How-To Guides about Hobbies & Toys

In this tutorial, we learn how to clean your American Girl's dolls' skin. To start, you will need to clean the marks on the face off with a magic eraser or a mixture of baking soda and water. To defrizz the hair, you can cut off the frizz with sharp scissors. To wash the hair, make sure you don't get the base of the head wet, or this will ruin the doll completely. Straighten the braids by pulling the hair down straight. Use these tips to help keep your doll in the best shape and it will last...

If you call yourself a hobbyist or a kid at heart, you know that remote-controlled vehicles are more than just fun. If you're a serious R/C man, you'll know all about doing everything to your model truck or car, like fixing wheels, vamping the pinion gears, waterproofing, troubleshooting, electronic diagnostics, setting up, programming, and finally... racing. As much as you know about these remote-controlled vehicles, it will never be enough; you'll always be looking for more...

By following this tutorial, you can learn how to easily make a train whistle sound using only your hands. You can replicate the sound of a train whistle by simply folding your hands and adjusting for the airflow as you blow on your thumb knuckles. This is a very easy trick to learn, so with just a little practice, you can use the train whistle to play with your kids, call them to dinner, etc. It's a great trick for somebody who has difficulty with conventional whistling.

Got a flat ball that can't be inflated because your pump is broken? This video tutorial shows a simple technique for how to make your own pump. It's fun and easy to do, and it's a great time- and money-saver. All you need is a pump needle, a balloon, scissors, and a rubber band.

Why not make the best of an icy cold winter day and make something even cooler? In this tutorial, you will learn how to make a natural ice sculpture in your yard and light it up with LED lights for a cool, nighttime effect. You will definitely have the best house on the block once you start lighting up your ice, so check this video out and get started! This project is super quick and cheap to create, too!

In this tutorial, learn how to make a vacuum table that you can use to make plastic objects. You will learn how to build this type of surface and create anything you may need to replace - for example, if you lose the cover of your cell phone - don't spend a ton getting a new one- just make your own!

A series on how to build a Mack F series cabover conversion model truck at 1/25 scale.

How to make simple doll tables using cardboard and craft sticks.Easy and cheap to make.

Balloon artists: Get prepared for St. Patrick's Day with this leprechaun hat that is quick and easy to make. Dress someone up as a leprechaun with this hat-plus-beard balloon hat creation and get the party started off right!

This video tutorial shows you how to make a simple pop pop boat (putt putt boat) out of house hold items. Very simple and easy to do.

This video tutorial shows how to paint and install a brick arch retaining wall on the layout of toy model train tracks.

There are plenty of tank robots out there, but how many of them can recognize 3D objects and map their environment? Tanky, the tracked mobile robot, can do all that and more while rolling around on his bicycle chain treads.

There are plenty of things you can use at home to make your own rocket, like sugar, matchsticks, or even trash. They may not be as impressive as a real rocket, but they can still be a lot of fun. In this video, How To Lou shows how he made a high-flying water rocket out of some basic materials like PVC and a soda bottle.

This tutorial video will show you how to build a hovercraft using plywood, a leaf blower, and various other materials. This hovercraft works best on a smooth, flat surface.

If you've finished building your Curiosity rover and are wondering, now what? Perhaps it's time to move onto something a bit more... mobile?

You might have seen our post on this last week:

How to fit out a laser tagger with MilesTag electronics, the videos show how to fit the MilesTag System into a home made fibreglass tagger shell.

The video below demonstrates how you can convert you 2D Photos into 3D Models using 3Defy.

Looking for something fun to do with all those office supplies you've been stealing from work? Or maybe you just want to goof around in your cubicle? It's possible that you are an honest, dedicated, hard worker, but whatever the case may be- no judgement, just a video guide to making an office supply catapult.

Can you feel your inner Dennis the Menace trying to get out? Trying to recreate the early 90s bad boy Bart Simpson look? Watch these videos to learn how to make yourself a slingshot. This slingshot is made from materials that are probably laying around your house, but you will need some power tools.

Maybe you are looking for a fun, festive, decoration for your next party or gathering, or maybe you've got a room full of balloons and you don't know what to do with them. Well, this video has answers. This video will show you how to make a balloon arch.

Are you looking to build a cool home science experiement? Why not try out a Stirling engine? Wait, what IS a stirling engine? Well... a Stirling engine is a heat engine operating by cyclic compression and expansion of air or other gas, the working fluid, at different temperature levels such that there is a net conversion of heat energy to mechanical work. This project was made from parts around the house and you should be able to do the same. This is a great project to explain how gears work,...

Well, you're all ready to play basketball, or dodgeball or football or kickball, but, your ball is flat. To make matters worse, you don't have a pump. To make matters even worse, you don't have the needle you'd normally use to inflate your flat ball. Well, this how to video shows you a simple life hack to get your balls up and bouncing again in no time. What you'll need is a can of compressed air, commonly used for cleaning keyboards, or other tech equipment. These cans come with plastic...

Making a home-made hash-pipe is easy as you please with this 4 piece 1 minute to make design =)

Bored in your cubicle all day? It's time for helicopter wars! This video shows you how to make a fun and simple helicopter out of some basic office supplies. The materials you will need are: a big paper clip, a smaller paper clip, a large aluminum can (such as from Rockstar or Monster energy drinks), a ruler, Scotch tape, a rubber band, a pair of pliers (if you have a Leatherman multitool, those will work just fine), a pen you can take apart for the long tube, a pair of scissors, and some plain...

This is a great little rainy day project you can make for almost no money, or a fun party trick you can use at the next office Christmas party! You will need two disposable drinking cups (stiff plastic or paper will work best), a fairly thick straw, a sturdy paper clip, a thick rubber band, a cocktail stick, a bead and a plastic ring you can get from the neck of a soda bottle. Assemble as shown, and then let it go!

Here's a fun little hack you can try at home with your kids.  The purpose of this tutorial is to teach you how to make this fun toy gun.  It's a very simple and economical project.

Do you like drinking coffee? It may seem like this question has nothing to do with homemade rockets or fuse paper, but indeed coffee filters - which you should have in ample supply if you enjoy making your own cup of Joe - are the key ingredient in a kick ass construction of fuse paper.

The english version of this how-to is found here.

Here's the English language How-To for constructing a Lightercycle using 2 cigarette lighters. Original article courtesy of WonderHowTo user rmansur.

If you have a toy you love SO much, this video will show you how to create a simple mold so you can duplicate it! This simple how-to tells you what you'll need to get cloning today. This video will also tell you what can and can't be cloned.

Hobbyists from many different hobbies, from model aircraft to tabletop wargaming, all need to cut foam, and that means a hotwire cutter. If you have the DIY bent that goes along with most of these hobbies anyway, check out this video for a guide to making your own simple hotwire cutter for basic foam cutting.