There is something magical about crafting with kids. From the joy of getting your hands a little messy to the sense of pride in creating something beautiful, crafting provides a wonderful opportunity for family bonding. It’s a chance to set aside screens and busy schedules, and instead, sit down together to make lasting memories. Whether you’re working with glue, paint, or recycled materials, family crafting is a perfect way to spark creativity and spend quality time together. In this guide, we’ll explore a variety of fun and simple craft projects that are suitable for kids of all ages, and are guaranteed to bring smiles to everyone involved.
1. Painted Rock Animals
Painted rock animals are a great project that encourages kids to use their imagination while getting creative. This activity is ideal for children of all ages, and can easily be customized to fit your child’s interests.
What You Need: Gather some smooth rocks, acrylic paints, paintbrushes, and a protective table covering. You may also want to grab some googly eyes, glue, and markers for added fun.
How to Do It: Start by having your kids pick their favorite animal. Whether it’s a ladybug, cat, or even a dragon, they can paint the base of the rock in bright colors to match their chosen animal. Let the base coat dry completely, and then add details like eyes, wings, or stripes. The googly eyes are always a hit with younger kids, adding a playful touch to their creations.
Painting rocks is a wonderful way to encourage your child’s imagination, and you can keep the finished projects to decorate the garden or display on a shelf. It’s a simple yet delightful way to engage with nature while crafting something creative.
2. Homemade Bird Feeders
Connecting kids with nature is always a good idea, and crafting homemade bird feeders can do just that. Plus, kids will love watching the birds come and enjoy their creations.
What You Need: You will need a toilet paper roll, peanut butter, birdseed, and some string or yarn.
How to Do It: Start by covering the outside of the toilet paper roll in a thick layer of peanut butter. Then, roll the peanut-butter-covered roll in birdseed until it’s fully coated. Finally, thread some string through the roll and hang it up on a tree branch in your backyard or on a porch.
Kids love seeing their handmade bird feeder being visited by local birds, and it’s a great way to teach them about wildlife. This project is especially ideal for a sunny weekend afternoon when you’re looking to connect with nature.
3. Salt Dough Handprints
Salt dough handprints are a wonderful keepsake that captures your children’s little hands. This craft is great for toddlers, and parents will cherish the finished product for years to come.
What You Need: All you need is flour, salt, water, and some paint. Mix 1 cup of flour, 1/2 cup of salt, and 1/2 cup of water to create the salt dough.
How to Do It: Knead the dough until smooth and roll it out to your desired thickness. Have your child press their hand down into the dough, creating a print. You can also add their name and the date with a toothpick or small tool. Bake the dough at a low temperature (about 200°F) for 2-3 hours or until completely dry. Once cooled, your kids can paint their handprint however they like.
This keepsake is perfect for grandparents or simply as a reminder of how small their hands once were. It’s a simple, heartfelt project that everyone will love.
4. Tissue Paper Sun Catchers
Tissue paper sun catchers are colorful and fun, perfect for brightening up any window in your home. This craft encourages kids to play with color and learn about how light works with transparency.
What You Need: You will need tissue paper in different colors, contact paper, and scissors.
How to Do It: Start by cutting different colors of tissue paper into small squares. Lay a piece of contact paper, sticky side up, and let your child place the tissue paper pieces on it however they like. Once they’re done, place another piece of contact paper on top to seal it. You can cut the sun catcher into fun shapes like hearts or stars.
Hang these sun catchers in a sunny window, and watch as the light shines through the vibrant tissue paper. This is a great craft for rainy days when a little extra brightness indoors can lift everyone’s mood.
5. Cardboard Box Castles
Transforming cardboard boxes into castles is a great way to reuse old materials while providing hours of imaginative playtime. It’s an excellent project for siblings or friends to work on together.
What You Need: Gather some cardboard boxes, markers, tape, glue, scissors, and paint.
How to Do It: Start by breaking down the cardboard boxes and cutting them into castle shapes—think towers, walls, and turrets. Tape the pieces together to create a structure. Once the castle is assembled, let the kids paint and decorate it. They can add flags, draw windows, and even make little paper knights or dragons to complete the scene.
Building a castle encourages teamwork, creativity, and problem-solving skills. Plus, once the castle is complete, it becomes the setting for countless imaginative adventures.
6. Paper Plate Masks
Paper plate masks are a classic craft project that kids absolutely love. They get to decide which character or animal they want to be, and creating the mask gives them a sense of ownership over their imaginary role.
What You Need: Paper plates, markers, glue, string or elastic, and any other decorative items like feathers or sequins.
How to Do It: Let your kids decide which mask they want to make—whether it’s an animal, superhero, or something else entirely. Cut out holes for the eyes, and help them decorate the mask with markers, feathers, or glitter. Attach a piece of string or elastic to each side so they can wear the mask.
This activity encourages imaginative play, and once the masks are complete, they can be used in dress-up games and storytelling.
7. Pasta Jewelry
Making pasta jewelry is a fun and easy craft that helps children with fine motor skills, especially younger ones who enjoy stringing beads or pasta.
What You Need: Dried pasta (penne works well), string, and paint.
How to Do It: Let the kids paint the pasta pieces in their favorite colors and let them dry. Once they’re dry, help them thread the painted pasta onto the string to create necklaces or bracelets.
This project is simple, inexpensive, and perfect for toddlers and preschoolers. It also gives them the opportunity to practice patterns and work on their dexterity.
8. Homemade Slime
Kids love slime, and making it at home can be an exciting and gooey adventure. Slime is a great sensory craft that allows kids to experiment with textures.
What You Need: Glue, baking soda, food coloring, and contact lens solution.
How to Do It: Mix 4 ounces of glue with a few drops of food coloring. Add half a teaspoon of baking soda and mix well. Slowly add the contact lens solution, mixing continuously until the slime begins to form. Knead the slime until it reaches the right consistency.
Not only does this activity provide endless entertainment, but it also allows kids to learn about basic chemistry concepts through hands-on play.
9. Egg Carton Flowers
Egg carton flowers are a lovely craft that teaches kids to recycle and create something beautiful from everyday items.
What You Need: An egg carton, paint, pipe cleaners, and glue.
How to Do It: Cut the egg carton cups out and have the kids paint them in their favorite colors. Once dry, poke a small hole at the bottom of each cup and thread a pipe cleaner through to act as the stem. You can make a bouquet and use it to brighten up any room.
This simple craft is a great introduction to upcycling and shows kids the importance of repurposing materials.
10. DIY Dream Catchers
Making dream catchers is a meaningful and creative craft that teaches children about different cultures. Dream catchers are believed to filter out bad dreams and let only good dreams through.
What You Need: A paper plate, yarn, beads, feathers, and scissors.
How to Do It: Cut the center out of the paper plate, leaving just the outer ring. Let your child weave yarn across the opening in random patterns, adding beads as they go. Attach feathers to the bottom using more yarn, and decorate the dream catcher however they like.
Hang the dream catchers by their beds, and explain the tradition behind them. This craft is both decorative and culturally educational.
Crafting with kids provides a fantastic opportunity for bonding, creating, and learning together. Whether you’re painting rocks, making jewelry, or constructing castles, each project fosters creativity, patience, and teamwork. These crafting activities are perfect for rainy days, weekends, or any time you want to create something special as a family. So gather your supplies, roll up your sleeves, and get ready to make memories that will last a lifetime.
