Ready-to-buy Art kits for Kids to inspire the budding artist. These kits come with everything that your child needs to dabble with colors and reveal their artistic side. These also make for birthday or Christmas gifts. Also find useful resources that will develop your child’s creative minds.
The art kits and resources that we have listed here will help bring out the creative best in your child and will also let them have fun creating new things out of paper and cardboard cut outs.
You will be amazed at the things you can make with simple things like paper, cardboard and other easily accessible things.
Art and craft requires patience and precision, both of which are good attributes to be instilled in a child at a young age.
These art and craft activities will develop creativity and will also provide a great exercise to improve your child’s motor coordination. It will improve focus, develop imagination, make them learn to follow the instructions.
Besides making better use of spare time, these will also help kids acquire life skills such as problem solving and social skills.
Art set (kits) for Kids comes with everything kids need to draw, paint, and improve their artistic skills. Whether your little one wants to paint, draw, color or chalk, this set has it all. This stationery set includes oil pastels, water color paints, fine line markers, mini markers, chalks, pencils, paper, sharpener, and paintbrushes.
Art kits are a great way to spend some quality time with your children. These also help children make quality use of their time, it helpe kids express themselves, and also improves coordination skills, focus and fine motor skills of kids.
Paint & Decorate Wooden Vehicles (by MELISSA & DOUG)
Most kids like to paint and colour objects, and this kit should provide them with lots of fun.
My 5-year old son once painted all his metal cars, despite I telling him that those cars were not designed for painting. However, he didn’t listen and he created a big mess later on. I wish I had this kit for him to paint.
This kit includes wooden vehicle, wheels and axels, stickers, glue, paint and paintbrush. The child has to first assemble the wooden train and monster truck and then paint it.
Rock Painting Kit
Kids like to collect treasures like stones or seashells when out on a nature walk. How about turning these interesting stones into insects and fun shapes? These kits also come with rocks and other materials to let kids unleash their creativity. You can invite your friends home for a rock painting party, which you can then hide outdoors to spread happiness in your community.
String Art for Kids
In string art, one uses colored string (or some kind of yarn) and arranges it into interesting patterns and designs by stringing the yarn between points (usually hammered nails). You will need supplies like wood plaques, yarn, small nails, tack hammer, acrylic paint, thumb tac, String art template (you can find several free designs on Google).
You can also use readymade string art kits for kids where the child has to connect-the-dots (of animal or insect shapes) using an acrylic yarn and then use decorative materials like foam stickers and glitter to further decorate the creatures.
Needle Felting Kits
Now it is easy to create your own cute felted-wool companions with the Woolbuddy needle felting kit. Kids can make black cat, octopus, frog, sea turtle, chicken, elf, moose, and more. The starter kit comes with generous amount of wool, clear instructions with photographs, and is suitable for children ages 10 and up. Read more here.
DIY candles
This is another fun activity for children that is safe to do as it does not involve the use of hot wax. The candles have to be made using natural beeswax. Kids ages 6 and up can use this kit to create sweet-smelling candles that burn bright. Read more here.
Needle-and-thread crafts
Let your little one experiment with a sewing kit to make creative art projects. This curated set inlcudes scissors, measuring tape, thread, thimble, colorful wool, knitting needles, crochet needle, and instructions to inspire different crafts. Its easy to learn the basics of knitting, sewing, and thread-craft techniques using this kit. Read more here.
Paper Crafts for Kids
Recommended Paper Crafts Kits for Children
How to make a Paper Mache Mask
This simple and fun paper mache mask is an excellent craft for kids to make.
Gather and create the materials needed for your paper mache. Collect some newspaper and a solid paper, like printer paper, and some flour and water for your paste.
Cut the papers into strips or squares, depending on the size of your balloon. You will need enough for pasting at least three layers on the balloon. Also create a paste with 2 cups (220 g) flour and 1 cup (200 ml) water.
Blow a balloon. The size of the balloon will be the size of your mask.
