If your kids are looking to do some arts and crafts, you might be struggling to think about what is the best activity for them to do – there are so many possibilities! We love paper crafts for kids, because they are often simple, don’t require many special materials, and not to mention, they’re fun! There are loads of great, easy crafts for kids involving paper, many of them things your kids can display or play with after making for added fun. We’ve picked out 20 great ideas here to pass some time spent indoors!
1. Paper Dolls
Kicking off our guide to the best easy paper crafts we have the classic paper dolls. We’ve picked out a lovely kit to make it even easier to get beautiful results with this craft. The kit comes with two dolls with stands, 130 clothes ready to use, and 130 clothes that require coloring before use. There are even 12 coloring pencils to use to color in the clothes as well as some stickers to add the final details to them. All the supplies can be stored inside the box to keep everything neat and tidy, too.
2. Paper Lanterns
Paper lanterns are easy to make and they look lovely hanging up around the house. The supplies needed for this project are things you’ll probably already have in your craft box – two pieces of colored paper, a pencil, a stapler, and scissors. A lantern can be made up in just a few minutes and it doesn’t cost much for the materials. The full instructions for making this craft can be found here.
3. Octopus Toilet Roll Tube
There are loads of fun crafts for kids that can be made using leftover paper toilet roll tubes, and an octopus is just one great idea! Simply cut slits in one end to make the legs and then kids can paint and decorate it however they like! Googly eyes are a fun way to finish it off, and then kids can draw on a cute, smiling face!
4. My First Origami
Origami is perhaps the first thing you think of when it comes to things to make with paper, and this set makes it easy for kids to learn how to do it. There are 20 projects to work on in the book, as well as 60 papers to make them with. You’ll also find more than 150 stickers for adding the finishing touches to the models after building. The set comes with a full instruction booklet that clearly details how to make each project – they’ll love displaying their finished models!
5. Fancy Dress Accessories
If your kid loves dressing up, they could make some DIY paper crafts accessories to wear with their favorite costumes! They could make a mask in any style they like, stick some paper together to make a cape, or wrap paper into a tube shape to make some superhero cuffs! All of these crafts can be made in the color of their choice and decorated using other craft supplies like glitter, stickers, and paints, to make something truly one-of-a-kind!
6. Bookmarks
If your kid loves to read, they are sure to enjoy making a cute bookmark to keep their page in their latest book. You can find plenty of ideas for different styles but we love these monster corner bookmarks! The template is available to download and all you need is basic craft supplies such as cardstock, a rule, a pencil, scissors, a glue stick, and things to decorate the bookmark such as stickers, ink, and colored pens.
7. Tissue Paper Craft Kit
Klutz is one of the best brands when it comes to kids arts and crafts, and this tissue paper craft kit is just one great example. It comes with step-by-step instructions to make each project as well as all of the necessary supplies to make them with. There are 100 sheets of tissue paper to work with, as well as eyes, string, wire, glue, and a stencil. Some of the projects that can be made with this kit include birds, bunting, a tree, flowers, and more!
8. Paper Chains
This is one of the classic craft ideas for kids with paper and there are so many fun things to do with a paper chain! Kids can use any kind of colored or patterned paper to make lovely combinations, and once they are done they make excellent decorations for the wall or ceiling. They’re sure to brighten the place up a bit! Kids could even decorate the finished chain like a snake, a worm, or a caterpillar by adding some googly eyes!
9. Marble Run
Maybe your kid already has a marble run, but if not, making one from paper tubes is a great way to pass the time! Plus, they’ll have loads of fun playing with it afterward! To make this craft, different lengths of toilet roll tubes should be stuck to a piece of cardboard, slots cut in the sides, and more half tubes used to connect the holes. They can also be painted and decorated in any way your child would like. If they love construction paper crafts, they are sure to have a great time with this.
10. Paper Animal Lanterns
If you’re looking for easy paper crafts for kids, Klutz is a great brand to consider. Their products always come with clear instructions as well as the necessary supplies, so they make things easier for parents and children alike. There are 21 designs available to choose from, but only enough supplies to make six of the projects. Kids can choose from many of their favorite animals such as kittens, bunnies, owls, lions, pandas, and more. The set comes with six colorful paper lanterns, patterned paper, stencils, glue, and ribbon for hanging the finished lantern.
11. Paper Wreath
There are a few different ways to make a wreath using paper, so why not have a browse around and find a design that most appeals to your child? A wreath could be made with hearts, flowers, or anything else your child might like – the possibilities are endless! You could even make one themed to an upcoming holiday.
