50 Cutest Crafts for Boys

1. Cork Sail Boats

mamapapabubba

Whatever floats your boat! In this case, you’ll be saving your leftover wine corks for this fun craft idea to make with the little ones. If you can’t be on a real boat to enjoy these last summer days, make one of your own! These cork sail boats are so easy to make and they actually float in water. My boys love bathtime when toys are involved (and not when they are not!)

2. Bottle Cap Bugs

thisgrandmaisfun

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These little critters are the perfect way to reuse bottle caps and spark your kid’s imagination. This fun DIY idea for boys turns trash into treasure with paint, glue, and googly eyes. It’s an affordable craft project that’s part science, part art.

3. Pirate Treasure Chest

theclassroomcreative

A plastic strawberry container hiding under a layer of craft sticks and a handful of plastic jewels, and my boys were pirates for the entire afternoon. That is the kind of return on effort I am always after. The Classroom Creative has the full how to.

4. Balloon Elephant Card

gluedtomycraftsblog

This clever balloon card turns into an adorable elephant trunk – one of the most creative homemade craft ideas for a boy! Whether it’s for a birthday or just because, this easy kids craft brings smiles and hands-on fun. Great for class parties or playful mail.

5. How To Make Pine Cone Spiders

firefliesandmudpies

These spooky little spiders are a great excuse to get outdoors and collect pine cones. Add some googly eyes and pipe cleaner legs and you’re all set for Halloween fun – or any creepy crawly moment. A great way to turn natural supplies into something memorable.

6. Handprint Penguin Craft

thebestideasforkids

There are so many different ways to do handprint crafts that boys will love. This handprint penguin is a fun Winter craft for them. Make these adorable penguin handprints for an indoor Winter craft activity. And I just love the fact that this handprint craft double as keepsakes that you can gift or keep yourself. Pretty awesome, right?

7. Styrofoam Cup Owl Craft

iheartcraftythings

Turn small Styrofoam cups into a cute and colorful Owl Kids Craft. I don’t think I could ever get tired of owl crafts. They are seriously one of my most favorite things. I had some Styrofoam cups out for crafting the other day and got inspired with this simple tutorial from I Heart Crafty Things. They are adorable, simple to create and are fun for any time of the year.

8. Playdough Bug Fossils

notimeforflashcards

Have fun making bug fossils with playdough. This Playdough Bug Fossils is easy to make and it’s perfect if you’re throwing a bug birthday party or creating fossil play science activities. There’s just something magical about finding creatures who lived millions of years ago, right? What a great use for all those bug and dinosaur toys we have!

9. Clothespin Airplanes

createcraftlove

These little Planes made from clothespins are adorable! You get the chance to paint and assemble them, using up a bit of time on a rainy day. Check out how cute these clothespin airplanes are from Create Craft Love. They have the directions to make them with a clothespin and how cute to use these to close a lunchbag or party favor.

10. How To Make Glove Monsters Tutorial

craftaholicsanonymous

Lost a glove? Don’t be sad, it’s just another opportunity to get crafty! Check out this clever DIY project tutorial from Craftaholics Anonymous. Turn single gloves into Glove monsters with this easy tutorial. Seriously, it is one of the cutest craft I have ever seen. My boys will absolutely love these softies.

11. Fun DIY Kaleidoscope Kids Craft

darcyandbrian

I love a craft that doubles as a science lesson without anyone noticing. Cardboard, a few beads and some careful assembly gives you a real working kaleidoscope, and my kids turned that tube for ages watching the patterns fall apart and rebuild. Darcy and Brian walk you through it.

12. Homemade Wind Chime

We hung one of these outside the kitchen window and I still smile every time the wind picks up. Beads and bits of salvaged hardware make a surprisingly sweet sound, and the boys got to choose every color that went on the string. It is a good one for using up odds and ends.

13. Fire Breathing Dragon Craft

onelittleproject

This is the craft my kids demanded to make three times in one week. You blow into the end of the paper roll and the tissue paper flames leap out of the dragon’s mouth, which is apparently the funniest thing that has ever happened. One Little Project shows you exactly how.

14. Paper Bag Ninja Craft

iheartcraftythings

Do your boys go through a ninja phase? Mine certainly did. A plain paper bag becomes a sneaky little ninja puppet, and I let them customize the mask and the belt however they like with scraps and markers. I Heart Crafty Things has the whole thing written up.

15. Cute Seashell Turtle Craft

funmoneymom

This is what I reach for when we come home from the beach with pockets full of shells and no plan for them. A shell becomes a turtle shell, felt does the rest, and suddenly the trip has a keepsake attached to it. Fun Money Mom lays out every step.

