How to Build Your Own DIY Craft Kits
Having extra craft kits for your kids ready to go is always a good idea if you’re a busy parent. You can also put these together for party favors that are more sustainable and personal. You can quickly put these kits together yourself, and we’ll guide you on how. Read on!
Purchase A Self-Healing Cutting Mat to Protect Your Table
Paper Blocks
Inspired by wooden blocks, this craft kit takes the principle of stacking blocks a bit further and to a two-dimensional form. The objective is for the kids to create illustrations one square at a time. The squares can be glued onto a full sheet of paper or reused over and over on many mosaics.
Supplies:
- Colorful craft paper
- Self-healing cutting mat
- Hobby knife
- Ruler
On the cutting mat, cut the colorful paper into 1” squares. Use the ruler and the grid on the cutting mat as a guide for cutting straight lines.
A sustainable option is to use old magazines, catalogs or heavier wrapping paper for the squares. Unique and beautiful patterns can be found in product catalogs, adding dimension to the paper block kit. We found some really great patterns in rug collection pages of furniture store mailers. If the paper is too thin, glue it to one of the craft paper squares to reinforce it.
Use an old cookie tin to store the squares and use and reuse them!
Paper Towel Tube Crafts
Odds are that you have paper towels in your home. Start saving those core tubes - they’re a great base for countless kids crafting activities. We wrote about a few previously, and listing them here for you to discover again:
- Confetti Poppers with Flair! - these have extra pizazz like fringy mohawks. Check them out!
- Spring Bouquet Nightlights - Very cute and easy to prep and make together.
- Paper Towel Candles - These are Halloween themed, change them up with colors and add-ons to customize for any holiday or time of year!
Good supplies to have on hand: craft scissors, glue sticks, craft paper and a cutting mat.
Shop for High-Quality Craft Scissors
Felt or Paper Animals
These are so cute! Make your own template or follow ours.
Pre-cut the animal body in different colors; yellow, orange, gray, white, black, etc… then pre-cut details like ears, tails, hands, eyes and whiskers in matching and corresponding colors.
Kids can put these together matching the right animal parts like elephant ears, trunk and tail to the gray body and assembling them. If working with paper, consider gluing together on a sheet of paper - then frame or stick to the fridge to display.
If working with felt, these can be saved and reused as a puzzle-type activity.
Reuse & Repurpose
Other common items you can save for crafting include wrapping paper and gift bags, ribbons, yogurt cups, popsicle or ice cream sticks.
Put together your own “Notions Kit” by saving the ribbons, trinkets, decorative papers and packages. Save on craft supplies and keep them out of the landfill for a little while longer!
Keep them organized in an old cookie tin, pegboard organizing system or designate a drawer in the kitchen for the ready-prepared crafts.