If there are two words that scare any parent, it’s the dreaded “I’m bored.” No matter how many toys they have, no matter how much screen time they have, no matter how many books they haven’t read, the boredom blues always seem to hit when parents are least there. prepared.
Not anymore. these craft activities for kids will ensure that you have a ready-made arsenal of anti-boredom means, most of which rely only on household materials. Some are indoor activities and some can be done outdoors, so you are not dependent on the weather. There are toddler activities that can be scaled back even for one-year-olds, but there are also crafts that teens and tweens will love to tackle and hang in their bedrooms. Most of these ideas are more crafty, allowing kids to get out all their art supplies and go wild with their creativity. Others are more physical, however, in case you’re looking for a new twist on a backyard game. There may be a learning component to the activity, or it may be just for fun. When they’re done, they may have completely forgotten about their screens.
Falling Leaves Snow Globe
Marbled paper
This is a fun activity that gives kids the chance to dig into their hands while they make art. Fill a jar with foaming shaving cream, add food coloring or paint to the tip, then swirl with a butter knife or stick, and when you lay a piece of paper on top, a marbled pattern results costs.
Get the tutorial at Studio DIY »
DIY lava lamp
Lava lamps are back, baby, in a groovy new way. And if you want the homemade look, you can do it yourself with vegetable oil, food coloring and antacid tablets.
Get the tutorial on Aww Sam »
Sensory bin
Fill a plastic bin with dry rice, raw pasta, kinetic sand or water beads, and let the kids go to town scooping, pouring and digging to find the little treasures you’ve hidden. These sensory bins expose them to different textures and help them work on their fine motor skills.
Get the tutorial »
Orange Peel Bird Feeder
Kids can make these bird feeders from birdseed, popcorn, and orange peel. Once hooked, give them a sketchbook and some art materials and see if they can draw and identify passing visitors.
Get the tutorial at Typically Simple »
Paper Chain Wall Hanging
We know that tweens and teens love nothing more than personalizing their bedrooms, and wall art made from paper chains is a versatile DIY for those purposes. They can use the tutorial to get the rainbow pattern or sketch their own ideas on graph paper.
Get the tutorial on White House Crafts »
Pool Noodle Obstacle Course
Tattoo Pattern Planter
If you have a printer, you can get printable temporary tattoo paper and use it to dress up old planters, mugs, pencil holders, and more. (And if you don’t have a printer, you can just use lots of little store-bought temporary tattoos.) Tweens will have a great time finding designs that match their rooms or school supplies.
Get the tutorial on A Kailo Chic Life »
Covered mini banjos
These may not ring like the real thing, but they look adorable – and you can dress them up however you like. They are the perfect doll-sized instrument for a simulation band.
Get the tutorial on The Craft Train »
Pilot school
These paper airplanes are perfect for kids – just fold them up and let your imagination run wild. Increase the challenge by making cardboard targets for planes to fly through.
Get the tutorial »
Paper wristbands
We love a two-for-one activity: first, paint abstract shapes in watercolor, then have older kids cut the paper into strips and fold them into wearable art.
Get the Picklebums Tutorial »
Felt Elastic Bookmarks
With bookmarks this cute, they might even be motivated to read more. You can whip them up in a snap with felt, googly eyes, glue, and rubber band.
Get the tutorial on Cutesy Crafts »
Mermaid tail to dress up
You’ll probably have to help sew this one, but kids can help design and make their own slip-on and slip-on mermaid tail for pretend underwater adventures.
Get the Ikat Bag Tutorial »
Polka Dot Slime
Slime is the trend that never goes away, and the only thing better than making a mom-approved mess is doing it with the added fun of polka dots. (Can you guess what they’re made of?)
Get the tutorial at Fun at Home With Kids »
mini volcanoes
This explosive science experiment (disguised as permission to mess things up) is much more palatable when contained in a glass dish. Add food coloring for colored lava.
Get the tutorial on MomDot »
History stones
Go further in rock painting: once the paint dries, the images on the stones become the characters of a story that everyone can tell together.
nature craft insects
Your children can use objects they find in nature to replicate what they see outdoors. The secret to this craft is to use a coat of Modge Podge to make the bugs shiny (and keep the leaves from drying out).
Get the tutorial on The Craft Train »
Tie-dye spin art
Turn your salad spinner into a carnival-style spinning art machine. Just be sure to fill the squeeze bottles with washable paint, in case any splashes land outside the coffee filter cloths.
Get the tutorial »
origami frogs
These paper frogs really jump! When the fun of bending origami frogs is over, extend playtime with sidewalk games to see which hopper can jump the farthest.
Get the tutorial at Itsy Bitsy Fun »
Children’s car wash
The old backyard sprinkler gets a major upgrade with this kiddie car wash, which uses PVC tubing and a hose connector to become the ultimate backyard car wash. Your children will have endless fun running between sponges and pool toys.
Get the tutorial on Mom Endeavors »
fairy garden
For you, it’s just glitter; to them it is magical pixie dust. Sprinkle some over your pint-sized garden and wait for the fairies to come out and play!
Get the tutorial »
Open air concert
Thrift store finds become a music station in your backyard (and save your everyday kitchen utensils from your little maestro’s enthusiastic play). With a few modifications, you can probably also install an indoor version of this one-man strip wall.
Get the tutorial at Fun at Home With Kids »
magic wands
Shape straws into 3D shapes for a science-yet-fun activity with bubbles. With practice, you can make square and triangular bubbles!
Get the Babble Dabble Do Tutorial »
Water Balloon Punching Station
Funfetti modeling dough
Forget the cupcakes and make this two-ingredient sprinkled modeling clay instead. The mixture is even edible (but almost all sugar, so don’t turn your back on the little ones for too long).
Get the tutorial at Smart School House »
pool noodle water wall
When they start using pool noodles as makeshift swords, strap the toys to a pegboard and have a good run in clean water instead. Just be sure to keep towels handy.
Get the tutorial on Teaching Mama »
soap boat
File it under awesome parenting tips: A piece of gutter picked up at the hardware store becomes a smooth running track when you add water and an adorable soap boat. All children can create their own flag!
Get the tutorial on I Heart Naptime »
Marisa LaScala
Parenting and Relationships Editor
Marisa LaScala, parenting and relationships editor, covers all things parenting, from the postpartum period to empty nests, for Good Housekeeping; she has previously written about motherhood for Parents and Working Mother.
Lauren Piro
Main web editor
Overseeing all things home for GoodHousekeeping.com and HouseBeautiful.com, Lauren swoons over mid-century design and uses a love-tough approach to decluttering (just throw it away, ladies).
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