10 Incredible At-Home Arts and Craft Ideas for Your Child

It can be difficult to drag our kids away from technology these days. Finding other ways to keep them occupied on summer and holiday breaks is daunting.

Art projects are very beneficial for kids and parents. Kid crafts encourage bonding and help your child develop their motor skills, creativity, self-esteem and literacy. Here are some creative activities for kids to do at home. Something here is sure to please!

1.  Paper Bag Puppets

You may remember making paper bag puppets or something similar in elementary school. The beauty of this project is it can be as simple or complex as your child’s abilities allow. You probably have most of what you need already.

Your puppets can be anything with a mouth. Younger kids may need help with the placement on their bag, but afterward, you can set them loose. Draw clothes or fur on your puppet and add bits of yarn for hair. You can also glue on buttons or any other 3D aspects you can think of.

2.  Painted Rocks

This project works overtime to get your kids busy. Send them outside to find some rocks with an interesting shape or are particularly smooth and perfect. Let them pick whatever they want, as long as they’re safe.

You’ll need to wash and dry your stones thoroughly before painting your designs. You may also want to apply a base coat of black or white paint to make your kid’s art stand out. Cover it with a sealant after you finish to make your project last a long time. A quick internet search will help you brainstorm hundreds of creative ideas when you’re ready to begin.

3.  Cardboard Tube Crafts

The excellent part about cardboard tube crafts is that everybody has easy access to the supplies. Ensure you’re always prepared and save your rolls in a bag or box and add to it until you have a decent stockpile.

The possibilities are endless with these tubes. You can make princesses, angels, butterflies and bats. There’s even an interesting tutorial for making a set of binoculars — which any child would enjoy.

4.  Fun With Monograms

Monogram crafts are so multifunctional. Little ones will benefit from the exposure to letters, while older kids will enjoy making personalized room decor. The first thing you’ll need is a representation of the first letter of your child’s name. You can cut one out of construction paper, cardboard or a paper plate. You can also buy reasonably inexpensive wood cutouts at any craft store if you want something more permanent.

Use whatever you have at home to decorate your letters. There are no complex instructions, tools or supplies. You only need the base and something to put on it. Paint your letters, and then add household objects or scraps of paper to give the project more dimension.

5.  Latex-Gloved Finger Painting

Many parents struggle with how to engage with their children after they’ve been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder — sensory art is often an excellent solution. Luckily, there are many types of projects to do at home.

Finger painting is a very common project. However, a child with ASD may not like the feeling of paint, and it can be difficult to clean later. A sensory-friendly method is to wear latex gloves, making cleanup much more manageable. Just make sure you know if your child has a latex allergy before trying this craft.

6.  Homemade Bath Bombs

Making homemade bath bombs is a fun craft idea that can also make your nighttime routine more enjoyable. Most of the supplies are things you probably already have at home or can buy cheap. You’ll need a mold, baking soda, corn starch, citric acid, Epsom salt and your favorite essential oils.

You could also add chemical-free food dyes, biodegradable glitter or flower petals to make these fancier. You can add a magic grow animal pill in the middle as an extra fun surprise for the kids. Once the bath bomb melts, the tablet will grow into a mystery animal.

7.  Paper Plate Crafts

You can make just about anything out of paper plates, from animals and seasonal projects to delicious play flood. Most of us have at least a small stack of these lying around. Rather than letting them collect dust, dig them out for your kids.

Set your table with supplies, like markers, paint, construction paper, glue, fabric scraps and googly eyes. Let your kids’ imaginations take over, or choose a project from the above examples if you want a clear direction.

8.  Agamographs

Agamographs are the perfect combination of art and a STEM activity. The end product looks a bit complex, but kids from kindergarten up should be able to complete this project with a little help. You’ll need scissors, a glue stick, something to color with, an agamograph template, and cardstock or paper.

Have your kids draw two different pictures. Follow the instructions on the template and help them cut and glue their project. Fanfold the whole sheet of paper and release the fold slightly after the glue dries. It will look like a jumbled mess from above, but the pictures show up if you stand on either side.

9.  Cloud Dough

Many parents know how to make play dough, or it’s easy enough to purchase. However, if you really want that wow factor, help your kids whip up their own cloud dough. The texture is very different, and it changes over the creation process. It starts crumbly, then feels more like moon sand, and finally becomes a smooth and light malleable dough. You’ll only need two ingredients — cornstarch and lotion or conditioner.

Add small household items or toys for texture play. You can also make this any color you want by adding food dye. Cloud dough needs to be kept in an airtight container when you aren’t using it. Over time it will get more crumbly, but you can revive it by kneading in more lotion.

10.  Sun catchers

What better way to bring color and fun to your home than to hang some homemade sun catchers? There are so many possibilities depending on the craft supplies you have available. Most will use either wax, tissue or contact paper as their base. Contact paper is the most transparent, although you may not have that lying around the house.

Colored tissue paper, flowers, leaves, pipe cleaners, beads and craft feathers all make lovely decorations for sun catchers. Depending on the time of year, you may want to make something seasonally appropriate — like colored leaves in fall and fresh wildflowers in late spring or summer.

Arts and Crafts to Do at Home

Art is a wonderful way to practice mindfulness. Be fully present in the moment with your kids. Try not to get lost in your thoughts or start scrolling through social media. Crafting is a bonding experience with your children and an opportunity for low-pressure learning and creativity. Rather than sit and observe, take part in one of these fun and easy craft ideas for kids everyone will enjoy.

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