Cover the balloon with strips of paper. Dip a piece of paper into the paste and let the paper soak in the paste. Get the excess off the paper by scraping it along the side, if necessary.
The first layer should be placed vertically, the second horizontally, and so forth. The beauty of paper mache is that the strips can mold into virtually any shape. You can form eyebrows, cheekbones, or lips rather easily. Leave it on the side to dry. This may take several hours.Pop the balloon with a needle. For safety reasons, be sure to pop it away from your face. You’ve now got the base of your mask!
Use scissors to cut the newspaper ball in half. Depending on how much of the balloon you covered, you may end up with two separate masks, one large mask, or a mask that you want to cut down to size.
Start cutting holes. You’ll want two for eyes, at least one for the nose, and possibly one for the mouth. If you’re going to wear it, make sure the holes line up! In addition, poke two holes on the side to hold the band that will keep the mask on your face.
Push a rubber band (cut in half) through the holes and make a knot on each side. If you don’t have a rubber band, you may use string, ribbon or a long piece of elastic. Paint the mask using your creativity. Let dry overnight.
Start decorating your mask with ribbons and colorful materials. Your mask is ready to be worn.
Paper Bird Art
How to make Paper Bird Art in simple easy steps.
Things You Will Need: Newspaper . Colored Paper . Cardboard . White Acrylic Paint . Glue Stick . Sticky Tape . Wire (for the legs) . Paint Brush . Paper Polish.
STEP 1: Making of the bird’s body
Crumple up some newspaper pieces into balls to make a bird’s body. Add some more crumpled newspaper balls, layer by layer, to make a hard bird body. Stick them together tightly with the help of glue or cello-tape. Make a tail with the remaining newspaper pieces. Fix it with some glue or cell-tape. Make sure the bird’s body shape and the tail is smooth and has no pointed edges.
STEP 2: Shape the legs
Cut out a few pieces of wire to make the bird’s legs and feet. Prick a small hole into the base of the bird’s body we have made in Step 1. Cover the wire with yellow paper and glue. Now put some glue on the top of the legs and insert them in the holes made at the base of the bird’s body.
STEP 3: Make the beak
Crumple the paper in the shape of a hard beak. Now stick the beak on the bird’s face with the help of the glue.
STEP 4: Paint the bird
As we have used cello tape to put together the crumpled newspaper into a bird’s body, it is difficult to paint it. So, first, let’s paint the bird with an acrylic white paint. Let it dry.
STEP 5: Decorate the bird with coloured paper
Add layers of cut out colored or decorative paper to the bird, using glue. Make sure the bird body and the tail is completely covered with the paper. You can make the tail beautiful by adding pieces of colorful papers. Now paint the entire bird with the paint polish and let it dry. This helps to hold the paperwork together and makes it stiff.
Your beautiful paper bird art is ready.
How to make dustbin liners from paper
A simple method to make dustbin liners from newspaper & avoid plastic carry bags and save the environment. If you want more thickness, you can insert another paper bag inside the other. This is absolutely bio-degradable.
Hat Craft Ideas for Kids (using paper, cardboard)
Homemade Hat Craft Ideas for Kids: Here’s how to make a hat at home using paper, cardboard.
Useful Links
Make Your Own Maracas
Here’s how to make your own maracas (Art & Craft ideas).
A maraca is a hollow gourd-shaped container filled with beans, pebbles, or similar objects, shaken as a percussion instrument (used in Latin American music).
Things you need:
Two paper lunch bags. A handful of dried beans. Things to decorate with (markers, stickers, glitter). Yarn.Ask an older sibling, grown-up friend or an adult to help you:
Decorate the bags with markers, stickers, glitter, or anything else you want. Fill the bags with the dried beans. Gather the sides of the open end of each bag. Tie yarn around it to keep the beans inside. Shake, shake, shake.
Useful Craft projects from Waste
Here are some useful craft projects for kids that can be made from trash. Teach you kids how to recycle waste and make something useful out of it.