12. Paper Glass
If you feel like making something a little bit different and unique, how about giving paper glass a try? We’ve found a few different ways to achieve similar effects, using different materials. A stained-glass effect can be achieved using colorful tissue paper and contact paper. Or, try decorating a coffee filter with markers, soak it with spray starch to make the colors blend together, then let it dry and you’ll have a beautiful glass-effect creation.
13. Paper Succulent Plants
Our next paper craft for kids is all about making plants – it comes with die-cut paper pieces in the correct colors, instructions, and a link to a video tutorial to make it easier to follow. There is also a guide to the necessary tools to complete the projects. There are many different designs to choose from so you can pick the type of flowers your kid loves the most. The finished pieces are stunning and will look great on display around the home. There are enough pieces and instructions to make 26 paper plants in total.
14. Paper Snowflake
There are loads of different ways to make these popular crafts with paper, and the finished result is an excellent, cheap, homemade Christmas decoration. They can even be made using newspaper – this is a great way to get a gigantic snowflake! Several sheets of newspaper can be taped together to make a large rectangle before folding and cutting it just like making a smaller-scale paper snowflake. Kids will love making this and it looks absolutely amazing when it’s finished!
15. Torn Paper Mosaic
This is another craft that is really versatile and can be tailored to suit the materials you have available, and the things your kids are interested in. You can use colored craft paper, old newspapers and magazines, or anything else you have lying around that can be torn up. For younger kids, try drawing out the outline of some shapes for them to fill in with their pieces of paper, or let older kids make their own designs. You could even make smaller mosaics and laminate them to create coasters, or use the bigger ones as matching placemats!
16. Dragon Paper Airplanes
Airplanes are one of the most popular things to make out of paper, but if your kid has already made countless paper airplanes, perhaps they are looking for something a little different. This flying paper dragon kit could be just what they are looking for! It comes with 12 different designs and enough supplies to make 48 models in all. There are two different sizes to make each model and the book contains over 60 fully-colored pages. Some of the dragon airplanes are really easy to make and take only a minute, whereas others are more complex. They can all fly through the air, though!
17. Collages
Making collages from paper is loads of fun and a great way for kids to use their imaginations! You can cut out an image from a magazine and stick it on a piece of paper and let your child use more pieces of paper, markers, or other art supplies to finish off the picture. For example, stick down a face and let them draw the body, or stick a car and let them finish off the road and the scenery. Hours of fun can be had with this craft!
18. Toilet Roll Tube Rockets
Making a rocket is really easy with toilet roll tubes and some colored paper, and kids can customize their rocket using their other craft materials to make it just how they want. You could even use some string or thread to make the rocket hang up so it looks like it’s flying to the moon!
19. Craft-Tastic Paper Bowls
Craft-Tastic is one of the top brands for children’s craft supplies and this kit can be used to make three lovely bowls using paper! The bowls range in diameter from 4 – 8 inches and they are constructed using only paper and glue. The set comes with lovely paper discs to make the bowls with – each disc is patterned differently and there are loads of lovely designs, sure to delight your kid. They’ll love using the finished bowls to keep all their special little trinkets – jewelry, coins, hair ties, and anything else they need to keep safe! Making bowls might not be the most common things to do with paper, but this set is loads of fun and gives stunning results!
20. Paper Cats
Our final pick of the best, cool paper crafts is this cute cat made from construction paper. First, you’ll need to print out the template, before copying the shapes onto a piece of construction paper in a color of your choosing. It doesn’t have to be a normal colored cat, you could make a whole rainbow of cute paper cats! The pieces should then be cut out and glued together, so this is quite a simple craft to make. It’s perfect for little cat-lovers!
How to Make Paper Plate Crafts?
There are hundreds of possible craft ideas using paper plates, most of them pretty straightforward. Pinterest is an excellent source of inspiration! They can be turned into different kinds of animal faces using paints, googly eyes, and other craft supplies you probably have at home already. You can also paint them green, fold them into a cone shape, staple together, and decorate using pom-poms and glitter to make a little Christmas tree!
Ways Organize Kids Paper and Crafts?
Kids’ craft supplies can get messy and out of control – it often all gets thrown in the box after making something! A set of clear drawers can help keep things neat – kids can easily see what’s inside each so they don’t have to rummage through everything to find what they need. Smaller boxes with little compartments can also be good for keeping tiny pieces such as googly eyes, buttons, and beads.
How to Make Easter Crafts out of Paper?
Easter is a great time of year for crafting – it keeps kids busy and they will love to see the house decorated with their handiwork! They could make paper chains using Easter-y paper, turn a paper plate into a bunny or a chick, or even make a paper hat with an Easter bunny on it! Again, Pinterest is a great place to find some excellent ideas for seasonal crafts.
