Following the success of our 18 Easy Paper Crafts for Kids You’ll Want to Make Too, we went looking for more paper craft ideas simple enough for little hands but pretty enough to show off. Grab the glue and some colourful paper — here are 15 more stunning but easy paper craft ideas for kids.
From quick five-minute makes to slightly fiddlier projects for older kids, there’s something here for every age and every rainy afternoon. Even young toddlers can join in with a bit of help, and most of these only need paper, glue and whatever decorative bits you have in the craft box.
In this round-up you’ll find:
- Lily Flower
- Rocking Bird
- Paper Plate Tropical Fish
- Paper Craft Spider
- Paper Crowns
- Giddy Up Horsey
- 3D Rainbow Paper Craft
- Paper Snails
- Pirate Pals
- Whale and Friends
- Airplane Paper Craft
- Hungry Little Caterpillar
- Paper Ladybugs
- Origami Hopping Frogs
- Miniature Doll’s House
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Fun Paper Craft Ideas
Lily Flower
Image: DIY Paper Crafts
Looking to brighten up someone’s day, or got a birthday coming up? This paper craft from DIY-Paper Crafts for lily flowers is bound to delight.
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Rocking Bird
Image: New Kids Centre
Looking for something suitable for toddlers? This paper craft from New Kids Centre is perfect. It’s fun to make, easy and creative — place these little guys beside a window and watch them rock gently in the breeze.
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Paper Plate Tropical Fish
Image: Crafts By Amanda
Have a Finding Nemo fan in your life? This paper craft from Crafts by Amanda won’t disappoint. Let the kids get creative and use their imagination to make colourful tropical fish in as many shades as they like.
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Paper Craft Spider
Image: Red Ted Art
Perfect for Halloween, or just to spook a sibling or dad. These little guys from Red Ted Art are so simple to create you could easily make a dozen.
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Paper Crowns
Image: Origami Funs
What about a jewel-filled crown for the little prince or princess in your life? Add some glitter or sparkly jewels and they’ll be ruler of the land (as if they aren’t already). Here’s a video from OrigamiFuns showing how to make them.
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Giddy Up Horsey
Image: DIY Thought
This paper craft from DIY Thought is a great way to recycle old newspapers and wool clippings, and kids get to practise their scissor skills cutting the horse’s mane.
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3D Rainbow Paper Craft
Image: Easy Peasy and Fun
Something a little different that may need a steady hand. These little beauties from Easy Peasy and Fun are sure to brighten up any room.
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Paper Snails
Image: David’s Creative School
We love these bright, colourful snail paper crafts. It won’t take long before a whole trail of these heart-shaped snails settles in around your home.
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Pirate Pals
Image: Molly Moo Crafts
Ahoy there matey! No paper craft round-up would be complete without a recycled toilet roll. Try this pirate craft from Molly Moo Crafts with older kids, as it takes a little more work than the others.
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Whale and Friends
Image: Red Ted Art
Make this adorable origami family of whales to dive deep alongside Nemo and friends above. Red Ted Art has full instructions and a handy how-to video.
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Airplane Paper Craft
Image: Molly Moo Crafts
Forget paper aeroplanes — we love this recycled toilet roll paper craft from Molly Moo Crafts. Bring the kids outside once it’s finished and see how far your plane will fly.
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Hungry Little Caterpillar
Image: I Heart Crafty Things
Reading The Very Hungry Caterpillar and want to bring the book to life? This little guy sticking his head out of the apple from I Heart Crafty Things is too cute.
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Paper Ladybugs
Image: I Love Matt Cardle
The kids will have you saving toilet roll tubes all summer to make these super cute ladybugs from I Love Matt Cardle.
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Origami Hopping Frogs
Make these hopping origami frogs for a bit of fun. The first one will take a little while to get right, but once you’ve got the technique down you can make a whole leaping family out of different colours and patterns.
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Miniature Doll’s House
Image: Ye Craft Ideas
This is a pretty clever miniature doll’s house idea for smallies, from Ye Craft Ideas. Let them design the house exactly as they please — who knows where their imagination will take them?
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Have you got any other suggestions for fun paper craft ideas you’ve enjoyed making with your child? Leave a comment below and let us know — we’d love to hear from you!
Frequently Asked Questions
What age are these paper crafts suitable for?
Most of these ideas work well from toddler age up, especially simpler ones like the Rocking Bird or Paper Snails. A few, like Pirate Pals or the Airplane craft, involve more cutting and folding and suit older kids or a bit of grown-up help.
What materials do I need to get started?
A stock of coloured craft paper, glue, scissors and a few decorative extras (glitter, jewels, wool) will cover almost everything here. Several crafts also reuse things you already have at home, like toilet roll tubes and old newspaper.
Are any of these mess-free?
Paper crafts are generally low-mess compared to paint or glitter-heavy projects, but glue and cutting are still part of most of them. The origami-based crafts, like the Hopping Frogs and Whale and Friends, need no glue at all.
Related Articles
If you enjoyed these, you might also like:
- 18 Easy Paper Crafts for Kids You’ll Want to Make Too
- 10 of the Cutest Fluffiest Cotton Wool Craft Ideas for Kids
- 25 Cute & Easy Paper Plate Crafts – Perfect for Preschoolers
- 50 Brilliant Art & Craft Ideas for Kids that are Worth the Mess
Save These Ideas for Your Next Rainy Day
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