DIY Bird Feeder projects that you can make with kids.
A birdfeeder (bird feeder, bird table, or tray feeder) is something that you place outdoors to provide bird food to birds (bird feeding). The success of a bird feeder in attracting birds depends upon its placement and the kind of foods offered, as different species have different preferences.
Most schools ask their students to make bird feeders as part of their project work (for kids below Class V).
There are a couple of popular deigns out there. Either you can make using a bottle (big Pepsi/coke bottle). you can also make using cardboard, some decorative paper (to camouflage it to look like tree/plant), small stick (for the bird to stand), and a string (to hang the bird feeder).
Here are some videos on how to make a Bird Feeder.
DIY Pokemon Pen/Pencil Holder using an empty can
Here’s how to make Pokemon pencil holders:
What you will need: An empty, clean can, coloured paper for Pokemon, white paper strips, pens, pencils, glue, scissor, tape.
Here are the steps:
- Measure out the coloured paper high enough for the tin and long enough to wrap round the tin.
- Draw, colour and cut out your favourite Pokemon.
- Glue your Pokemon face to the coloured paper.
- Add a strip of tape to one end of the coloured paper and secure to the back of the tin can.
- Wrap it around the tin can and secure with a second strip of tape.
- Your cute little Pokemon pencil holder is ready.
Popsicle Stick Crafts
Top popsicle stick craft ideas that kids can safely make.
Make a Pen Holder using Popsicle Sticks
Materials required: About hundred popsicle sticks, Super glue, A brush and some poster colors (optional)
Instructions
Take 3 popsicle sticks and glue them together to make a stack. Make 28 such stacks. You will have some popsicle sticks left over; save them for the later steps.
Place two stacks vertically across each other. Then take another two stacks and place them on top horizontally. Glue the corners together you will now have a square.
Repeat this process with another four stacks (two vertical and two horizontal). You will now see the pen holder taking shape.
Repeat the earlier step till you have used up all the stacks.
It’s now time to make the base. Turn the stack upside down and glue the remaining single sticks to it. Try not to leave any gaps.
Your DIY pen holder is now ready. You may color it with paint or use it as is.
Make an airplane from Popsicle sticks
Here’s how to make an airplane from Popsicle sticks.
Things you need: 3 big Popsicle sticks, 5 small Popsicle sticks, 2 small cardboard cuttings, 1 small black bead, scissor and glue.
Steps to make the airplane:
- Glue the 5 small sticks together and let them dry
- Cut the two stripes of a coloured cardboard with circular edges. Glue them by the centre making an X-shaped propeller.
- Give a black bead on top of the X-shaped propeller and let it dry.
- Glue two large sticks away on each side on the 5 glued sticks and let them dry.
- Cut the remaining large stick in two pieces and glue them on the 5 glued sticks as the tail.
- Glue the propeller to the top front of the 5-sticks.
Your Airplace is now ready to fly!
Make an Rainbow from Popsicle sticks
Here’s how to make a rainbow from Popsicle sticks.
Things that you will need: Popsicle sticks, cardboard cuttings, small black bead, scissor and glue.
Steps to make a Popsicle rainbow:
- Cut out the shape of a cloud from the white card paper.
- Glue the rainbow coloured sticks on one side of the cloud. Let it dry.
- Glue the wiggly eyes on the other side of the cloud and make mouth/nose with a black pen.
- Your smiling Rainbow is ready!
Easy Cardboard Craft Ideas for Kids
Here are some cool cardboard craft ideas for kids that will keep them entertained and also help them learn useful skills.
Materials that you will require: Cardboard pieces, scissors, ruler, pencil, glue, tape. You may also require a small knife and pins but those need to be used only under adult supervision.
When you shop products online, many of them come in cardboard packaging, so make sure you store those spare cardboards and make good use of them by letting your kids pratice cardboard crafts.
