Parents, are you looking for ways to help your kids stave off boredom indoors? A craft might just do the trick and leave you with time to check things off your own to-do list.
Whether you need an activity for a rainy day or are trying to spend more time at home while social distancing, these 30 indoor crafts are sure to engage children of all ages. And since many of them can be made from items you likely have around the house, they’re great for times when you need an activity with minimal preparation.
1. If you have any old shoeboxes, turn them into a dollhouse.
2. Channel your inner inventor and create your own board game as a family.
3. For a sensory craft that’s sure to capture the attention of little astronomers, create a galaxy jar.
4. Do marble painting for an unforgettable twist on fingerpainting.
5. Make your own non-toxic playdough using everyday ingredients like flour, salt, and water.
6. Put together some paper bag dog puppets and challenge your kids to make a story about them.
7. Build story lanterns, a craft that can tie into what they’ve learned at school this year.
8. Pair everyone in your family up and have them make friendship bracelets for each other.
9. Read a picture book or two by Eric Carle (writer of The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?), then try one of these themed crafts.
10. If you’re looking for a craft you can easily make with items around the house, try making paper towel butterflies.
11. For younger children, practice fine motor skills and letter recognition with this dot sticker names activity.
12. Put old crayons to use by making them into colorful shape crayons.
13. Mix together this homemade puffy paint, then have fun making textured paintings together.
14. Try number hockey, a crafty game that’s great for teaching younger children about math.
15. Create a thankful pop-up book to help your kids remember and show gratitude for what makes them happy.
16. Make a paper plate animal—a craft that requires minimal items. All you need are paper plates, crayons, googly eyes, and some glue.
17. To introduce your child to sewing, try this handmade finger puppet craft.
18. Build a cereal box guitar and see how many songs your child can write or recreate.
19. Make a 3D paper rainbow to brighten up your home on a rainy day.
20. Try this magic egg STEM experiment for a science project that will keep your kids engaged and entertained.
21. Make a clay necklace, a jewelry item that’s both stylish and sure to become a heartfelt keepsake.
22. Create your own spinning tops, then see which one can spin for the longest.
23. Try this counting pizza paper craft to teach your kids about counting and fractions.
24. If you’re up for an architectural challenge, see how many structures your kids can create from marshmallows and toothpicks.
25. Build your own paper chain snakes, which are especially great if you have kids who love animals at home.
26. Make rainbow ice sculptures, perfect for bringing a winter wonderland scene indoors any time of the year.
27. This kid-friendly DIY scarf is both adorable and easy to put together. Plus it’s a craft that will last long past the rainy day.
28. Put together some moon sand to bring all the fun of the beach inside the house.
29. Recycle old egg cartons into these colorful mermaids.
30. Make a DIY chia pet for an indoor plant that requires minimal care.
