5 fun, simple and quick DIY crafts for kids

5 fun and easy diy crafts for 1 - 3 year olds

Are you and your kids stuck at home on a rainy day? Or not sure what to do with your children on a lazy Sunday afternoon? Instead of vegging out on the sofa in front of the television, why not you try our 5 fun and easy DIY crafts for 1 – 3 year olds which you can do together for that special family bonding time!

1. So-Soft Playdough

Why settle for store-bought playdough when you can make your very own for a fraction of the cost and with even better results? This recipe for So-Soft Playdough only requires 3 ingredients – and that’s it! Not only does this playdough smell lovely but as the name suggests, it feels super soft and is super fun to play with.

You will need:

1) Cornflour

2) Food colouring

3) Hair conditioner

4) Large bowl or container

What to do:

Pour some cornflour into a large plastic bowl or container and squeeze in some hair conditioner. Add a few drops of food colouring then let you little ones mix everything together with their hands and start kneading it until it forms into a doughy ball. You might need to help them out with this, but it is pretty easy once everything is formed together.

If your playdough is too dry and crumbly, add in more hair conditioner. If you find that it’s too sticky, it needs a bit more cornflour. Add in a few more drops of food colouring until you get your desired shade and remember to store the playdough in an air-tight container so it can last longer.

2. Cotton Wool Pictures

Mums, we’re sure you have some cotton wool stashed away somewhere in the house, so go dig it out and try this simple Cotton Wool Pictures craft with your tot. No artistic skills required!

You will need:

1) Drawn or printed-out pictures of fluffy animals

2) Cotton wool

3) Glue

4) Thick marker

What to do:

Using a thick marker, you or your child can draw the simple outline of a fluffy animal (eg: cat, sheep, rabbit), or if you prefer you can print it out from the internet. Tear up the cotton wool with your toddler so it’s nice and fluffy, then either help them to put some glue onto the picture, or supervise as they give it a go by themselves. Then let them stick on the bits of cotton wool onto the picture and they can also draw on some eyes or add any other features by using the thick marker. Their fluffy 3D animal creation is ready, and your little ones can even pet it!

(Image: The Loop)

3. Wacky Sacks

If you’re not sure what to do with those leftover balloons from your child’s previous birthday party and the mashed up crumbly lumps of grey playdough that your kids have used for quite some time, then here’s a great way to recycle and give your kids some cool squeezable stress-balls to play with (because sometimes, it’s tough being a kid!).

You will need:

1) Old playdough

2) Balloons

3) Permanent markers

What to do:

Get your children to roll out their old playdough into a long, thin sausage shape, then stretch out the balloon openings and help them to wriggle it inside. Once the playdough is inside the balloon, you need to tie up the opening, knead the balloon so it’s flat and let your kids draw silly faces on it. Let the ink dry for a few minutes and then you can begin to pinch and squeeze the homemade child-friendly stress-balls and have a laugh at all the funny faces!

4. Ice-Lolly Stick Puppets

After your kids are done eating those popsicles on a hot and sunny day, don’t throw out the ice-lolly sticks! Give them a good wash and once they’ve dried you can try your hand at this cute little craft with your little one for hours of endless fun.

You will need:

1) Thick paper

2) Colouring pencils or markers

3) Sticky tape

4) Ice-lolly sticks

What to do:

Ask your child to draw a few interesting characters they want onto the thick paper (animals, people or any imaginary creatures) and once they’re all coloured in, help them cut the different characters out and stick some ice-cream sticks on the back by using some sticky tape. You now have a whole cast of amazing characters for your very own puppet show and with a little imagination, you and your child can enjoy creating exciting stories together.

(Image: PBS)

5. Shapes Cut-Out Painting

This is an extremely easy craft to do with your toddler and requires minimal preparation. It is a good way to teach your child different shapes and it doesn’t matter how messy it gets, as long as your little one is having fun and learning something new. Your tot can either use the paintbrush or indulge in some sensory play by painting with their fingers (or hands!).

You will need:

1) Thick paper

2) Paper

3) Paint

4) Paintbrush

5) Scissors

6) Watered-down glue

What to do:

Using normal paper, cut out a few different shapes, then with the watered down glue, stick those shapes onto the thick paper and let your tot paint over it as much as they’d like. Once they’re done, carefully peel off the cut-out shapes to reveal your child’s final masterpiece!