16. 3D Caterpillar Paper Craft

easypeasyandfun

My kids made these caterpillars into puppets within about four seconds of finishing them. Strips of paper build up into a wiggly 3D body that actually moves in your hand, and you can go freehand or use the printable template. Grab the instructions from Easy Peasy and Fun.

17. Paper Strip Cardinal Craft

buggyandbuddy

I like a craft that quietly teaches something, and this one turns into a bird lesson without much effort from me. Strips of red paper layer up into a proper cardinal, and there is a free template so the shapes come out right. Buggy and Buddy has the full write up.

18. No Sew Fleece Octopus Tutorial

whileshenaps

This octopus is the softest thing my kids have ever made and there is not a single stitch in it. Fleece gets cut and knotted into legs, and the whole thing ends up genuinely cuddly rather than craft shaped. It is a good rainy afternoon project.

19. Paper Giraffes

krokotak

These giraffes are so simple that I was suspicious of them until we made a whole herd. A few folds, some spots, and they stand up on their own long legs looking pleased with themselves. Krokotak has the steps.

20. Marbling With Oil And Food Coloring

artfulparent

Marbling is messy in the best way and the results always look far more sophisticated than the effort involved. Oil and food coloring swirl across the surface and every sheet my kids pulled came out completely different. The Artful Parent breaks it down.

21. Pop Bottle Firefly

onelittleproject

We made these before a campout and they were the hit of the whole trip. A plastic bottle becomes a firefly that genuinely glows in the dark, which had my kids running around the yard long after they should have been in bed. Pop over to One Little Project for the how to.

22. Button Art

simplydesigning

This is my go to when I need a quiet table activity and I have a jar of buttons doing nothing. The kids glue them into whatever shape they fancy, and it is quietly good for little fingers that are still learning to place things carefully. Cheap and endlessly repeatable.

23. Soda Straw Weaving

kid-at-art

Weaving on drinking straws was completely new to me and it turned out to be one of the most absorbing things we have tried. Yarn builds up into a proper little tapestry, and the straws slide out at the end like magic. The Imagination Factory has you covered.

24. Make Your Own Maracas

candleinthenight

Every child I have met wants to make noise, so I may as well give them something to make it with. These maracas come together from odds and ends with beads rattling around inside, and they are genuinely loud. Candle in the Night has the details.

25. Handprint Campfire Craft

gluedtomycraftsblog

This one hangs in our hallway and I am not taking it down. Painted handprints become the flames of a campfire with sticks laid underneath, and it captures the summer better than a photo would. Glued to My Crafts put together the full guide.

26. Easy DIY Kids Binoculars

sweetcsdesigns

Cardboard tubes, a bit of pretty paper and some yarn for the strap, and my kids spent the whole weekend on safari in the back yard. I love that the making and the playing are two separate afternoons of entertainment. Follow along with Sweet C’s Designs.

27. DIY Bubble Art

theidearoom

Bubble art is science and painting at the same time, and I have never once managed it without a mess. You blow colored bubbles onto paper and the prints come out in those soft overlapping rings that look genuinely lovely framed. The Idea Room spells it out.

28. Homemade Rubber Stamp

skiptomylou

I did not expect a hand carved stamp to be a kids project, but with a soft eraser and a bit of supervision it absolutely is. Once they have carved their own design they will stamp it onto every card, bag and banner flag in the house. Check Skip to My Lou for the details.

29. Paper Paddington Bear Crafts

redtedart

My daughter went through a serious Paddington phase and this little origami bear, red hat and all, came out of it. It is a handful of folds and a lot of charm, and it doubles nicely as a party invitation. Red Ted Art has the complete tutorial.

30. Easy Sun Craft For Kids

thekindergartenconnection

This sun is brighter than the weather has any right to be, and the weaving in the middle quietly builds fine motor skills while the kids think they are just making something cheerful. I have it on more than one bedroom wall here. The full write up is at The Kindergarten Connection.

31. DIY Paper Bag Football Craft

allfortheboys

A paper bag, some paint for the laces, and you have a football that survives being thrown around the living room. I made these for a game day once and they kept the little ones occupied through an entire half. All for the Boys takes you through it.

32. Fingerprint Baseball Craft

craftymorning

Fingerprints make the neatest little baseball stitches and my kids loved that their own hands were the tool. It is paint, a paper plate and about twenty minutes, and it turns into a keepsake for a sports mad kid. Get the steps from Crafty Morning.

