Who said you have to be Handy with tools to make something your kid can play with? One of the best ways you can save money on toys is to buy the materials cheaply and build your own toys. This not only wallet-friendly but teaches the kid that the toys they play with can be made by anyone: dad, mom or themselves. If the kid desires to make their own toys [and you can help them] then you won't have to worry about buying toys any more.
I agree its also nice to do creative activities with your child using materials that are already in your home and that don't cost much. Also I found things like lego, colouring books and play dough and other arts and crafts are enjoyable for all ages. Also like to bake and do lots of things in the kitchen which also doesn't cost much, its the start of the school holidays and Easter can be quite expensive.
Nope, the only handmade thing I've made for my kid as far as toys, was some clothes for her Barbie dolls. I didn't glue some things together to make her a doll, I went and bought real Barbie dolls. Toys are really not that expensive and they show up at thrift stores and yard sales. When my daughter was little, if she had asked me for a doll and I made her a handcrafted doll out of twigs and pinecones, I would have felt like a jerk. I would not disappoint a kid on Christmas just to save a few bucks. If you are a world class woodcarver and can make an awesome wooden train for a kid, more power to you. But I'm not going to give my kid a doll that looks like Mr. Hat from South Park just to save a few bucks.
Yes, I agree with you and we have been using this to stop buying toys for kids. I remember there was once my eldest son asked me to buy a toy when he was very young, and I told them we can DIY it at home. Then we brainstormed how we could make it, and he gave lots of creative ideas as a kid. Making our own toys doesn't only save money, but it helps the kids to be more creative and imaginative too, and we always have fun making things together. Now that my kids are older a bit, and they enjoy making their toys even out of the very simple things, such as papers. We don't even need to buy expensive craft supplies.
We make use of the toys which last longer. And then rotate them among the kids. So that helps out. For example Mattel makes some long lasting toys. And they seem to be going for longer duration. And another thing is that saving money also requires you to choose the right set of the products. Some Chinese toy makers have poor quality products. So avoid them. That should be good enough in that case.
I admire guys who have the knack for making toys. In the olden days, I had a friend who would make toys for the holidays that he would sell to us, his classmates. They are mostly made from bottle caps and popsicle sticks that were made into toy car or small airplanes that can fly. How about a turtle made of papier mache that moves when you pull it by the string? But unfortunately, I don’t have that artistic talent so I just buy toys for the kids.
