Crafts for kids: 50 easy ideas with things you already have

The best kids' crafts do not need a trip to the craft store. Most of the 50 ideas below use paper, card, glue, tape and things from the recycling box. They are sorted by age so you can find something that fits your child, and many use our free printables as a starting point. Pick one, set out the supplies and let your child take the lead.

A basic craft kit

Keep these in one box and you can make almost every craft on this list: plain and colored paper, card from cereal boxes, glue sticks, white glue, tape, child-safe scissors, crayons, markers, paint, paper plates, toilet rolls, egg cartons, string, pipe cleaners and a stack of printed coloring pages.

Easy crafts for toddlers (ages 2 to 3), ideas 1 to 10

Toddler crafts are about the process, not the result. Choose one or two steps, big pieces and lots of praise.

1. Sticker collage. A sheet of paper and a pile of stickers is a whole art project at this age.
2. Torn paper mosaic. Tear colored paper into pieces and glue them inside the big shapes of a heart coloring page.
3. Finger painting. Washable paint on a large sheet taped to the table.
4. Sponge stamping. Cut sponges into shapes and stamp them in paint.
5. Paper plate sun. Glue yellow paper strips around a plate.
6. Cotton wool clouds. Glue cotton balls onto blue paper.
7. Pasta necklaces. Thread large tube pasta onto a shoelace.
8. Tape resist art. Stick tape on paper, paint over it, then peel it off.
9. Leaf rubbings. Put a leaf under paper and rub with the side of a crayon.
10. Big shape coloring. Chunky crayons and simple shape pages.

Paper crafts for preschool (ages 3 to 5), ideas 11 to 22

Preschoolers can cut, glue and follow simple steps. These crafts build fine motor skills at the same time.

11. Paper plate masks. Cut eye holes, color and add a string.
12. Paper chains. Strips of paper looped and glued into a long garland.
13. Coloring page puppets. Color a dinosaur page, cut it out and tape it to a straw.
14. Handprint animals. Turn painted handprints into fish, birds and turkeys.
15. Toilet roll binoculars. Tape two rolls together and add a string.
16. Paper bag puppets. Draw a face on the bottom flap of a lunch bag.
17. Egg carton caterpillars. Paint a row of cups and add pipe cleaner antennae.
18. Paper butterflies. Fold paper, paint one half and press to make a symmetrical print, or color our butterfly pages.
19. Cutting practice strips. Wavy and zigzag lines from our cutting practice worksheets.
20. Rainbow collage. Sort scraps by color and glue them in stripes on a rainbow page.
21. Paper flowers. Cupcake liners glued onto paper with drawn stems.
22. Shape pictures. Cut circles, squares and triangles and build a house or a robot.

Simple crafts for school-age kids (ages 6 to 8), ideas 23 to 34

At this age children can follow multi-step instructions and enjoy making things that work.

23. Paper airplanes. Fold three designs and test which flies furthest.
24. Origami fortune tellers. Write silly fortunes inside.
25. Paper mosaic mandalas. Fill a mandala with tiny squares of colored paper.
26. Cardboard marble run. Tape toilet rolls to a box lid and test the run.
27. Paper weaving. Weave strips of paper through slits in a sheet.
28. Pop-up cards. Cut two slits in a folded card and push the tab through.
29. Bookmarks. Decorate card strips and add a ribbon tassel.
30. Paper lanterns. Fold paper, cut slits and roll into a lantern.
31. Comic strip. Fold paper into six boxes and draw a short story.
32. Salt dough ornaments. Shape, bake on low and paint.
33. Sock puppets. Buttons for eyes and felt for a tongue.
34. Color by number art. Our color by number pages reveal a hidden picture.

DIY crafts for older kids (ages 9 to 12), ideas 35 to 44

Older children like real skills and things they can use or give as gifts.

35. Friendship bracelets. Learn a simple knot pattern with embroidery thread.
36. Zentangle art. Fill sections of a page with patterns, like our pattern pages.
37. Clay pots. Air-dry clay shaped into small pots for pens or plants.
38. Painted rocks. Paint stones with acrylics and add a clear coat.
39. Paper quilling. Roll thin strips of paper into coils and shapes.
40. Stop-motion film. Move clay figures a little at a time and take photos.
41. Embroidery. Simple running stitch on felt.
42. Bird feeder. A pine cone, nut-free spread and seeds.
43. Shoebox diorama. A scene from a favorite book.
44. Hand-lettered poster. Practise bubble letters and decorate a quote.

Crafts using printables, ideas 45 to 50

Free printables are a great shortcut: they give children a ready-made outline to color, cut and build with.

45. Greeting cards. Color a page and glue it to the front of a folded card.
46. Zoo diorama. Color and cut out animal pages and stand them in a shoebox.
47. Star garland. Color star pages, cut them out and string them up.
48. Jigsaw puzzle. Glue a colored page onto card and cut it into pieces.
49. Seasonal window display. Swap the pictures each month with fall, winter and Easter pages.
50. Personal coloring page. Turn a family photo into line art with the photo to coloring page tool, then color it in.

Tips for less mess

Cover the table with an old sheet or newspaper, keep wipes nearby and use glue sticks instead of liquid glue for young children. Store craft supplies in one box so setting up and tidying away takes two minutes. Put paint in muffin tins so pots do not tip over, and give each child a damp cloth for sticky fingers.

How crafts help children learn

Crafting is more than a way to fill an afternoon. Cutting and gluing strengthen the small hand muscles children need for writing. Following steps builds memory and patience. Choosing colors and solving problems, such as "how do I make this stand up?", builds creativity and confidence. Most importantly, let children make their own choices. A purple sun or a six-legged dog is a sign of imagination, not a mistake.

Frequently asked questions

What crafts can kids make with things at home?

Paper plate masks, toilet roll animals, paper chains, egg carton caterpillars, cardboard marble runs and printable puppets all use things most homes already have. Start a box for clean recycling and you will always have craft materials.

What is a good craft for a 3 year old?

Sticker collages, torn paper mosaics, sponge stamping and big shape coloring. Keep it to one or two steps and expect the finished craft to look abstract; the fun is in the doing.

How long should a craft session last?

For toddlers, 10 to 15 minutes. Preschoolers manage 20 to 30 minutes, and older children can happily spend an hour or more on a project they care about.