Here we have listed several easy craft ideas for children to help them get started. These DIY cardboard craft ideas are excellent fun activities for kids (you can also do it along with your kids).
Cardboard Pyramids
The pyramids were masonry structures built in ancient Egypt. This one is perhaps the easiest of all the cardboard craft ideas listed here, but you will need to ensure the pieces are cut of the right measurements.
DIY Cardboard School Bag
Here’s how to make your own DIY Cardboard School Bag.
School Bus: Cardboard Craft Ideas
School bus craft ideas/projects for your school going kid.
Learn how to make a bus using cardboard. Find step by step instructions on how to make real life models. You can even add DC motor and make the bus a powered bus.
Hot Wheels Cardboard Race Tracks / Launcher
There are some amazing cardboard craft ideas based on hot wheels racing tracks/launcher that you can make at home.
Cardboard Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower, located in Paris, is one of the more popular landmarks in the world. Here’s how to make the Eiffel Tower using cardboard.
Make a Cardboard Taj Mahal
Want something more challenging? Make the Taj Mahal from cardboard. The Taj Mahal is an ivory-white marble building structure located in Agra, India.
More Useful Links:
Painting with Yarn: Art Activity for Toddlers
Painting with Yarn: Here’s a fun and easy art activity work for preschoolers/toddlers, painting with yarn or string.
You will need: yarn, wool or string, paints, paper
Here are the steps:
- To begin your yarn painting, cut your yarn into small lengths and dip the pieces into the paints
- The place the yarn down on paper, twisting and overlapping the threads. You can enjoy shaping the yarn the way you want.
- Press the yarn gently down on to the paper with your fingers to make a print, and then peel off the yarn to see your final design.
Pottery wheels for kids
Pottery is a form of art where things like dishes, plates, cups, cooking pots are made out of mud or clay. It is a skill that requires practice and patience.
Pottery can be are therapeutic in many ways because it helps the cognitive, physical and social aspects among children, and has a calming effect. For children, pottery is also a form of creative expression; it improves hand and eye coordination and also instills a feeling of achievement of creating something.
Best Pottery Wheels / Kits for Kids
- First Pottery Kit by Galt Toys: Learn basic techniques to create small decorative pots and vases. Suitable for children age 6 and over
- Clay Pottery Wheel Craft Kit, Pottery Studio (by Cool Maker): Easily sculpt, design, paint and display custom clay creations. For ages 6+.
- Pottery Wheel Kit (by Made By Me): Create the perfect pot using the tools or try hand-crafting your own. For 6 years & up
Puppetry Toys Crafts for Kids
Puppetry craft ideas for Kids. These also serve as creative activities that boost aptitude.
A popular form of entertainment for children, puppets are increasingly being used in education and therapy. Puppets are usually seen as toys but are effective tools of communication and education.
A form of theatre performance, hand puppets are great for developing speaking and listening skills in children. They also allow the child to be more imaginative and come up with ideas by enacting, comprehending and formulating a story that requires one or more characters.
Counselors also use puppets to encourage kids who are victims of child abuse to talk about their ordeals and their fears.
Hand Puppet Art Craft DIY (Make Your Own Puppet): Great for kids fun time, birthday parties
Several puppet shows are conducted on folk tales to make it easy for students to better understand the moral values and teachings.
Using puppets also helps bring a subject or story alive.
Puppetry has been extensively used in places like India to narrate stories of emperors and epics alike by folk artists. Folk artistes, for decades, used to narrate episodes from the epics with string and shadow puppets set to folk tunes.
There are several online resources as well that teaches participants how to create and use puppets, how to make puppets in a variety of shape, sizes and materials; Puppets can be of any size, from a four-inch to a four-foot tall creation.
Funtoyworld is a family-managed website with me (Ben), and my wife doing most of the work. We are proud parents of two wonderful kids and love reviewing toys. We have a firm but friendly “democratic parenting” style and offer several practical suggestions backed by extensive research. Our own experience with raising two children prompted us to share our knowledge. Read more.
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