DIY Kids Activities

Are the kids bored again? Try these DIY kids activities that are anything but passive.

Burn off some energy with an indoor track course, design a phone case, or draw on the walls with (removable) chalk wallpaper. There’s even a cleaning tip that promises to be fun for the kids.

Introduce these 30 DIY activities to your kids of all ages and never again be left frustrated with the question, “What are we doing today?”

Roll on the track course

Mparkour track using party streamers, clear tape, and an empty room. After clearing away the furniture, tape the streamers diagonally from one end of the room to the other. Then jump, duck, and roll through each section.

Play Cat Cradle

All you need to play the two-player game “Cat’s Cradle” is a piece of string and five fingers. Pass the string back and forth between the hands smoothly to create different geometric shapes. The detailed gameplay is best explained in the video instructivecan help with manual dexterity.

Cut cardboard into picture frames

Place your photos in a cardboard frame: Cut out an area for the picture (4×6, 5×7, 6×8) and decorate the edges with paint or crayons.

Get beauty treatments

Mix up some homemade (and edible) skin treatments. For example, sugar acts as an exfoliator, yogurt moisturizes, and cucumber can reduce inflammation.

Draw your own coloring books

Draw the outlines of famous characters, then fill them in with color. Or download printable coloring pages.

Create a snow globe

Grab a jar, glitter, waterproof glue, and a figurine centerpiece, and shake your snow globe when you’re done.

Pasta faces

Glue dried pasta of any shape onto a paper plate or poster board and make funny facial expressions.

Make albums

Every junk drawer is filled with a concert ticket stub, award certificate, or random photo. Give your memories a home in a DIY album.

Create a nature scene

Create an autumn-worthy portrait on poster board using fallen leaves, grass, sticks, and anything else you find in nature. Glue the items to the board or paint them to use as stamps.

Make your own chalk

Street art is more beautiful with homemade chalk. Follow the instructions below make chalkthen decorate the sidewalk.

Hang snowflakes

Are you ready for winter? Make snowflakes with popsicle sticks, glitter, and double-sided tape or glue, then hang them on the wall.

Give your salt shaker a festive look

Decorate the outside of a glass salt shaker with felt, yarn, sequins, or cotton. The salt acts as “snow.”

Paint Stones

Get some rocks and stones and paint them in vibrant colors, then place them on windowsills or coffee tables to brighten up your home.

Create your own board game

Bored with your board games? Plan a new game on a piece of cardboard using action figures as pawns. You make the rules!

Try an IKEA trick

There are many ways to spice up plain IKEA furniture. Buy an affordable chair, coffee table or vase and turn it into a unique piece. Visit the website IKEA Hackers for ideas.

Open a car wash

Fill buckets with mild dish soap and play “car wash” with your vehicle.

Design your own phone case

Kids with phones can decorate the clear boxes with dried flowers, stickers or photos.

Stick moving eyes everywhere

Give your home more personality by sticking moving eyes on everything from your front door to your remote control to your coffee maker.

Build a castle

Blankets transform a room into a reading nook, fort or private hideaway. No adults allowed!

Splash that paint

Splatter paint on white paper plates and bring out your inner Jackson Pollock.

Cook the taste of your childhood

Who remembers baking Rice Krispies treats? Gather the ingredients from: official recipe (butter, Rice Krispies, marshmallows) and enjoy!

Personalize coffee cups

Can’t find a mug with this clever phrase or image? Make your own using acrylic paint.

Make vision boards

Practice manifesting on a vision board with photos of a tropical location, personal goals, or wise quotes. Hang it up and visualize!

Follow the yellow brick road

Pretend to be Dorothy and hop on your own brick path. Using yellow masking tape, create a roadmap on your floor with unexpected turns. Then, off you go to see the wizard!

Reserve your place with a stunning bookmark

Make your own bookmarks with cardstock, pens, feathers, buttons and more.

Try origami

Origami is the Japanese art of folding paper into beautiful shapes. Use an instruction manual making animals and flowers.

Redesign school book covers

Your kids won’t lose their textbooks when they look this unique. Cover the books with construction paper and decorate them however you like.

Draw on the walls

Removable chalk wallpaper lets kids draw on your walls without any consequences. Another idea that requires less effort: Use fun wall stickers.

Inflate balloon animals

Use a balloon art kit or a tutor producing inflatable dogs, bows and fish.

Knit friendship bracelets

You don’t have to be a Taylor Swift fan to make a friendship bracelet. Order a bracelet making kit or use your own string and beads.