Easy papercraft ideas for kids to make at home

1. Fun cow masks

Been stashing paper plates at the back of your kitchen cupboards since a party? It’s time to put them to good use! These fun cow masks are super easy for kids to make and the results are hilarious. The fun crafting combo of painting, cutting and sticking is perfect for younger children. Don’t forget to pose for photos after! Head to Simply Today Life for the tutorial.

2. Fabulous folding pocket fans

Calling all little fashionistas! Give stylish littles the challenge of designing, decorating and making their very own folding pocket fan. The best thing about this easy papercraft project is that it can be made using plain copy paper (the sort you have in your printer) or colouring paper. 

The only other bits you need are lollipop sticks (but these could be replaced with chunky card or other household items) and a hair tie. Head over to the Gluesticks blog to find out how to make yours.  

3. Leaping paper frogs

Forget paper planes! These fun little leaping frogs made using simple paper folding techniques are going to give kids hours of entertainment – even after the crafting has ended. Race them on a rainy day, have competition to see who can make theirs jump the highest and make an army of frogs for friends – the possibilities are endless!

4. Penguin finger puppets

Papercraft finger puppets make the perfect rainy day activity for kids, and these little penguins are the sweetest! With just coloured paper and some googly eyes, you can bring your own troop of paper penguins to life. 

The same paper cutting techniques can be used to make a whole host of different animals, so if you’ve not got the right coloured paper for penguins, move on to the rest of the animal kingdom! Check out Artsy Momma’s blog for the tutorial, and check out her lovely ladybird finger puppet while you’re there!

5. Beautiful bouquets

This one is for the older kids or those who want to try something a little more grown-up. These gorgeous paper calla lilies make the perfect gift that’ll stand the test of time. Presented in a beautiful bunch, these brilliant blooms are guaranteed to cheer up any room! You can make them in loads of different colours too! Find out how to make them on Clever Poppy’s blog.

6. Handprint lion masks

We’re back to turning paper plates into perfect paper crafts with this super cool lion mask! The lion’s mane is made up from kids handprints, so if your kids love getting messy and playing with paint – this is the perfect project for you! Head over to Kids Craft Room for the tutorial.

7. Woven paper placemats

Paper weaving is easy, fun and the results are super effective – a great craft for kids! Check out the Laughing Kids Learn blog for a simple tutorial for creating brilliant woven placemats, great for getting kids involved in any themed feasts you might be planning.

8. Origami dinosaurs

If your kids are dino-crazy, this origami paper dinosaur tutorial is the project for you! Watch this easy-to-follow tutorial to show you the ropes and challenge kids to create a whole troop of different coloured dinosaurs in different sizes. All you need is coloured paper and some imagination!

9. Transforming paper stars

We can’t get enough of these cool colour-changing paper stars. This is a real gem of a project combining basic maths, art and of course, papercraft! This is definitely a project better suited to older children who can keep up with the complicated folds, twists and turns; but they’ll be proud as punch with their finished project. There’s a great video tutorial on What Do We Do All Day blog that kids can watch while they learn.

10. Monster bookmarks

Little bookworms are going to love this brilliantly bookish papercraft project! Make mini monster bookmarks that keep your place by biting the side of the page. The base of this bookmark is made using simple paper folding techniques, then kids can go to town adding paper teeth, eyes, sticky-out tongues and whatever else takes their fancy. Find out how to make yours on Easy Peasy Fun’s blog.

11. Magical origami mermaids

Wannabe mermaids and lovers of all things mystical will love creating this cute little mermaid. Kids can follow Pink Stripey Socks simple step-by-step guide to create their own mermaid, made using simple origami techniques.

12. Giant paper airplanes

What could be better than paper airplanes? Giant paper airplanes! Take the design of the much-loved classic that’s flown many-a-flight across classrooms worldwide and supersize it. Not only are these paper planes easy and fun to make and decorate, they also provide plenty of entertainment in the garden! How far can you fly yours? Follow Fireflies and Mudpies tutorial for this one. 

13. Beautiful paper chain ballerinas 

Try out this twist on the much-loved paper chain – beautiful ballerinas spinning in unison! Start by downloading the free template from the Mermag blog and printing it out. Then hand over to the kids to ‘dress up’ their ballerinas by colouring in their clothing and adding their frilly little tutus. Simply adorable!

14. Bright cat garland

Crazy for cats? A Subtle Revelry has you covered! Download, print and cut out their fabulous free feline template and let the kids loose on colouring in, adding sparkles, stickers, and more! Then all that’s left to do is string them together and hang them up. This would make a great project for Halloween, but these cool cats will brighten up your space all year round!

We hope you've found some craft ideas for kids from our easy papercraft round-up! We think the kids will love them, so get stuck i!