Make your own recycled toys

Christmas is coming but many people don't have the money to go out and buy toys. A lot of us are also moving away from the rampant consumerism of past years and are giving more thought to the future of our planet.

Although my lucky children have never had a shortage of toys, my husband and I have often joked that they seem to be at their happiest when they are playing with stuff they have found - like a stick and a piece of string. Or when they were younger it might have been the box that the expensive toy came in. I am sure many of you will know exactly what I am talking about and the joke has an element of truth to it.

When I lived in South Africa I was inspired by the amazing toys and often quite beautiful works of art that the impoverished African people could make out of old drink cans, bits of wire, plastic bags, old rubber and other 'rubbish'. Often they sell these toys and other hand made ornaments and goods at the side of the road and at markets. The work that goes into some of these truly original one-offs is amazing.

We may complain that our children are too focussed on computer games and television and don't have the same creativity that we had as children. Making a toy together could be the perfect bonding experience that will encourage creativity and be something your child will remember forever.

Using salvaged items that you find around your house to make something together will stop usable materials from entering landfills, it is an economical way to build a toy supply and it will stimulate your child's imagination and creativity as well as getting you to interact together.  Making something together could possibly be the best Christmas present you give to your child.

What you make will obviously depend on the age and sex of your child. The beautiful tin can car in the photograph, whilst being beyond the skills of many people would be unsafe for a baby.

A great idea for baby toys are plastic bottles filled with pasta, coloured water, little pieces of tin foil, glitter, marbles etc. Make sure the lids are glued on well. Home made mobiles are another easy thing to make with things you find around the home. Babies like bright and shiny things so pieces of tinsel can be put to good use on a mobile. Empty plastic containers and lids make great stacking toys. And of course you can make fabric balls and toys out of left over fabric or old clothing.

Your toddler would enjoy a car made from a large cardboard box that they can sit in. You can cut out windows and draw on wheels. Large boxes are also ideal for making cubbies or little houses for small children.

Toddlers also love to make necklaces out of threadable pasta pieces which can even be painted before threading.

With your older daughter you might want to make a doll. Fabric dolls are easy to make with left over material or old sheets or clothing. The doll can be as complicated as appropriate for the age of your child. The spotty doll in the photograph would be easy to make and you can sew or draw on the face.

Doll houses can be made with old cardboard boxes. Shoe boxes can be successfully glued together to make the different rooms. A large piece of firm card can be used to make the front of the house with cut out windows - which you can make curtains for out of old fabric scraps. Finding household items to make the furniture out of will really encourage your child's creativity. Matchboxes can be glued together and painted to make perfect little chests of drawers.

Finger puppets are easy to make with old fabric scraps or with felt. You can build a puppet theatre with shoe boxes for your child to give a finger puppet show.

Styrofoam packaging is ideal for making model airplanes - you would simply cut out the body part and the wings, paint and assemble it.  

Puzzles can be made for small children by gluing a picture to some card and cutting it up.

What about building a go cart for your older child. You may need to get some bits and pieces from your hardware store for this project but it will be inexpensive and a wonderful way for your child to get involved. They will also have hours of play from this toy. The internet has much advice for go cart building and there are some You Tube instructional videos on how to build a go cart.

If you are feeling ambitious and you have a good tree you could even build a tree house together!

Making a kite can be a fun activity to do with children. The kite can be simple or more complicated depending on the age of the child. Paper can be used for the more simple kite and fabric or plastic for the more advanced. Again there are many instructions for kite building on the internet. Of course flying the kite will provide hours of fun.

Musical instruments like kites can be simple or complicated. An old formula tin will make a great drum for baby or you can make a guitar out of an oil can like the one featured on the video. I included the video to demonstrate just how good these instruments can sound.

Small battery operated or even solar powered cars are fun to build with your child and can even provide a learning opportunity for the child (possibly also the adult!). Again there are many instructional videos out there on the internet.

If woodwork is your thing you may like to make a chess set. There is nothing nicer than a handmade chess set which can be passed down to future generations.  The pieces can even be made of clay or wire.

I hope this hub has stirred up some creativity.  Happy toy making!