Animal Puppets

Have clothespins? Make toys! These DIY clothespin animal puppets are sure to be a huge playtime hit for your creative kids. Aren’t they cute? Whip up your own set of these cheap and charming toys with this clothespin animal puppets tutorial with free printable animal templates from Delia Creates. This project definitely proves, once again, […]

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Upcycled Awesomeness: DIY Soda Bottle Jet Pack for Kids

Upcycled Awesomeness: DIY Soda Bottle Jet Pack for Kids

You might want to change your name to Super Mom/Super Dad, because you’re about to become your kid’s hero. Take playtime to the next level (er, altitude?) with an amazing DIY soda bottle jet pack! I would’ve been thrilled to find a jet pack in the costume box when I was a kid, and I […]

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Kid Craft: Cardboard Guitar

Kid Craft: Cardboard Guitar

DIY toy instruments are a great way to introduce creative kids to the joys of making music, and a simple cardboard guitar is a great place to start! Even if you have multiple age ranges in your home, this is definitely a bit of crafty play that will keep both big and little kids entertained. […]

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Kid Crafts: Toilet Paper Roll Dinosaurs

Kid Crafts: Toilet Paper Roll Dinosaurs

Raid your recycle bin for a day of crafty fun! This toilet paper roll dinosaurs project will help you transform trash into toys for an awesome prehistoric playtime. Toilet paper rolls are a craft time staple for pretty much every preschool parent I know, and with good reason. Most households generate at least a couple […]

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Play Food Fun: Felt Bowtie Pasta with Printable Box

Play Food Fun: Felt Bowtie Pasta with Printable Box

Pretend cooking is a favorite pastime of every kitchen-curious kid I know. And, of course, those mini chefs love play food—the more realistic the better. So, if you’ve got tiny foodies in your life, this DIY felt bowtie pasta with printable box is sure to be a huge hit! When it comes to felt food, […]

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ThinkFun Maker Studio

Build Your Own Toys with ThinkFun’s Maker Studio

As I mentioned yesterday, the big theme of this year’s Toy Fair in New York is “joining the maker movement.” But to qualify as a genuine maker toy, a plaything should meet some basic criteria.  One new series of kits that fits my definition of a maker toy is the Maker Studio Construction Sets from ThinkFun. […]

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