“Kids Crafts” — these two words cause me to shudder whenever I hear them. Even now as my littles are growing up and can do easy projects by themselves, I still dread these. But I am growing and learning. Here’s what I’ve learned about arts and crafts for kids in my 15 years of parenting. There are a lot of fun and easy projects out there. Start any time and follow this year of easy arts and crafts ideas and you’ll have 25 beautiful pieces of artwork to keep or share by the end of a year. If you find that you you get the craft bug, we have links to more ideas for each season.
If you want to skip to the ideas, click on the button that most intrigues you.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
The Three Step Process to Enjoying Arts & Crafts with Kids
1. Surrender to the activity.
Go all in. Don’t worry about what is next on the list of daily tasks. Dive deep into whatever craft for kids you have decided to try.
2. Prepare yourself.
Make your meal plan and your clean up strategy. Go simple. (You know what word never shows up in these crafts? “Glitter”. You are welcome. Of course, if you want it, go all out. Everything gets more sparkly with glitter.)
3. Start by making paper crafts for kids that requires only paper.
Throughout the years, FFTC has collected some craft ideas for kids, and we have linked to those in this article. Also, in this article, we have listed fun crafts that take only a handful of supplies.
WINTER KIDS’ CRAFTS
Our favorite crafts for kids in the winter are all about being creative when we are stuck indoors.
January Arts and Crafts for Kids
In January, we are coming down off the Holidays, so we keep our crafting ideas simple, indoors and warm. We suggest making simple puppets and some cute notecards that could be Valentines if you are so inclined. We also prep ahead for the lunar new year with a simple, but cute DIY Chinese Lantern. If you want more, check out our longer article on cold weather crafts that we link to below.
1. Puppets
Puppets are versatile, open-ended toys for toddlers and older kids alike. They are even more special when you make them yourself.
Supplies Needed: Varies per type of puppet
Directions: Find 40 DIY Puppet Ideas here.
Want to make it even easier? Get Paper Bag Puppet Templates Get Paper Bag Puppet Templates HERE
2. Washi Tape Notecards
Hey! Get ahead of the game. While the example we share is for Thank you cards, this project could easily be converted to Valentines Day cards with a heart-shaped punch.
Supplies Needed: Cardstock (Heavier Paper), Shape Punch, Washi Tape
Directions: Get cardmaking directions at Kenarry
3. Chinese Paper Lanterns – Chinese New Year Crafts
Use these for decor if you plan to Celebrate the Lunar New Year with Kids.
Supplies Needed: pipe cleaners, paper (solid or printed), scissors, ruler, hole punch
Directions: The Family Focus Blog has full directions for these easy Chinese lanterns.
Find More Ideas Here: Cold Weather Crafts to enjoy in the Winter
February Arts and Crafts for Kids
February brings us Valentines Day. If you didn’t get ahead in January, than there is still time to get some homemade Valentines made in February. These two ideas are so much fun:
4. DIY Rolled Paper Roses Valentine
These would make nice gifts for teachers, grandparents or other family members.
Supplies Needed: Colored Craft Paper – 4-5 different colors including white, Scissors, Craft Glue, Pencil, Black Maker Pen
Directions: Get Directions at Easy Peasy and Fun
5. Valentine Love Journal
A Valentine Love Journal makes a great gift for a grandparent or someone else you don’t see very often.
Supplies Needed: An old hard-cover picture book, The pages for your journal, One sheet of paper twice the size of your other sheets, X-ACTO Knife, Paper cutter or scissors, Mod Podge, Binder clips or a vice, Books by Hand pH Neutral PVA Adhesive other glue for binding.
Directions: Joy has all the directions for the Valentine Journal here
Find More Valentines Ideas Here: DIY Valentines Ideas for Kids: Cute Ideas from Local Artists – unicorns, bookmarks, printable Valentines and more.
SIMPLE CRAFTS FOR SPRING
Its time to celebrate the end of winter with these arts and crafts for kids that focus on themes of spring!
