How to Make Your Own Toys at Walmart

By Scott Herring

Overview

Wal-mart is a big place, and it is always full of toys. It gets worse during Christmas, but there is never a time when the store does not feature entire aisles full of toys, very expensive toys. As is always the case, these toys are often lacking in what people in the toy business call "play value." They tend to just do one thing. While they may do it well, there is only so much that the child can do with the toy---not to mention the price. However, the store is also full of much less expensive merchandise that functions wonderfully.

Step 1

Try plastic cups, especially 12 or 16 ounce hard plastic cups. Use disposable party cups, that is. They work very well as pins for a bowling game. They're actually quite durable.
Step 2

Use the same kind of disposable plastic cups for a stacking game. Younger children particularly love this. They also love knocking the cups down once mom, dad or an older sibling has built some kind of elaborate structure. They make a satisfyingly loud noise when they land all over a hard floor.

Step 3

Sacrifice a toilet paper roll. Get one of the really cheap ones with a thousand sheets. For this purpose, quality or softness does not matter. You will be surprised at just how much toilet paper is on that single roll. Use it to make a play wedding dress, or just throw it around the house.
Step 4

Do the same thing with a cheap roll of paper towels, which have the advantage of being bigger. You can probably use them for their intended purposes after the kids are done playing, too. The center tube that is left at the end has various musical uses.
Step 5

Save leftover packaging of all sorts. Pie tins, obviously, make great flying discs. The cardboard tube from a roll of wrapping paper makes a fine percussion instrument. Two of them make excellent light sabers. Save craft sticks from popsicles. Run them through the dishwasher, and they are good for all sorts of craft and construction projects.

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