Toyineer

Printable paper mechanical toys, beginner to expert

Eighteen machines to build from a cereal box.

Every toy below is in the Toyineer blueprint pack. We start at Crafting Tier 1 and work our way up to Crafting Tier 6. Mechanical toys like these are sometimes called paper automata.

Each toy is about one 90-minute sitting when we build the tiers in order, and each sitting ends with a finished toy. All 18 add up to more than 20 hours of building, before any painting and decorating.

Best for Grades 4 to 6 (ages 9 to 12). Older students and adults enjoy the higher tiers.

Get the blueprints
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Four kinds of toy

Loot Vault
Boxes that guard treasure.
Bamboozler
Tricks and puzzles.
Unruly Mob
Creatures and characters.
Wild Ride
Vehicles and fliers.

Crafting Tier 1

Two to four parts. The place to start. 60 to 90 minutes for a first-time builder.

  • Image to comeimages/toys/vanisher.webp · 4:3
    VanisherLoot VaultCrafting Tier 1 of 6

    Vanisher hides a small treasure in a trunk whose lid fits so snugly it seems to disappear.

    • 2parts
    • 1blueprint pages
    • 2assembly pages

    Featured Engineering: Transition Fit

    Vanisher Assembly Video
  • Image to comeimages/toys/gotcha-box.webp · 4:3
    Gotcha BoxLoot VaultCrafting Tier 1 of 6

    Gotcha Box tricks whoever opens it: a puzzling box whose sliding drawer doesn’t do what you expect.

    • 2parts
    • 2blueprint pages
    • 4assembly pages

    Featured Engineering: Housing

    Gotcha Box Assembly Video
  • Image to comeimages/toys/anglewing.webp · 4:3
    AnglewingWild RideCrafting Tier 1 of 6

    Anglewing flaps its wings on flexure hinges: a first flying creature to build.

    • 4parts
    • 2blueprint pages
    • 3assembly pages

    Featured Engineering: Flexure Hinge

    Anglewing Assembly Video

Crafting Tier 2

Four or five parts, with flexure hinges and a pivot point. 60 to 90 minutes for a first-time builder.

  • Image to comeimages/toys/turtle-taxi.webp · 4:3
    Turtle TaxiWild RideCrafting Tier 2 of 6

    Turtle Taxi carries a tiny passenger in the seat of its shell.

    • 5parts
    • 2blueprint pages
    • 4assembly pages
    Turtle Taxi Assembly Video
  • Image to comeimages/toys/two-tale-pocket-theater.webp · 4:3
    Two Tale Pocket TheaterBamboozlerCrafting Tier 2 of 6

    Two Tale Pocket Theater switches between two pictures in its window when you tilt the rocker.

    • 4parts
    • 2blueprint pages
    • 3assembly pages

    Featured Engineering: Chassis, Housing, Pivot Point, Rocker, Viewport

    Two Tale Pocket Theater Assembly Video
  • Image to comeimages/toys/mimic-vault.webp · 4:3
    Mimic VaultLoot VaultCrafting Tier 2 of 6

    Mimic Vault guards a secret: lift the creature’s hinged head to find the vault inside.

    • 4parts
    • 2blueprint pages
    • 4assembly pages

    Featured Engineering: Bracket, Flexure Hinge

    Mimic Vault Assembly Video

Crafting Tier 3

Four to seven parts, with alignment guides, mounting flanges and spiral reinforcement. About 90 minutes for a focused builder with a few toys behind them.

  • Image to comeimages/toys/ghost-drawer.webp · 4:3
    Ghost DrawerLoot VaultCrafting Tier 3 of 6

    Ghost Drawer holds the drawer in mid air, yet it doesn’t rock or slide out.

    • 4parts
    • 2blueprint pages
    • 4assembly pages

    Featured Engineering: Alignment Guide, Housing, Mechanical Stop

    Ghost Drawer Assembly Video
  • Image to comeimages/toys/boing-beast.webp · 4:3
    Boing BeastUnruly MobCrafting Tier 3 of 6

    Boing Beast bounces on springy folded legs and swaps moods with two masks.

    • 7parts
    • 2blueprint pages
    • 4assembly pages

    Featured Engineering: Flexure Hinge, Spiral Reinforcement, Transition Fit

    Boing Beast Assembly Video
  • Image to comeimages/toys/bird-bus.webp · 4:3
    Bird BusWild RideCrafting Tier 3 of 6

    Bird Bus struts on hinged legs with a saddle for a sturdy rider.