March Arts and Crafts for Kids
In March we start to think about Easter with bunny and carrot crafts. St. Patrick’s day also lands on the 17th, and we have a link to fun St. Pat’s crafts and activities.
6. Bunny Butt Paper Plate Craft
Supplies Needed: 1 large white paper plate, Grey paint, Paintbrush, Pencil, Grey construction paper, Pink construction paper, Scissors, Glue stick or white glue, 1 large white pom pom or cotton ball
Directions: Get Bunny Butt Paper Plate Craft Directions Here
7. Handprint Tissue Paper Carrot
These craft is awesome for toddlers because kids can tear the tissue paper if they are not ready for scissors.
Supplies Needed: Orange Tissue Paper, Green/White Cardstock, Scissors, Pen, Glue
Directions: Glued to My Crafts explains how to here
Find St. Patrick’s Day Crafts Here: St. Patrick’s Day Fun
April Arts and Crafts for Kids
Snakes may not be your first thought in spring but they are starting to come out of hibernation, so they can be a sign of spring, too. For a more traditional spring, make a bouquet out of painted twigs you find around your yard after the snow melts.
8. Accordion Paper Snakes
Supplies Needed: colorful paper, scissors, glue, eye stickers or googly eyes (you don’t need these, you can use the next supply mentioned), black marker
Directions: Learn to Make this origami paper snake here
9. Painted Twig Bouquet
These would look really pretty in painted pots! The could be made in colors of rainbows or to match a room.
Supplies Needed: Twigs, Acrylic Paint, Paintbrush
Directions: Homemade Ginger shows us how here
May Arts and Crafts for Kids
April showers bring May flowers and Hyacinths are one of our favorite early flowers. Late in May, celebrate Elmer’s Day with these colorful elephant balloons.
10. Paper Hyacinths
Make these for mom for Mother’s Day!
Directions & Supplies: Watch the video by www.krokotak.com
11. Balloon Elephant Card
If you loved the Book Elmer, The Patchwork Elephant, then celebrate Elmer’s Day on May 28th with these colorful elephant balloon cards. Make up a batch to keep on hand for birthdays.
Supplies Needed: Latex Balloons, Large Glue Dots, Cardstock, Scissors, Glue Stick, Wiggly Eyes
Directions: Get Directions Here.
Summer Crafts
Arts and crafts for kids in the summer celebrate fun in the sun.
June Arts and Crafts for Kids
My lilies aren’t quite ready bloom in June but their green shoots start making me think of them. Make some handprint lilies to tide you over and and make some summery flamingos to go with them!
12. Handprint Lilies
Supplies Needed: Pink Paper, 6″ green and yellow pipe cleaners, pencil, tape, scissors
Directions: One Little Project has these Directions
13. Easy Flamingo Ornament by Red Ted Art
Directions: Get Directions Here
Father’s Day Crafts, Celebrations & Ideas
July Arts and Crafts for Kids
Make some firework art with salt and a fun paper plate giraffe because who doesn’t love giraffes?
14. Firework Salt Painting
Supplies Needed: Table Salt, Black paper, watercolors and paintbrushes or food coloring and eye dropper, White Glue, Cookie Sheet
Directions: Get Directions Here
15. Paper Plate Giraffe
Supplies Needed: Large Paper Plate, Yellow Tissue Paper, Yellow/Black Cardstock, School Glue, Scissors, Stapler
Directions: Get Directions Here
Rainy Day Fun & Crafts for Summer Showers
August Arts and Crafts for Kids
Still more flowers in August, but this time we are drawing them. Then get outside and do some messy squirt gun painting.
