Play Gym Hanging Toys

Summary: 

In this blog post,you will come to know that making your own play gym hanging toys is a fun and creative way to keep your baby engaged. Using felt, beads, and safe materials, you can craft soft, musical, and textured toys. These toys can be used on play mats, strollers, car seats, or bassinets. They’re easy to swap out and customize for variety. DIY baby gym toys are not only budget-friendly but also add a personal touch to your baby's playtime.

How I Made Hanging Toys for My Baby's Play Gym – A Fun DIY Project

When I first set up a toy gym set for my baby, I loved how excited she was seeing little toys move above her. But I quickly realized that store-bought options sometimes lacked variety or weren’t exactly what I wanted. That’s when I decided to make my own play gym hanging toys and it turned into a fun project I enjoyed just as much as my baby!

In this blog post, I’ll walk you through how I made baby toys to hang, the materials I used, where these toys can be used, and how they can be replaced or changed. 

Why Make Your Own Baby Toys?

There are plenty of cute gym toys available in stores, but sometimes they don’t match your play mat or your baby’s preferences. Making them yourself gives you full control over:

• Color and material
  
  
• Safety and texture
  
  
• Custom themes like animals, clouds, or shapes
  
  
• Budget-friendly choices
  
  

Plus, it’s a creative outlet, especially when you're home with a little one.

What You’ll Need

Before starting, here’s a list of materials I used to make my baby play gym hanging toys:

• Soft felt or fabric
• Silicone or wooden beads
• Needle and thread or strong glue
• Ribbon or string
• Small rattles or bells (for sound)
• Scissors and non-toxic glue
• Loops or rings for attaching

Step-by-Step Guide to Making the Toys

Step 1. Choose a Theme

I went with a jungle theme to match my baby's jungle gym toys. You can choose animals, stars, clouds, fruits, anything your baby loves.

Step 2. Cut Shapes from Fabric or Felt

I traced simple shapes that felt like a lion, monkey, and leaf and cut them out. You can double the felt for a thicker shape and sew or glue the edges.

Step 3. Add Beads and Bells

Next, I added some musical hanging toy elements. I used small jingle bells inside the felt shapes for sound and added silicone beads for different textures.

Step 4. Sew or Glue the Toys

I stitched around the felt shapes, added some soft filling, and inserted the bells before sealing them up.

Step 5. Attach Strings or Ribbons

Cut ribbons of the same length and attach them to the top of each toy. I used loops at the top so I could hang them easily on my baby’s toy gym.

Where You Can Use These Toys

These toys are not just for play gyms they're super versatile!

• On a baby stroller handle
• Hanging from a baby bassinet
• Attached to the baby car seat
• As detachable toys for play mats
• For Lovevery play gym style setups
• Used as replacement toys if you lose the originals
• Even with a Fisher-Price play gym

Ideas for Different Types of Hanging Toys

To keep your baby interested, mix and match types:

1. Wooden pieces for teething and touch
2. Soft plushies with rattles inside
3. Textured fabrics with crinkle paper
4. Colorful shapes with contrast
5. DIY sensory items (e.g., ribbons, beads)
   
   

I even made some play gym hanging toys DIY style with things I already had at home.

How to Keep Things Fresh

Babies grow fast, and they get bored fast too! That’s why I love using replacement hanging toys for play mats. Every week or two, I swap out the toys so my baby sees something new. It's also helpful when washing them.

To make this easy, I always make sure the hanging ribbons have snap buttons or Velcro so I can attach or remove toys quickly.

Tips to Keep in Mind

Here are some tips from my experience:

• Use safe materials only. No sharp edges or toxic paint.
  
  
• Keep everything washable. Babies put everything in their mouths.
  
  
• Avoid choking hazards. Everything should be securely stitched or glued.
  
  
• Hang them at a safe distance. Your baby should reach and touch, but not pull down hard.
  
  
• Use a mirror or musical element to engage different senses.
  
  

Where to Buy or Get Inspired

If you’re not up for crafting, you can still find great options. I found play gym hanging toys Target had a decent selection, and some unique handmade options available on handsonsupply.com. 

My Favorite Types of Toys So Far

So far, these have been a big hit with my baby:

• A crinkly star with a soft bell inside
  
  
• A wooden elephant with teething beads
  
  
• A mirror circle with colorful ribbon edges
  
  
• A little bee that makes a buzzing sound
  
  

All of these can be used as toys to hang from the baby  gym or even on the stroller.

Final Thoughts

Creating your own hanging gym toys is a fun, affordable, and personal way to make playtime special. You can design them based on what your baby enjoys, and they can be used in so many ways from a play mat to the car seat.

Honestly, I never thought I’d enjoy sewing and crafting again, but making these baby hanging toys brought out my creative side. And the best part? Watching my baby smile, giggle, and reach out for the toys I made with love.