Paper is one of the easiest materials for kids to turn into something fun. With a few sheets of paper, some colouring supplies, scissors, and glue, children can make toys they can play with after finishing their craft.
From jumping frogs and paper puppets to spinning toys and little animals, these simple paper toys are great for creative afternoons at home or as part of a kids’ art activity.
What Are Paper Toys?
Paper toys are simple toys made from paper or cardstock. Kids can fold, cut, colour, and glue paper to create different shapes and characters.
They are a fun way to combine crafting and imaginative play. Children can make the toy and then create their own games and stories around it.
What You Need to Make Paper Toys
Most paper toys can be made with supplies you already have at home:
- Coloured paper or construction paper
- White paper or cardstock
- Child-safe scissors
- Glue or glue stick
- Crayons, coloured pencils, or markers
- Ruler
- Pencil
- Googly eyes, optional
- String or yarn, optional
For younger children, an adult should help with cutting and supervise the activity.
15 Easy Paper Toys for Kids
1. Paper Jumping Frog
Make a simple jumping frog by folding a rectangular piece of paper into a few basic folds.
Once finished, press down on the back and release it to make the frog jump. Kids can make several frogs and have a little jumping competition.
2. Paper Finger Puppets
Cut small paper characters and wrap or fold them around a finger to create tiny puppets.
Make animals, family members, superheroes, or silly monsters. Children can use them to create their own mini puppet shows.
3. Paper Spinner
A paper spinner is a quick toy that kids can decorate before playing with it.
Create a circular paper shape, decorate it with colourful patterns, and attach it to a simple stick or folded-paper handle. Experiment with different patterns to see how they look while spinning.
4. Paper Fortune Teller
The classic paper fortune teller is both a craft and a game.
Fold a square piece of paper, add colours or numbers, and write fun messages underneath the flaps. Kids can use it with friends and take turns choosing numbers and colours.
5. Paper Animal Masks
Turn paper into simple animal masks for pretend play.
Children can make a cat, bunny, bear, fox, or lion. Add ears, eyes, whiskers, and other details with coloured paper and markers.
6. Paper Puppet
Create a character from paper and attach it to a craft stick to make a simple puppet.
Kids can decorate their puppets with different hairstyles, clothes, faces, and accessories. Once they are ready, put on a small puppet show.
7. Paper Airplane
Paper airplanes are one of the simplest paper toys to make.
Fold a sheet of paper into a basic airplane shape and decorate the wings with drawings or patterns. Take it outside or use an open indoor space to see how far it can fly.
8. Paper Doll
Draw a simple person on cardstock and carefully cut it out.
Kids can then make different paper outfits, shoes, hats, and accessories. They can create a whole paper family or a collection of characters for pretend play.
9. Paper Snake
Make a paper snake using an accordion-folded strip of coloured paper.
Add eyes and a tongue to the head, then gently stretch and move the folded body. Try making snakes in different colours and sizes.
10. Paper Butterfly Toy
Fold or cut paper into a butterfly shape and decorate the wings with bright colours.
Add a small body and antennae in the centre. Children can make several butterflies and use them to create a pretend garden.
11. Paper Windmill
A colourful paper windmill is a fun toy to make and watch spin.
Use a square piece of paper and decorate both sides before folding it into a pinwheel shape. An adult should help with any sharp pins or fasteners needed to secure it.
12. Paper Monster
Let kids design their own silly paper monsters.
Use coloured paper to make the body, then add big eyes, funny teeth, horns, ears, or colourful hair. There are no rules, so every monster can look completely different.
13. Paper Cup-and-Ball Toy
Use a paper cup and a lightweight paper ball to create a simple catching game.
Attach the ball to the cup with a piece of string and see if children can swing it into the cup. Keep the string and small parts age-appropriate and supervise younger children.
14. Paper Bird
Make a simple paper bird using folded or cut paper.
Add colourful wings, a beak, eyes, and feathers. Kids can make different birds and create a little paper bird family.
15. Paper Puppet Theatre
Turn paper characters into a complete pretend-play activity by making a small puppet theatre.
Decorate a cardboard box or large sheet of paper as the stage, then use the paper puppets to tell a story. Kids can create different characters and make up their own ending.
Tips for Making Paper Toys
Paper toys do not need to be perfect. Encourage children to experiment with different colours, shapes, and decorations.
Use thicker paper or cardstock for toys that need to stand up or be handled often. If a toy needs to be folded, ordinary printer paper may be easier to work with.
For younger children, prepare some of the cutting in advance and let them focus on colouring, folding, and decorating.
You can also reuse old drawings, paper bags, magazines, and cardboard packaging to make your paper toys more creative.
Why Kids Love Paper Toys
Making paper toys gives children something they can create and play with afterwards. They can practise cutting, folding, colouring, and following simple steps while using their imagination.
The best part is that a plain piece of paper can become almost anything — an animal, character, vehicle, game, or toy.
Final Thoughts
Making paper toys is an easy way to turn everyday paper into something children can actually play with. Start with a simple frog, puppet, airplane, or animal, then let kids add their own colours and ideas.
Once they get comfortable with folding and cutting, they can even invent their own paper toys and turn them into characters for imaginative play.