16. Fancy Flowers
Supplies Needed: Colorful paper, black marker, glue
Directions: Get Directions Here
17. Squirt Gun Painting
Supplies Needed: Squirt Guns, Watercolor Paper and Liquid Watercolors (I admit that this group of supplies isn’t a normal thing to have around the house, but it will be worth it, I PROMISE)
Directions: Get Directions Here
FALL CRAFTS
Kids are back in the classroom, but crafting can still be a part of family time. Arts and crafts for kids in the fall to celebrate the harvest and nature.
September Arts and Crafts for Kids
I’m not sure what kind of caterpillar the very hungry one is, but we get some fat green caterpillars in the fall in Minnesota. Owls are year-round birds but many migrate in the fall, so we might be more likely to see them now.
18. 3D Paper Caterpillar
Make this fun craft with your preschooler when you read The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle.
Supplies Needed: red or yellow paper for the head, green paper for the body, glue, scissors
Directions: Get Directions Here
19. Colorful Patterned Owls
Supplies Needed: small paper plates
, various colors of acrylic paint
, paint brush, scissors, stapler (optional), school glue, colored construction paper
, black construction paper, markers (optional)
Directions: Get Directions Here
October Arts and Crafts for Kids
We’re all about pumpkins in October! Decorate with them for Halloween and then hold onto them to decorate the table at Thanksgiving!
20. Tin Can Pumpkins
Supplies Needed: Tin Can of various sizes, Nail, Screwdriver, Twigs, Dried leaves from your yard, Variety of Orange acrylic paints, raffia
Directions: Get Directions Here
21. Book Pumpkin
Supplies Needed: old paperback book, orange paint, paint brush, water, scissors, stick, rafia, marker, glue or paper clip
November Arts and Crafts for Kids
Get ready for Thanksgiving with some turkey crafts.
22. Easy DIY Crafty Turkey
Supplies Needed: A paper plate (brown or brown poster paint to paint), construction paper (yellow and other fall colors), scissors, paints and/or markers for decorating, a set of craft wiggly eyes, glue.
Directions: Our Savior School in Excelsior MN shares the directions here.
23. Stuffed Paper Turkey Craft
Supplies Needed: brown paper bag, plastic bags for filling, tape or sticky tack, stapler, colored construction paper (at least black, yellow, white, orange and red), scissors, pen or marker
December Arts and Crafts for Kids
Get ready for the Holiday festivities with these decorative crafts.
24. Paper Plate Christmas Tree
Supplies Needed: paper plate, green paint & brushes, colored paper we used “paper scraps,” scissors, glue stick, stapler, hole punch, yarn/string/twine
Directions: Get Directions Here
25. Giant Paper Plate Lollipops
Supplies Needed: Paper plates, Wooden dowel (from the craft store), Cellophane, Ribbon, Green and red paint plush paint brushes, Scissors, Hot glue gun (or tacky glue for kids)
Directions: Get Directions Here
Crafting Advice from Experienced Parents:
The moms of Family Fun Twin Cities have 12 kids between us (4 each) and we’ve been through all the stages of crafting with kids. Here are a few things we’ve learned along the way:
- Go easy on the free printables. They are everywhere. Some are really awesome. Some are just clutter. Do you really want another piece of paper in your house?
- The least messy art supplies include colored pencils, sidewalk chalk (assuming they are used outdoors) and crayons. Stock up on these.
- Limit the number of cardboard tubes you hold onto at any time. They are great to make crafts with, but they get out of hand fast.
- We recommend skipping the homemade play dough and doing real baking instead. It’s not much more work and you get something yummy at the end.
- You don’t have to do it at home. Make the mess in someone else’s studio. We’ve found tons of places to make Arts and Crafts for Kids Around Town – ARTrageous Adventure, Messy Monsters and more.
And there you have it. Arts and crafts for kids throughout the year. If you try any of these ideas any time of year, post a picture on Instagram (@familyfuntc) or Facebook (@FamilyFunTwinCities) and tag us! We would LOVE to see what you make with your kids!!
This blog is definitely helpful and informative. Great blog by the way and thanks for sharing these!
Thank, Crafty. We’re glad you found these helpful.