Why waste money on plastic and batteries when you can make DIY toys for babies and toddlers at home? Easy, eco-friendly and within budget!

Have you noticed how expensive toys have gotten nowadays? A simple toy is double what it cost a few years ago, and the ‘premium’ ones are pretty much luxury products!

Then there’s the insane use of plastic and batteries. However, babies and kids need toys – it’s not just entertainment for them, it’s how they learn and gain some valuable developmental skills.

So is there a solution? Certainly – you can make your own toys!

Benefits of DIY Toys for Babies and Toddlers

• DIY toys can be made with eco-friendly materials like fabric and wood, so you can skip the plastic
• A toy you make can be customized down to the last detail – colors, materials, size etc.
• Homemade toys are usually great for open-ended play, which is what kids really need
• Many handmade toys are inspired by Montessori or Waldorf teaching methods
• You can save a lot of money by not paying for a big brand name
• You can be sure that the toy you make is 100% unique – unlike the mass-manufactured ones
• They’re great for gifting, especially if you make a few in a similar theme

Since we’ve established how amazing DIY toys are, let’s go ahead and explore some options you can make for your little one!

20 DIY Toys for Babies and Toddlers

1. DIY Wrist Rattle for Babies

These wrist rattles are among the first DIY toys for babies and toddlers you can make at home. 7 Days of Play uses black and white since newborns can’t see color for many more weeks. It’s a great toy for babies to explore sounds when their hands move, while also strengthening their arms.

2. Fabric Baby Blocks

These fabric blocks from Bombshell Bling ensure that your tiny baby doesn’t get hurt by hard edges or sharp corners. This is a great project to use up any fabric scraps you have lying around.

3. DIY Rainbow Hand Kite

French Family Montessori shows us how to make a rainbow hand kite, which is inspired by the Waldorf and Montessori schools of learning. This kite encourages kids to swish their hands around and see the colors ‘move’. For smaller kids, make sure the ribbons won’t pose a strangulation risk.

4. DIY Peekaboo Board

If you use a lot of wipes in your home, make sure you’re saving the lids – they’ll come in handy when making DIY toys for babies and toddlers! Homeschooling Indian Mom uses them to create a multi-sensory peekaboo board – great for young babies!

5. DIY Wooden Teething Toy

Every baby needs a teether, which has become ridiculously expensive these days! Instead, opt for this project from The Homes I Have Made, using wooden beads and rings that you can get from a craft store or online. You can make multiple teethers in different styles.

6. DIY Crinkly Monogram Tag Toy

This is perfect for a baby gift since you can customize it with the first letter of baby’s name! Practically Functional shows us how to make a monogram toy complete with crinkly textures and tags.

7. DIY Felt Board for Toddlers

Viva Veltoro has the ultimate open-ended toy – a felt board! These are so great because you can make them with very little effort, and they provide hours of fun. They can be customized in any theme, acts as a learning tool, is suitable for multiple ages and is also a travel-friendly toy.

8. Tummy Time Sensory Mat for Babies

We did mention that some of these DIY toys for babies and toddlers require sewing skills, and this project from It’s A Long Story is one of them. But you can also outsource the sewing part, after gathering the fabrics yourself, and it’ll be ready in a few days!

9. DIY Busy Board for Toddlers

I always thought busy boards were bulky, ugly and looked too industrial, but that was before I saw this gorgeous one from Something Turquoise! You can customize this to your baby’s interests by adding an assortment of interactive elements.

10. DIY Montessori Velcro Block

The Kavanaugh Report has a fun and easy activity block that’s suitable even for young babies. You can include multiple textures on the attachments, and the baby can explore them while attaching and detaching each one.

11. Fine Motor Activity Tugging Box

Babies love pulling things – any parent knows this all too well! Let them exercise their fine motor skills on this DIY tugging box that you can easily make with the instructions from Nanny Gunna.

12. Montessori Sensory Bean Bags

These sensory bags from Moms and Crafters are great for kids of all ages. Babies can explore the textures and colors while toddlers can experiment stacking, throwing and catching them. Older kids can use them as a stress-release tool – something sensory toys are great at.

13. No-Sew Quiet Book for Toddlers

Not all our DIY toys for babies and toddlers need sewing skills, like this quiet book from Powerful Mothering! It’s a fun way to help your jumpy toddler settle down or stay occupied on a long journey. They can explore shapes, colors, dress up and more!

14. DIY Lacing Cards for Toddlers

These lacing cards from Making Danish are Montessori-inspired – they promote hand-eye coordination, improve concentration and strengthen the fine motor muscles. Not to mention that they’re super easy to make!

15. No-Sew Finger Puppets

These family finger puppets from Fun Cloth Crafts are so cute! We love that they’re easy to make and can be customized according to the members of your family. A great tool for babies, toddlers and even older kids.

16. DIY Lion Taggy Toy

This lion taggy toy from Sugar Bee Crafts is very cute and super easy to make! Just gather a handful of colorful ribbons (use up what’s in your stash) and some fabric and you’re ready!

17. Homemade Drum Kit

Have you noticed how babies love to bang everything? Encourage them to practice their newfound musical skills on this homemade drum set from The Train Driver’s Wife. It even features baking tins in different sizes as a bass drum and a cymbal – genius!

18. Rainbow Caterpillar Toy

This project from Instructables may take some time to complete, but the result is completely worth it! It’s a fun toy for both babies and toddlers, and they can try to put together the caterpillar’s colors in a different order each time.

19. DIY Sensory Blocks

Red Ted Art has a DIY toy idea that’s as customizable as you want to make it! All you need is a set of wooden blocks and then you can go ahead and attach anything you think your baby might like. Make sure to get in a good mixture of textures and colors!

20. DIY Rainbow Peg Dolls

Peg dolls are often used as a learning and playing tool in Waldorf education and Rhythms of Play shows us how to make our own custom set. This can be used for imaginative play, as well as a way to learn and match colors.

Things to remember when making DIY toys for babies and toddlers:

1. Always use the highest quality materials so they don’t break easily
2. Pre-treat or pre-wash any raw materials as needed so they’re safe
3. Make sure every part of the toy is secured in place and will not fall off
4. Avoid anything with sharp edges, small parts or long strings
5. When using glue or paint, go for non-toxic, child-safe ones

Please remember that even though you’ve made the toy as strong as possible, you should still not leave your baby alone with it. Babies and young children should always be supervised by an adult and if you notice any part of the toy falling apart, put it away immediately. Keep the toy clean, regularly check for repairs and your little one can enjoy their homemade toys for a long time!