100 Yen Shop Must-Haves for Families

Looking for cheap but practical goods for little ones? You really can’t beat Japan’s 100 yen stores!

If there is one place that children and parents in Japan love to shop at, it’s the 100 yen shop. With a wide variety of extremely affordable picks, families with little and not-so-little ones will have a blast filling up their shopping baskets with snacks, stickers and supplies.

As we’ve been covering extensively on Savvy, 100 yen shops are a wonderful way to get your home organized, keep cool and upgrade your kitchen. But, these stores are also treasure troves for your family, from fun party goods for your next celebration to useful items for all levels of your children’s Japanese school. Read on for our list of some of the best 100 yen shop products for families at Daiso, Can Do and Seria.

Bento Picks and Cups

© Photo by Elizabeth Sok

Now, it may be hard to match the beauty and perfection of Japanese bentos seen on social media or in cookbooks, but with these amusing bento picks and cups available at Daiso, you can still make your lunches look superb. At every 100 yen shop, you can find an array of adorable, quirky and holiday-themed picks and cups that will match your bento aesthetic. Some of the picks and cups are made of plastic or silicone, which you can choose to wash and reuse for the next lunch. 

• Price: ¥110
• Shop: Daiso (Similar items are available at other 100 yen shops too.)

Snacks and Treats

© Photo by Elizabeth Sok

There are all types of snacks available at 100 yen shops that will keep you and your kids happy and satisfied. Especially at large Daiso locations, you will often find designated snack sections that are decorated to look like a traditional matsuri (festival). You can find savory snacks, like chips, rice crackers, nuts and even niboshi (small dried fish), as well as gummies, candies, chocolates and lollipops. Also popular are snack bags that are linked together, which can be easily torn off and thrown in a going-out bag. 

• Price: ¥110
• Shop: Daiso (Similar items are available at other 100 yen shops too.)

Party Goods

© Photo by Elizabeth Sok

If you have to host a party for any occasion, 100 yen shops have a broad selection of decorations, party favors, cake toppers and tableware to choose from. And, they have especially great decor for Halloween, Christmas and birthday celebrations, along with seasonal events and Japanese holidays like Children’s Day. Balloons and crackers are always a go-to when getting ready for parties. All 100 yen shops have a range of them available in a variety of colors, sizes, sparkles and shapes. Your kids might just prefer some of the decor to the actual gifts!

• Price: ¥110
• Shop: Daiso (Similar items are available at other 100 yen shops too.)

Toys

© Photo by Elizabeth Sok

One of the leading reasons my kids want to visit 100 yen shops is to peruse the toy section. Preschoolers and elementary-aged children will enjoy shopping in the toy section to see what’s on offer. There is a range of entertainment goods you can buy at 100 yen shops, such as mini board games, sports equipment, magic tricks, dolls, 3D puzzles and much more. Some of the toys my kids like to buy are the omamagoto (playing house or pretend play) items, such as cooking or doctor sets you can find at many of the 100 yen shops.

• Price: ¥110
• Shop: Daiso (Similar items are available at other 100 yen shops too.)

Ring Notebooks

© Photo by Elizabeth Sok

Ring notebooks are appealing for all ages, but kids who like drawing whenever and wherever they go will appreciate you keeping a notebook on hand. If your kids love transportation vehicles and have memorized every bullet train across Japan, then this series of train notebooks, stickers and memo cards available at CanDo will be a delight. These notebooks are also small enough to fit into a child-sized backpack and have easy-to-turn pages.

• Price: ¥110
• Shop: CanDo (Similar items are available at other 100 yen shops too.)

Wet Tissue Cases and Covers

© Photo by Elizabeth Sok

It’s hard to overestimate how important it is to keep wet tissues on hand at all times with little ones. Kids have endless wiping needs, from sticky hands, scraped knees and runny noses, making wet wipes an indispensable item when going out together. Wet wipes will naturally dry out after being opened, so buying a wet tissue case and a cover to store them in is a serious must-have. Daiso has a broad range of character-themed versions available to choose from, such as this Sanrio one, but every 100 yen store has its own version. All you have to do is peel off the adhesive tape and stick it to any wet tissue case of your choosing.

