101 Easy & Fun Kids Crafts

We’re in the home stretch of summer break, and all those fresh ideas we had for entertaining the kids this summer have gone totally stale. With the temps bordering on unbearable, a trip to the playground once the sun’s up is a total no-go, which means I’ve got one very bored son that’s cooped up indoors and just dying for a fresh new activity or project to keep him occupied.

Rather than leave it up to the kids to entertain themselves in these final weeks of summer, prepare yourself with a few of these craft projects that are guaranteed to keep them happy and entertained. These simple crafts for kids don’t require too many fancy materials—most of these crafts can be achieved with stuff you already have around the house. Check them out in the slideshow.

More boredom busters:

Easy & Fun Kids Crafts

DIY Glove Monsters

A fun little craft project---turn your old winter gloves into funny little stuffed monsters.

See the project at Craftaholics Anonymous.
Magic Bottles

Make some of your own magic bottles. They are fun to play with and see all of the floating objects, but they also work great for quiet time. Tell the kids they can't come out of their room until the glitter all settles.

See the project at Moon Frye.
Felt Animal Masks

These are super fun, and great for just playing around the house in or as a Halloween costume.

See the project at The Odd Girl.
Cardboard Foosball Table

This looks awesome. Who needs the real thing?

See the project at Instructables.
Personalized No-Skid Socks

Got wood floors in your house? All that superhero-ing around might get a little dangerous in slippery socks. Make your own non-slip soles with puffy paint!

See the project at Dollar Store Mom.
DIY Wooden Spool Car

I've never seen these little guys in action, but now I really want to make a set.

See the project at Hello, Wonderful.
Marshmallow Shooters

We all need a little marshmallow warfare in our lives. These little shooters are a hoot and way cheaper than buying an armory of Nerf guns.

See the project at Coffee Cups and Crayons.
I Spy Bottles

An awesome way to spend the time, making these fun toys and then trying to find all of the goodies inside.

See the project at Meet the Dubiens.
A-Frame Pup Tents

This super simple framework teaches you how to build an A-frame tent for the kiddos. Perfect for play camping in the living room.

See the project at Lindsay & Drew.
DIY Walking Stilts

We all totally had a pair of these made out of coffee cans when we were little. Pass on the fun to the next generation.

See the project at Make It & Love It.
Cork Boat Races

Construct these little wine bottle cork boats for bathtub races or races down a rainy sidewalk gutter. Plus, Mom and Dad get to drink the wine.

See the project at No Biggie.
Milk Carton Houses

Teach your kids the importance of recycling by reusing milk cartons to create cool playhouses for small toys.

Get the tutorial at Momtastic.
No-Sew Superhero Capes

Start out your kids' superhero dreams by making them their very own capes. They'll be running around saving the day in no time.

See the project at Cardi Clips.
Superhero Party Masks

Every good superhero needs a secret identity! Make these awesome felt hero masks to go with your cape!

See the project at Cutesy Crafts.
Ginormous Bubbles

Take the party outside and make some huge bubbles!

See the project at Our Best Bites.
Felt Princess Crowns

Kids feeling tired of all the superheros running around? Make some felt crowns and change the comic book story to a fairy tale.

See the project at Cutesy Crafts.
Toilet Paper Roll Stamp Art

Using toilet paper rolls as stamps, your kiddo can make masterful rainy day art.

Get the tutorial at Momtastic.
Balloon Ping Pong

Need some action games in the house, but don't want to break anything? Make a set of balloon ping pong paddles. No need for a net, just keep the balloon off the ground!

See the project at Keeping It Simple.
Recycled Bottle Bowling

Every kid needs a good bowling set. This set from recycled pop bottles looks pretty sweet.

See the project at Moonfrye.
Slotted Building Discs

This trippy building project looks like a ton of fun. Print out your own and see how high you can stack them.

See the project at Made by Joel.
DIY Sewing Cards

These sewing cards are great. Easy to make and so fun for the little ones to use.

See the project at Dandee Designs.
DIY Laser Maze

Make your kids feel like they are in Mission Impossible and build a laser maze down the hallway.

See the project at Brassy Apple.
Grape Sculptures

This is a fun new way to play with your food.

Get the tutorial at Momtastic.
Expand an Image Drawing

A great way to exercise the imagination, give the kids a cut out section of a magazine and have them fill out the rest of the photo with their drawing.

See the project at Art Mommie.
Fancy Shades

Bedazzle some cheap sunglasses to make the kids feel like they are making their own bling!

See the project at Martha Stewart.
Paint and Soap Bubble Wrapping Paper

Get your kids to blow paint and soap bubbles onto plain white paper and you have beautiful and personalized wrapping paper. It is reminiscent of marbleized paper made by Italian masters.

Get the tutorial at Momtastic.
Ribbon Bookmarks

Help keep your kids reading with an awesome bookmark craft.

See the project at Busy Beehives.
DIY Toy Car Garage

Your kids will love parking their cars, and you will love that the cars aren’t all over the floor to be stepped on.

Get the tutorial at Momtastic.
DIY Bird Marionette

I always loved seeing these puppets at street fairs. Here's a simple DIY instruction on how to make your own walking puppet.

