50 Easy and Fun Crafts for Kids That Will Spark Their Imagination
Boost your child's creativity with these DIY projects that'll keep them entertained at home or school.
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Crafting is not only a fun activity that keeps kids entertained for hours on end, it’s also the key to boosting a child’s creativity and developing their hand-eye coordination. Whether you’re looking for fall crafts, winter crafts, spring crafts or summer crafts, there’s a hands-on project for your kids out there. With an infinite supply of DIY projects available online, we’ve rounded up the best crafts for kids all in one place to make them easier to sort through.
There are skills that kids of all ages can master through crafts – whether it’s enhancing their fine motor skills through gluing or cutting or learning how to problem-solve when things don’t turn out as planned, kids learn through doing. Plus, crafting can give kids a sense of ownership and accomplishment. They can select their own colors and patterns when it comes to painting and add their own flare to their decorating. Most of these crafts can be completed by kids on their own with adult supervision. However, there are some that may require a bit more assistance on your end. The good news? Most of these projects are free and only call for supplies you already have lying around the house.
Whether you have toddlers, tweens or any age in between, these fun crafts are bound to inspire your kids to get creative with everyday materials like popsicle sticks, coffee filters, buttons, beads and more. We’ve also rounded up a few holiday-themed crafts, including Halloween crafts, Earth Day crafts and Valentine's Day crafts.
Book Bins
Put leftover boxes to good use with this DIY book bin craft. All you have to do is cover the box with construction paper and clear packing tape. You can also add a book series logo or write your own design on the front for added personalization. This craft is also a fun way to help kids stay organized and may even encourage more reading.
Pipe Cleaner Spider
With very minimal supplies, kids can create their own spider friends. Simply punch holes in a paper plate, wrap pipe cleaners through and design the face with a smile and googly eyes.
Origami Hearts
Whether you're celebrating Valentine's Day or your kids just want to practice their cutting and folding skills, these simple paper hearts are an easy way to get them interested in origami crafts. With just thick paper, scissors and their two hands, kids will be able to transform the colored paper of their choice into a cute decorative heart.
Bedroom Door Sign
With a small chalkboard, watercolor paint and some ribbon, kids can have fun decorating a sign to hang outside their bedroom door. The best part? They can change their message as often as they want so that the craft lives on even after the main work is completed.
Rock Painting
Rock painting is a simple, fun project that combines outdoor activity with crafting. Plus, kids can have complete creative control over what they paint on their rocks. Whether it's a cartoon face or a design of some sort, their rock painting can be put to display in the garden or indoors.
Minion Pencils
If your kids love the "Despicable Me" franchise, these minion pencils are the perfect craft for them. With pencils, googly eyes and foam paper, create your own mischievious minion. Draw on facial expressions with a black Sharpie and voila – writing just got more fun.
Styrofoam Cup Crabs
Perfect for a beach day, these styrofoam cup crabs are easy to make and require little materials. Paint a cup the color of your choice, cut some pipe cleaners for legs and add googly eyes up top.
Branch Spider Web Wreath
Preparing for Halloween? Try out this wreath made from spider webbing and twigs! Have your kids gather some sticks, cutting or breaking them so that they are between five and ten inches long. Assist them in cutting a wreath shape out of cardboard. It should be around twelve inches in diameter with a five-inch circle cut out from the inside. Hot glue the twigs to the wreath, layering them so that they fill up all of the space on the cardboard. After drying, stretch spider webbing around and tuck in a few fake spiders with hot glue.
Embellished Bow
Here's a quick way to take a basic straw basket to the next level! Kids can embellish bows with iron-on patches and stenciled monograms. Help them create their own bows using a 3" wired ribbon or purchase a large one to design. Then, use fabric glue to attach the decorative patches.
Monster Windsocks
This is a great group project for the kids. Let the kids cut, fold and draw on cardstock to create wide-eyed monster windsocks for the backyard.
Paper Flowers
They'll enjoy making these colorful paper flowers to decorate their bedrooms. They'll first fold dyed cupcake liners in half and cut out petal and fringe shapes. Have them fold a piece of floral wire in half and twist it around the faux flower stamen. Poke the wire through the center of three to four paper liners. Finish it off by wrapping floral tape around the base of the liners and bringing it all the way down the stem.
Paper Bag Kite
Spring is the perfect time to fly a kite. Luckily, kids can make their own with paper lunch bags. Let them embellish the bags with stickers, washi tape, paint and any other accessories. Then, work on attaching the yarn and streamers so the kite will be ready to fly.
Carrot Treat Cones
Easter may have passed, but that doesn't mean this carrot treat cone craft should too! To make, you'll need to print out our carrot template. Then gather the essentials: coffee filters, orange paper, double-stick tape, green craft paint, twine, a clothespin, a wire hanger, paper towel and scissors.
Steps:
- Mix a few drops of green craft paint with water until it reaches the consistency of milk. Soak coffee filters in the paint mixture until fully saturated (you can do this simultaneously).
- Squeeze out excess paint and lay the filters flat to dry on paper towels or hang them from a hanger with a clip or clothespin. Download our template and trace it onto orange paper.
- Cut out and roll the template into a cone shape, adhering the sides with double stick tape. Cut out the center of the painted coffee filters.
- Attach the remaining paper to the inside edge of the cone with double-stick tape. Fill the “carrot” cone with small treats and tie twine around the top to close.
Dinosaur Nightlife Terrarium
Transform mason jars into terrariums fit for mini plastic dinosaurs. It also makes a creative nightlight for kids who are still scared of the dark.
Clay Crab Necklace
If your kids are obsessed with sea creatures, they'll love making and wearing their very own crab necklaces. Plus, the craft only requires clay, twine and an eye hook.
Cardboard Suns
Here's an eco-friendly craft that requires lots of cardboard and creativity. Help your little ones cut, paint and design large and mini cardboard suns to scatter around the backyard.
Paint Marker Candles
Grab some paint markers (or acrylic paint) and watch them draw flowers, swirls and all sorts of cool shapes and designs on taper candles. Use a clean cloth with rubbing alcohol to remove any lint and debris before starting.
Toilet Paper Frog
You're sure to have these supplies in your kid's craft box. Grab those discarded toilet paper rolls for kids to paint and turn into frogs. Then, have them transform paper plates into lily pads.
Painted Baskets
It doesn't get more simple than this: Kids can spend time outdoors painting the wood strips of plain wooden baskets to carry their toys in and out of the house.
Pool Noodle Boats
After making these eye-catching boats, let kids set them afloat in the tub or swimming pool. It's a fun craft to recycle any old pool noodles and paper straws.
Mariah Thomas (she/her) is an assistant editor for Good Housekeeping, where she covers home and lifestyle content. Mariah has more than four years of editorial experience, having written for TLC, Apartment Therapy, Women's Health and Avocado Magazine. She received her master's degree in journalism at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism and published her first book, Heart and Soul: Poems of Thoughts and Emotions, in 2019. She's also the founder of RTF Community, a platform for creatives of color to connect, learn and showcase their work.
Laura Millar (she/her) is the assistant lifestyle editor for Good Housekeeping, where she covers home design. Prior to joining Good Housekeeping in 2024, she wrote for NBC's TODAY.com, where she covered everything from entertainment news to pop culture updates.
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