Toys

With spring approaching fast here's a good way to entertain your toddler while outside. The stand you can make for a toddler swing is less expensive than a swing set and after your toddler grows...

Many people have what they think is a great idea for the next, new "hot" toy. But how do you get toy makers to look at it?

Get ready for the launch and start the countdown! It's time to take a few simple items and make a paper rocket. After following these steps, a backyard rocket will be heading to the skies.

Children adore empty boxes. They also love to decorate. This fun and easy project that you can do with your kids will provide not only a box car to ride around in, but a great decorating...

Wooden toys are great for young children because they are durable and many can be made rather than bought. A wooden wagon is a toy sure to be treasured by little girls and little boys alike....

Spies have secrets that are so important that they need to be hidden from the shifty eyes of crooks and counterspies. The perfect spy equipment for this is invisible ink. Sending secret messages...

The eerily lifelike soft sculptured stuffed-nylon dolls are also called needle sculpted dolls because the faces and features are created by artfully placed stitches that shape and form. The skin...

The Bratz ATM is a fun way for kids to learn to save and manage money, and for adults to teach them valuable financial lessons. The Bratz ATM enables your child to choose a savings goal and...

Young children love to play with and in empty boxes. Here's a quick and easy project that you can do with your kids, which will give them just one more reason to enjoy boxes. They'll create their...

This fun and easy project is a great one to share with your youngsters. They'll love creating their very own toy barn playhouse for their plastic or stuffed animals and dolls. The bonus is that it...

Visual stimulation is vital for brain development in infants, and mobiles are a great way to get those neurons firing. Making your own can be a fun experience for both you and baby, and lets you...

Making your kids a lava lamp is safe, fun and easy. Of course, it's not a "real" lava lamp, like the commercially produced lights which are made using trade secrets, and aren't safe for kids. But...

Building a wind up car can be a lot of fun, almost as much fun as playing with one! You just need a few simple items to build the car, a little time and patience, and you will be ready to go.

You could spend many quarters trying to find the right bouncy ball in a vending machine, or you could make one at home out of common household goods. Get the kids involved in this simple chemistry...

The most basic flying toy is the glider. Whether it takes the form of a flying disk, flying ring or a traditional airplane, the principles are still the same. The highest level of flying toy is...

Barbie dolls are a part of pop culture. Several dolls have been produced since 1958. Some are worth less than $20, and some are worth thousands. Follow these steps to determine your Barbie's worth.

Pop-up books are filled with secret surprises. Open a page and an image pops out, as if it was a three-dimensional object tucked into the book. What it actually is, is a cleverly cut piece of...

When the kids are playing detective, they will probably want a magnifying glass in their dress-up box. A real magnifying glass could break and cause injury. It's fairly easy to create a fake...

Hot Wheels cars have remained popular among adults and children for several decades. The toy cars are made of die cast metal and are known for their long life and durability. In addition to the...

The dream of many children is to have a tree house to call their own. A tree house can be somewhere to escape and to play in with friends. Children of any age love a tree house that they can use...

You can make your own rubber ball with Borax and glue and other ingredients you might already have around the house. This fun scientific experiment yields a bouncing rubber ball that can be...

Babies can't read, but a cloth book can still function as an entertaining introduction to reading. Choose bright fabrics to catch the attention of the baby or use soft pastel colors for a more...

Many children owned a catapult back in the 1950s, when catapults were popular. The catapult craze didn't come without its share of broken windows and serious head injuries, which is why the craze...

As a child, I loved stuffed animals--and I especially loved the ones that had lots of personality. The stuffed animals that really stood out were the ones that had cool clothing--and especially...

Do you or your children love cars? Add some fun to a homemade car by adding wheels that turn. This car costs pennies to make, so you can build your own fleet or make your own demolition derby....

Many small children enjoy swinging. A trip to the park to spend time swinging can be a special treat for both a child and parents alike. Setting up a swing in a child's own backyard can be a...

Teddy bears are cute for people of any age. They can be best friends in troubled times. A teddy bear can be one in a million, but if you build your own teddy bear, it's worth much more.

Have you looked at your My Page badges in Webkinz World? Some of these are default badges, some you earn by doing various tasks in Webkinz World, and some are awarded if you win a game. Currently...

Kids love playing with magnets, and I've created a simple toy with magnets that encourages pretend play. This toy is especially geared toward preschoolers, and it has kept my kids occupied for hours.

Creating this dollhouse will give you and your kids years of pleasure. It's a very simple design, made from material found at any hardware store. Even more fun comes in the decorating!

Are your child's toys safe? A federal ban on toys containing phthalates (harmful chemicals in soft plastic) has finally come into effect. Consumer advocates are recommending that you throw away...

Does your child love "Go Diego Go" and obsess over him and the show all the time? Here's how you can have fun with it!

When buying gifts for children (your children, your nieces and nephews, your grandchildren, your child’s friends and/or classmates), there are a few key questions you will want to ask yourself....

Anyone who has children, or who has had children, knows all too well the unexplained charm that an empty box holds for youngsters. And this is a great thing because it means that they can be...

Most toddlers love to jump, bounce and expend their endless energy. They can easily do this with inflatable toys. Large, soft and not incredibly expensive, inflatable toys for toddlers have...

A playhouse is a great, multifunctional toy. With smart design and construction, you can create a playhouse that is movable, adaptable and can grow with your child. Your assistant in the playhouse...

Kids are fascinated by spies. After all, a spy gets to sneak around, have exciting adventures and play with cool gadgets. Famous spies like James Bond have Q and other people to build their gizmos...

Secrets can be hidden in locked safes or vaults, but it's better to hide objects in plain sight. A book safe is the perfect solution for any spy and is free to make. Supply an old hardcover book...

Barbie is one of the world's most recognized toys. Since debuting in 1959, Barbie has revolutionized the doll world, reinventing herself, and the notion of what girls can become, along the way....

Bath time can be a lot of fun for children. In addition to getting them clean, which parents love, it's also an opportunity for playing. Because young children learn through play, you can turn...

Dollhouses can take up a great deal of space. Hobbyists who build dollhouses typically scale the house for miniature dolls, much smaller than the 12-inch Barbie doll. When making a dollhouse for...

The history of jump ropes go back to 1600 B.C. when Egyptians used them for jumping. In modern times, jump roping relates to recreation and health and are used by both children and adults. A...

Build a tech deck grinding rail that you can customize. This version is built with drawer handles from the hardware store. Some of these handles, like the shaped handle described as Fusilli, look...

The ViewMaster design and concept has a history dating back to 1911, but it wasn't until the mid-1960s that the ViewMaster caught on as a toy for children. It was around this time that the...

Most nurses don't wear caps anymore, but they are still a recognizable symbol of the nursing profession. With this cap and a piece of blue or red material as a cape, your aspiring nurse will be...

Look at pictures and cut out elements of swords you like to reference as you are designing your sword. Your finished design product should be a clay model of the sword at a smaller scale. The clay...

Stuffed animal toys are classics. Kids love to play with them, collectors love to preserve them, and even pets to chew or cuddle them. Instead of spending money on a premade stuffed animal toy,...

Free flight airplanes are toy model airplanes that are capable of flying without any type of external control (such as radio control). Free flight airplanes are the oldest kind of model airplanes....

A hijab is designed to cover the hair and shoulders and sometimes the arms and hands. Hijabs protect modesty and help block the harmful rays of the sun. Young Islamic girls enjoy making clothes...

Cloth dolls bring children sweet comfort, just like other stuffed toys. But cloth dolls combine softness with human-like features, giving them a unique personality. Cuddling up to a soft doll...