See the project at Instructables.
Glitter Building Blocks

Your kids can decorate the blocks on their own, then further entertain themselves for hours playing with them.

Get the tutorial at Momtastic.
Bottle Piggy Bank

Time to save for next year's trip to Disneyland! Turn an old soda bottle into a fun pig.

See the project at Martha Stewart.
T-Shirt Bracelets

Got a stack of old T-shirts going to Goodwill? Keep a few and try your hand at some braided fabric jewelry.

See the project at A Girl and a Glue Gun
Dinosaur Fossil Rocks

An awesome craft idea! Take some dino toys and hide them inside this sand recipe, then play some serious archeological games with the kids.

See the project at By Stephanie Lynn.
DIY Maracas

Start making music with these DIY maracas.

See the project at Mom Junction.
Rock Dominoes

Create a set of outdoor games, starting with these cute little rock dominoes.

See the project at Martha Stewart.
DIY Hand Puppets

Some foam balls and some pipe cleaners are all you need to make a bunch of awesome hand puppets.

See the project at Favecrafts.
Indoor Hopscotch

With hard floors and a roll of tape, the indoor game ideas are endless.

Get the tutorial at Momtastic.
Colored Pencil Jewelry

While this might require a little drilling and cutting with power tools, the resulting crafts are pretty cool looking.

See the project at Cut Out and Keep.
Paper Bead Jewelry

Instead of woodworking, get your kids making beads out of old paper and magazines.

See the project at The 36th Avenue.
DIY Piggy Bank Gift Boxes

Turn old mailing tubes into cute little character banks.

See the project at Handmade Charlotte.
DIY Photo Coasters

Kids love family photos. Here's how to turn a few of their favorite snapshots into drink coasters.

See the project at The Frugal Girls.
Craft Stick Bracelets

Who knew you could bend popsicle sticks into awesome bracelets? These look like so much fun!

See the project at Mollymoo.
DIY Snow Globe

Turn any of your favorite small figurines into a snow globe with just a mason jar, some glitter, and a little glycerin.

See the project at Modcloth.
Marshmallow Catapult

One more piece of marshmallow artillery, this here is a popsicle stick catapult.

See the project at Devin Collier.
DIY Constellation Flashlights

Here's a great craft for bedtime stories. Make a set of constellations and then tell stories of their legends.

See the project at Handmade Charlotte.
DIY Kite

Let's go fly a kite! Here's a great DIY on how to make your very own.

See the project at Red Ted Art.
DIY Pinch Pots

Get your kids in on your home decor by having them make pots that you can place around the house.

Get the tutorial at Momtastic.
Mason Jar Fairy Lights

Make some glowing lanterns for the yard or bedtime and keep the fairies happy!

See the project at DIY JOY.
DIY Dreamcatchers

Dreamcatchers are an awesome family craft. They can even help ward off bad spirits if your little ones are having bad dreams.

See the project at Hostess with the Mostess.
Homemade Harmonica

Teach your kids some music with these handmade harmonicas.

See the project at Mess for Less.
DIY Cardboard Playhouses

Save those big cardboard boxes! You will need them to make a fun little town like this.

See the project at A Beautiful Mess.
Sticky Spiderweb Activity

Here's a really fun house game just using masking tape and balled up paper. See who can stick the most insects to the web!

See the project at Hands on As We Grow.
DIY Recycled Crayons

Put all of those old broken crayons to good use, by making more crayons!

See the project at Heartmade Blog.
Popsicle Stick Puzzles

These popsicle stick puzzles are great for traveling, too!

See the project at Paper Turtle.
DIY Stamps

Stamps can be made out of anything---help your kids explore the possibilities and make some unique artwork.

See the project at Play Based Learning.
Strawplanes

Forget paper airplanes! Straw planes are where it is at.

See the project at All for the Boys.
Paper Cup Fishing Game

Start training now to win a big prize at next year's county fair with this homemade fishing game.

See the project at Handmade Charlotte.
Mini Bow and Arrow

More fun and safe projectiles for the kids. This one will have Q-tips flying all over your house.

See the project at The Brooding Hen.
DIY Cardboard Rockets

Help get all of those stuffed animals to the moon and back!

See the project at Hellobee.
Rainbow Bubble Snakes

Sometimes bubbles that float are cool, but other times bubble snakes are more fun.

See the project at Housing a Forest.
Marble Race Track

Split a pool noodle down the middle and make your very own racetrack!

See the project at My Homespun Threads.
DIY Paper Hot Rod Kit

These little hot rods are awesome! Get crafty and then race them down a hill!

See the project at Handmade Charlotte.
DIY Cardboard Jetpack

Time for some more make believe fun. Make your own jetpacks and blast off to the moon!

See the project at Sewing in No Man's Land.
DIY Cardboard Gem Shape Sorter

This is a beautiful craft, and a great way for little ones to learn about shapes.

See the project at Hello, Wonderful.
No-Sew Marionettes

Add to the cast of your puppet show with these clever marionettes.