• Price: ¥110
• Shop: Daiso (Similar items are available at other 100 yen shops too.)

Child-Proofing Goods

© Photo by Elizabeth Sok

When thinking of 100 yen shops, you may not have realized that they sell a range of child-proofing goods that are both well-priced and child-resistant. You can find cabinet locks/fasteners, electrical outlet covers, soft corner protectors, non-slip mats and door stoppers. Daiso especially has a wide selection of these items available in attractive colors and designs, such as these cute cat-shaped door stoppers. You can also find tools along with screws and bolts needed to secure furniture to the wall to prevent accidents.

• Price: ¥110
• Shop: Daiso (Similar items are available at other 100 yen shops too.)

Mini Pocket Tissues

© Photo by Elizabeth Sok

Whether your child attends daycare, kindergarten or elementary school, they are bound to need pocket tissues. These mini-sized tissues at Daiso come in a variety of colors and character designs such as Disney, Tomica, Sanrio and much more (but check out the other 100 yen stores if Daiso doesn’t have your favs!) Some of the tissues are also scented which is often a plus for kids, but can be a hit or miss for parents. The tissues come individually packaged and sealed and can often be resealed after opening. 

Price: ¥110
Shop: Daiso (Similar items are available at other 100 yen shops too.)

Sketch Books

© Photo by Elizabeth Sok

Kids are always creating new worlds and adventures which they love to share with their friends and family. These sketchbooks available at CanDo are just large enough to appeal to young children who are learning how to use crayons, colored pencils and markers. The pages of these books are also easy to fold, tear out and tape together to produce even greater works of art. You can also use the sketch book paper for painting as long as you tear out the pages beforehand.

• Price: ¥110
• Shop: CanDo (Similar items are available at other 100 yen shops too.)

Learning Activities

© Photo by Elizabeth Sok

When imagining how to prepare your kids for school, you may not have thought to check out your local 100 yen shop. But, perhaps surprisingly, these stores have plenty of play-based learning activities to educate and entertain young kids. Check out their kid-friendly flash cards, memory games, mazes, and puzzles to hone those cognitive and fine motor skills.

• Price: ¥110
• Shop: Daiso (Similar items are available at other 100 yen shops too.)

Name Labeling Tape and Labels

© Photo by Elizabeth Sok

Before moving to Japan, I was blissfully unaware of how many times I would need to make name labels for my kids. Especially for younger kids in a preschool or daycare setting, you are required to label everything, even underwear and socks. So name-labeling items are a necessity, and luckily, 100 yen shops have you covered. You can find tapes and labels in a variety of sizes. This includes small labels for socks and big labels for the shirts of their taisou fuku (gym clothing). The labels are usually available in iron-on or adhesive.

• Price: ¥110
• Shop: Daiso (Similar items are available at other 100 yen shops too.)

Cleaning Cloths and Rags

© Photo by Elizabeth Sok

While cleaning is not the most exciting part of your family’s daily routine, you can enhance your efficiency with the right kind of rag. From microfiber and foam to cellulose and cotton rags, you can find a cleaning cloth that will meet your needs. Also, children need to bring zoukin (a white cleaning rag) with their name labeled on it to school as they are required to regularly help with the cleaning of their classrooms. You can easily buy a zoukin with a name label attached at the nearest 100 yen shop. 

• Price: ¥110
• Shop: Daiso (Similar items are available at other 100 yen shops too.)

Other 100 Yen Shop Recommendations

• 100 Yen Shop Must-Haves for the Kitchen
• 100 Yen Shop Summer Must-Haves for Cooling Down
• 100 Yen Shop Must Haves for Home Decor
• 100 Yen Shop Must Haves For DIY Nails
• 100 Yen Shop Must Haves For Cherry Blossom Viewing

Do you have any recommendations for 100 yen shop must-haves for families? Let us know about them in the comments!

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