33. Minion Stones

muminthemadhouse

My boys spotted these and immediately started hunting the yard for the right shaped stones. Painted up in blue and yellow they are unmistakably Minions, and they have been lined up on the windowsill ever since. Mum in the Madhouse explains the whole process.

34. Tape Resist Watercolor Painting

giftofcuriosity

Tape resist is my favorite trick for making a child’s painting look deliberately designed. You lay the tape down, paint over everything, then peel it back to reveal crisp white lines. The reveal is the best part. The tutorial is over at Gift of Curiosity.

35. Rock Monsters

freekidscrafts

We came home from the beach with a bucket of pebbles and no idea what to do with them until we found these. Paint, googly eyes, and every stone becomes a small monster with its own personality. Free Kids Crafts made the guide.

36. Altoid Tin Reuse Bug Craft Toy

makinglifeblissful

An Altoid tin is exactly the right size for a tiny bug and its tiny home, which my kids found endlessly satisfying. They named every single one and carried them around in their pockets for weeks. See how Making Life Blissful does it.

37. Gingerbread Man Craft

simpleplayideas

We make these every December while the actual gingerbread is in the oven. The kids decorate their paper man however they like, which means ours have had everything from bow ties to full beards. A good one for small hands and a lot of glitter.

38. Fun And Easy Leaf People Craft

mymommystyle

Fall walks suddenly have a purpose when you are collecting for this one. The kids pick their leaves, then glue and draw them into little leaf people with real personalities. It gets everyone outside first, which I count as a win. My Mommy Style has the instructions.

39. Perler Bead Bowls

sherrifoxman

I was genuinely surprised these hold their shape, but melted Perler beads make a real bowl that my kids now keep their treasures in. The color mixing is half the fun and the melting is properly satisfying. Swing by Sherri Foxman for the how to.

40. Painting On Wet Glue

housingaforest

Painting straight onto wet glue gives you these raised, glossy swirls that dry with real texture to them. It is unlike any other painting we have done and my kids kept running back to check whether it had set yet. Housing a Forest has the play by play.

41. Cereal Box Aquarium Craft

thebestideasforkids

A cereal box turns into an underwater world, and my kids spent longer arranging the fish than they did making them. It stands up on a shelf afterward, which is more than most paper crafts manage. The details live at The Best Ideas for Kids.

42. Easy Paper Bunny Craft

easypeasyandfun

We make this bunny every spring and it takes almost no time at all, which is why it survives in the rotation. A bit of folding and cutting and you have a bunny in whatever color your child insists upon. Easy Peasy and Fun wrote up every step.

43. Glass Stained Window Ornaments Crafts

simplytodaylife

Tissue paper caught in the window light is one of those simple pleasures that never gets old. My kids build up the mosaic pieces and the finished ornaments glow properly when the sun comes through. Simply Today Life will show you.

44. Blooming Tree Kid’s Craft For Tu B’shevat

creativejewishmom

These little swirled blossoms opening across a bare cardboard trunk make one of the prettiest trees we have made, and it is a lovely way to talk about the season turning. Find the full method at Creative Jewish Mom.

45. Cardboard Tube Elephant Craft

creativefamilyfun

Cardboard tubes are the most useful thing in my craft stash and this elephant proves it. Paint, a pair of paper ears and some googly eyes, and my kids had a whole herd going by dinnertime. Creative Family Fun has the walkthrough.

46. Trolls Poppy Popsicle Stick Craft

craftcreatecook

That hot pink hair is the entire point and my daughter would not let me trim it. A popsicle stick becomes Poppy, bright and cheerful and ready to be played with rather than displayed. The complete steps are at Craft Create Cook.

47. Blow Painting Fun Art With A Straw

artfulparent

Blowing paint through a straw sends it skittering across the page in branching lines nobody could draw on purpose. My kids went slightly light headed with enthusiasm, so take breaks, but the results are genuinely beautiful. The Artful Parent shares the whole process.

48. Eggheads Cress Hair

nurturestore

We grew these on the kitchen windowsill and the kids checked them every single morning. Eggshells get faces, cress grows into wild green hair, and there is a small biology lesson sneaking through the middle of it. Head over to NurtureStore.

49. Paper Plate Chick

craftymorning

This fluffy little chick is all yellow Easter grass and it is exactly as cheerful as it looks. My kids made a whole flock for the farm topic at school and not one of them turned out the same. Crafty Morning has it all written down.

50. Tie Dye T-shirt Bag

skiptomylou

An old t-shirt, some dye and a few minutes at the sewing machine turns into a bag my kids actually want to carry. The tie dye is the fun part and the sewing is genuinely quick. Skip to My Lou has the full tutorial.