Kids Crafts
Projects designed for little hands, big imaginations and short attention spans. Every idea here is safe, simple and easy to adapt to different ages.
Handprint Animal Cards
Turn a painted handprint into a lion, crab, peacock or butterfly. This project works for toddlers through to early primary and makes a sweet keepsake.
What you need
- Washable poster paint
- Thick paper or cardstock
- Markers
- Googly eyes and glue
Steps
- Paint the child's palm and fingers, then press the hand firmly onto the paper.
- Let the print dry completely.
- Turn the handprint into an animal: fingers become legs, antennae or feathers.
- Draw a face, add googly eyes and write a message inside the card.
Tip: Have a damp cloth nearby for quick clean-ups before paint dries on little fingers.
Paper Bag Puppets
A classic open-ended craft. Kids can make animals, monsters or storybook characters and then put on a puppet show.
What you need
- Paper lunch bags
- Coloured paper scraps
- Glue stick
- Markers and scissors
Steps
- Open the bag and place it flap-side up to create the puppet's mouth.
- Cut paper shapes for eyes, ears, teeth and a tongue.
- Glue the features onto the bag. The folded flap becomes the moving mouth.
- Draw extra details with markers.
- Slide your hand inside and bring the puppet to life.
Tip: Use the puppets to retell a favourite story for literacy practice.
Sensory Rice Bottle
A calming shaker bottle that toddlers love. It doubles as a colour-mixing lesson and a safe sensory toy.
What you need
- Clear plastic bottle with lid
- Uncooked rice
- Food colouring and vinegar
- Funnel
- Small waterproof toys or beads
Steps
- Mix a few drops of food colouring and a teaspoon of vinegar with the rice in a zip-lock bag.
- Shake until the rice is evenly coloured, then spread it on a tray to dry.
- Use the funnel to fill the bottle halfway with coloured rice.
- Add a few small waterproof toys or beads.
- Seal the lid tightly with glue and let children shake, roll and explore.
Tip: Supervise young children and ensure the lid is securely glued to prevent spills.
Crafting safely with kids
- Always supervise cutting, gluing and painting activities
- Use child-safe, non-toxic materials for under-fives
- Cover the work surface and wear old clothes or aprons