Easy DIY Paper Crafts Your Kids Can do When They’re Bored

Often the simplest crafts are the most popular with kids. Many times, we as parents overthink things and that’s when things get overwhelming.

The most important aspect of doing a few easy crafts for kids is creativity — and fun! All you need to do is provide the basic supplies and a little inspiration.

There are endless DIY paper crafts for kids, so gather the materials and let them get creative. Here are three simple paper crafts that you can do with your children at home: Paper Puppets, Book, and Magazine Holders and a DIY Marble Run.

DIY Paper Puppets

This easy craft idea for kids combines both art and high drama. Kids love to create their own world. Get them started with some simple supplies and let their imaginations loose.  We love this activity if you’re looking for things to do with your toddlers at home.

Supplies Needed:

•       Colored construction paper
•       Child-safe scissors
•       Popsicle sticks
•       Markers or crayons
•       Glue
•       Optional- googly eyes, pom poms, other fun elements

Instructions:

1. Kids often need just a little inspiration to jump-start their brains. Brainstorm what type of play they want to put on, its setting and what characters will be involved. Will it take place on a farm? In a castle? Underwater? At Great Wolf Lodge?
2. Once your theme is set, create a list of characters.
3. Time to create! Kids can simply draw their characters on the construction paper. They can also create people, animals or things with different colored pieces that they cut out and glue.
4. Glue each character to a popsicle stick.

Children can now use the characters to perform a play. Depending upon their age, they can write a script or freestyle the lines. They can also create characters from their favorite book, movie or comic book. Add in music and lighting to their performance to make it even more dramatic.

Easy Book and Magazine Holders

One of the most useful, easy craft ideas for kids to make at home is something that helps them stay organized. The more kids are invested in the actual organizing, the more likely they’ll be to stay tidy! This kids paper craft project uses any type of box that stands up — and transforms it into a colorful container.

Supplies Needed:

• Assorted empty, clean cardboard boxes- cereal boxes, rice/pasta boxes. Really, any boxes that are sturdy enough to stand alone
• Child-safe scissors
• Patterned paper or colored construction paper
• Tape

Instructions:

1. Make a diagonal cut on the front or side of each box.
2. Cut the patterned paper to fit the outside of the box.
3. Affix the paper with tape.

Kids can keep their books and magazines organized. Have them make one for different rooms in the house. One can be for bedtime books and sit on their nightstand. Another can be for after school reading and sit in the living area.

DIY Marble Run

This is another easy craft idea for kids to make at home, and involves reusing materials that otherwise go to waste. For this craft, kids get to recreate an interactive marble run toy in their own way.

You can also experiment using different household materials such as straws, chopsticks, paper towels, construction paper and more. Constructing a marble run involves architecture, physics, and a little crafting.

Supplies Needed:

•       Paper towel and toilet paper tubes
•       Child-safe scissors
•       Tape
•       Marbles
•       Optional:paint, brushes, markers or stickers to decorate

 Instructions:

1. If your children wish to decorate their tubes, let them do so before they start construction.
2. Discuss how your kids want their marble run to go. How high? How long? You can even draw a diagram before you start cutting the tubes.
3. Cut tubes in varying heights to create “towers.” For example, if you want two ramps, you will need three towers to support the ramps. Start with the highest tube (or tape together multiple tubes).
4. Cut another tube in half lengthwise to create a ramp. Tape the ramp on the top of the highest tube and angle it down so it touches the top of the second-highest tube.
5. Tape the end of the ramp to the top of the second-highest tube. Cut a rectangle (slightly wider than the ramp and higher than the marble) into your second highest tube 2-3 inches from the top.
6. Add a new ramp to the hole you just cut and secure it with tape, making sure that the ramp touches the back of the tube.
7. Tape the end of this ramp to the top of the next highest tube. Repeat the process until you reach the bottom of the shortest tube.
8. When your marble run is finished, it is time to race!

This marble run could become anything depending on how the children decorate. Make a racetrack for cars by painting racing stripes on the tubes or pretend they are water pipes delivering water to your home.

When you create together as a family, even simple things such as easy DIY paper crafts, it can be both educational and enjoyable!