    • 5parts
    • 3blueprint pages
    • 4assembly pages

    Featured Engineering: Chassis, Flexure Hinge, Mounting Flange

    Bird Bus Assembly Video

Crafting Tier 4

Five to seven parts: a connecting-rod linkage, a burr puzzle and a gantry. About 90 minutes for a focused builder with a few toys behind them.

  • Image to comeimages/toys/racket-rocker.webp · 4:3
    Racket RockerUnruly MobCrafting Tier 4 of 6

    Racket Rocker beats a drum: rock the handle and a connecting rod swings the drumstick.

    • 7parts
    • 4blueprint pages
    • 7assembly pages

    Featured Engineering: Actuator, Bracket, Channel, Connecting Rod, Fulcrum, Housing, Lamination, Web

    Racket Rocker Assembly Video
  • Image to comeimages/toys/cross-knot-puzzler.webp · 4:3
    Cross Knot PuzzlerBamboozlerCrafting Tier 4 of 6

    Cross Knot Puzzler challenges you to lock its burr pieces into a knot, then get them apart again.

    • 5parts
    • 3blueprint pages
    • 5assembly pages

    Featured Engineering: Burr

    Cross Knot Puzzler Assembly Video
  • Image to comeimages/toys/treasure-eater.webp · 4:3
    Treasure EaterLoot VaultCrafting Tier 4 of 6

    Treasure Eater gobbles jewels and coins: a creature-shaped coin bank that stores them in its belly.

    • 6parts
    • 3blueprint pages
    • 7assembly pages

    Featured Engineering: Gantry, Spiral Reinforcement

    Treasure Eater Assembly Video

Crafting Tier 5

Six to eight parts, with bolts, braces and levers. About 90 minutes for an experienced builder. Newer builders should allow a second sitting.

  • Image to comeimages/toys/clunk-safe.webp · 4:3
    Clunk SafeLoot VaultCrafting Tier 5 of 6

    Clunk Safe locks with a real sliding bolt: a working safe to build.

    • 6parts
    • 4blueprint pages
    • 9assembly pages

    Featured Engineering: Barrel, Bolt, Housing, Mechanical Stop

    Clunk Safe Assembly Video
  • Image to comeimages/toys/antic-acrobat.webp · 4:3
    Antic AcrobatUnruly MobCrafting Tier 5 of 6

    Antic Acrobat bends into poses on jointed arms and legs, with four mood masks to swap.

    • 7parts
    • 3blueprint pages
    • 7assembly pages

    Featured Engineering: Cover Plate, Flexure Hinge, Spiral Reinforcement

    Antic Acrobat Assembly Video
  • Image to comeimages/toys/bug-eyed-talker.webp · 4:3
    Bug Eyed TalkerUnruly MobCrafting Tier 5 of 6

    Bug Eyed Talker chatters: work the lever and its mouth snaps open under two bulging eyes.

    • 8parts
    • 4blueprint pages
    • 8assembly pages

    Featured Engineering: Actuator, Brace, Fulcrum, Lever

    Bug Eyed Talker Assembly Video

Crafting Tier 6

Nine or ten parts, with drivers, followers, sliders and a push rod. About 90 minutes for an experienced builder. Newer builders should allow a second sitting.

  • Image to comeimages/toys/slipwing.webp · 4:3
    SlipwingWild RideCrafting Tier 6 of 6

    Slipwing sweeps its wings when you work its tail, driven by a double slider-rocker linkage.

    • 10parts
    • 6blueprint pages
    • 8assembly pages

    Featured Engineering: Actuator, Connecting Rod, Double Slider-Rocker, Driver, Follower, Hinge, Lamination, Slider, Spiral Reinforcement, Standoff

    Slipwing Assembly Video
  • Image to comeimages/toys/magic-box.webp · 4:3
    Magic BoxBamboozlerCrafting Tier 6 of 6

    Magic Box vanishes a stone: shut the drawer and a trap door lifts it into a secret chamber.

    • 10parts
    • 6blueprint pages
    • 12assembly pages

    Featured Engineering: Actuator, Fulcrum, Housing, Push Rod, Spacing Block, Swivel Guide

    Magic Box Assembly Video
  • Image to comeimages/toys/wake-up-dragon.webp · 4:3
    Wake Up DragonUnruly MobCrafting Tier 6 of 6

    Wake Up Dragon snaps awake when you rotate its rocker: his eyes open, his ears pop up and he laughs.

    • 9parts
    • 5blueprint pages
    • 9assembly pages

    Featured Engineering: Driver, Follower

    Wake Up Dragon Assembly Video