See the project at Snugglebug University.
Easy DIY Wooden Geo Board

Teach kids about recycling wood and make an awesome crafty art piece.

See the project at Hello, Wonderful.
Peanut Butter Bird Feeder

Teach the kids about the ecosystem of your backyard, and you can also start bird watching with these simple bird feeders.

See the project at Go Grow Go!.
Shoe Box Puppet Theater

You need a place to perform all these puppet shows! Turn an old shoe box into the stage.

See the project at We Are Scout.
Easy Magic Ribbon Wand

Start working on those rhythmic gymnastic skills with an easy to make ribbon wand.

See the project at Happy Hour Projects.
DIY Slingshot

More projectiles flying through the house! Just be sure to use felt balls and not rocks.

See the project at The Merry Thought.
DIY Toy Camera

Kids love taking pictures---get them set up with a fun toy camera they can play with all the time.

See the project at Let's Do Something Crafty.
Make Your Own Sidewalk Chalk

Making chalk is a great craft for parents and kids to do together, and way easier than you may think.

Get the tutorial at Momtastic.
Minecraft Toy DIYs

Minecraft is all the rage these days. Make some of these toys to bring a little of the game into real life.

See the project at Twitchetts.
Printable Dragon Marionette

One more marionette for fun. This one is a printout!

See the project at Create in the Chaos.
Easy Pinwheel Flowers

Teach the kids aerodynamics with these DIY pinwheels.

See the project at Mad in Crafts.
DIY Felt Vegetables

Stock that kitchen up a little more with a full basket of felt veggies!

See the project at Lia Griffith.
DIY Painted Feathers

These painted feathers are beautiful, and they would be awesome decorating a little one's room.

See the project at Free People.
Paper Popsicle Memory Game

Make your own fun version of memory with popsicles! Keep summer rolling all year long.

See the project at Eat Drink Chic.
Cereal Box Monster Jaws

This is a fun little craft that teaches a little bit about mechanics. Plus, you get a really cool monster!

See the project at It's Always Autumn.
Kids' Paper Masks

These masks take paper crafts to the next level. Let the kiddos get super creative and make anything they want.

See the project at Ta Ta.
OlliBlocks

Olliblocks are a great learning toy. You can buy the templates online and make your own set to teach the kids about matching.

See the project at Ollibird.
DIY Cardboard Doll's Bed

Gotta have someplace to put all of those stuffed animals to bed, and this cute little bed is just the thing.

See the project at Feltromara.
DIY Writing Tray

Help the little ones work on their lettering skills with a writing board that erases itself after every letter.

See the project at Hellobee.
Paper Animal Finger Puppets

These printable finger puppets are adorable. Sorry if your puppet collection is getting a little large.

See the project at Mr. Printables.
DIY Finger Cymbals

Teach the kids to tango with a set of DIY castanets out of bottle caps and cardboard.

See the project at Kiwi Crate.
Paper Plate Animal Masks

Another great set of animal masks, these ones made out of paper plates!

See the project at SweetLulu.
Clothespin Airplane Magnet Craft

Create a whole fleet of mini airplanes out of clothespins and popsicle sticks.

See the project at Hot DIY Tutorial.
DIY Pick-Up Sticks

I loved playing pick-up sticks as a kid! Make your own set and teach the little ones gentle hands and patience.

See the project at Lovely Indeed.
Geometric Cardboard Shapes Structure

This stacking shapes project looks like a lot of fun to make and to build with.

See the project at Hello, Wonderful.
DIY Weather Vane

Teach the little ones about the weather by tracking the direction of the wind.

See the project at Handmade Charlotte.
DIY Tea Set Cups

Throw a cardboard tea party with these adorable cups made from toilet paper rolls.

See the project at Krokotak.
DIY Popsicle Stick Jewelry

Who knew you could make so much from popsicle sticks? Get creative with some popsicle stick jewelry.

See the project at Handmade Charlotte.
DIY Arrows

These are just for decoration, but man are they cool looking.

See the project at Creative Jewish Mom.
DIY Cardboard Cash Register

Turn your kid's kitchen into a full on restaurant by making them a DIY cardboard cash register.

See the project at Handmade Charlotte.
Balloon Powered Juice Box Car

Race your recycled juice boxes down the hallway with your custom built balloon propulsion system.

See the project at Hello, Wonderful.
Bedtime Story Shadow Puppets

One last set of puppets, I promise. These are meant for nighttime stories and shadow play.

See the project at Handmade Charlotte.
DIY Egg Carton Animal Noses

Also, one last set of masks. These super cute animal noses are the cat's meow.

See the project at Baby Jungle
Printable Lucha Libre Masks

Okay, I lied. How could I leave out these awesome lucha libre masks?

See the project at Happy Thought.
DIY Spinning Top Game

Make some spinning tops out of bottle caps and compete for who can land closest to the bullseye.

See the project at Handmade Charlotte.
Cereal Box House Tutorial

Put all your cereal boxes to good use and make a little village to race all your cars through.

See the project at Bella Dia.
Ice Melt Project

Get a little scientific by freezing some of your kids' toys and teaching them about the properties of ice and water.

See the project at The Papermama.