Can you believe it’s already time to start thinking about back to school? These easy back-to-school crafts are the perfect activity to bridge that gap between summer mode and school mode.
I’ve rounded up 14 ideas that cover all ages, from little ones just heading to preschool to kids who’ve been around the school block a few times.
1. DIY Pencil Holder from a Tin Can
Save those empty tin cans because they’re about to become the coolest desk accessory in class. Wrap them in washi tape, paint them, add stickers — totally up to your kid.
Love crafting with recycled materials? Check out our 15 easy tin can crafts for kids for even more fun ways to turn empty cans into creative projects.
2. Personalized Bookmarks
Cut cardstock into strips and let kids go wild decorating them. For a simpler version that works great as a back-to-school craft for toddlers, just let them stamp or scribble on pre-cut strips and then laminate them.
3. School Bus Paper Craft
For this craft, you only need a few basics — yellow, black, and red construction paper, plus a glue stick, scissors, and markers or crayons.
Start by cutting a large yellow rectangle for the bus body. Then cut a slightly smaller yellow rectangle and glue it to one short end, just a little lower than the top edge. That’s what gives it that classic bus shape!
Cut two or three small black circles for wheels and glue them along the bottom. Add a row of small black or white rectangles across the top half as windows, a red rectangle at the back for taillights, and draw a door with your marker.
Now the fun part — let kids draw tiny faces peeking out of the windows. Every bus ends up totally unique!
4. Apple Paper Plate Craft
Paint a paper plate bright red and let it dry completely. The paper plate makes the perfect base for a big, cheerful apple.
Cut a simple leaf from green construction paper and a stem from brown paper. Glue them to the top of the plate to give your apple its classic shape.
For extra personality, add googly eyes or draw a smile with a marker. Once dry, your adorable apple craft is ready to brighten up any classroom bulletin board or wall display!
5. Name Puzzle Craft
Write your child’s name in big bubble letters on cardstock, cut it into pieces, and let them puzzle it back together. It’s sneaky literacy practice disguised as play — one of my favorite back-to-school crafts for kindergarten tricks.
6. Popsicle Stick Pencil Decoration
Paint a few popsicle sticks bright yellow and let them dry completely. This simple step is perfect for little hands and makes the craft feel just like a real pencil.
Cut small pink rectangles from craft foam or cardstock and glue them to one end of each stick to create the erasers. Add a thin gray strip between the eraser and the stick for the metal band.
For the pencil tip, glue a small tan triangle to the opposite end and color the point black. Once everything is dry, your cute mini pencil decorations are ready to display for back-to-school fun!
7. Handprint Apple Tree
Dip little hands in brown and green paint to make the tree trunk and leaves, then add red fingerprint apples.
This is hands-down (pun intended) one of the sweetest back-to-school crafts for toddlers — save it forever, seriously.
8. Paper Pencil Craft
Roll a sheet of yellow construction paper into a long pencil shape and secure it with glue or tape. This forms the main body of your giant classroom pencil.
Cut a triangle from tan paper for the wooden tip and add a small black triangle at the end for the pencil lead. Glue both pieces to one end of the pencil.
Finish by attaching a pink rectangle for the eraser and a thin gray strip for the metal band. Hang several together on a bulletin board for a fun back-to-school display
9. First Day of School Photo Frame
Decorate a cardboard frame with paint, glitter, and school-themed stickers before the big day.
On the first morning, snap a photo and pop it right in. It’s one of the most-saved welcome back to school crafts for kids on Pinterest for good reason — it’s adorable AND it doubles as a keepsake.
10. Notebook Cover Decoration
Personalize plain notebooks with stickers, drawings, and patterned paper. Let kids go wild with washi tape borders and foam letter stickers.
This is one of the most practical back-to-school crafts because kids actually use the finished product every day.
11. Owl Bookmark Corner
Fold paper into owl-shaped corner bookmarks. These folded paper crafts are a hit as back-to-school crafts for kindergarten. These kids require some basic folding skills, which is great for developing hand coordination. Add googly eyes for extra cuteness.
12. Apple Stamping Art
Cut an apple in half, dip it in paint, and press it onto paper. The natural star pattern inside makes the most beautiful prints — kids are always amazed by it. This is one of the easiest and most satisfying back-to-school crafts for toddlers out there.
13. Paper Chain Countdown to School
Create a colorful paper chain and remove one link each day leading up to the first day of school. Kids love watching the countdown get shorter.
14. Teacher Thank-You Card
Save this one for the night before school. Help kids make a heartfelt handmade card for their new teacher — a drawing, a kind message, maybe a paper flower tucked inside. It’s the sweetest of all welcome back to school crafts for kids and sets such a beautiful tone for the year ahead.
A Few Quick Tips Before You Start
Stock up on washable paint and markers, and gather your supplies ahead of time to make crafting easier.
Don’t worry about perfection — the most meaningful crafts are the ones kids create themselves.
Display their finished projects proudly, and consider making back-to-school crafting a fun yearly tradition.
These back-to-school crafts are fun, easy, and totally doable even on a busy pre-school week. I hope this list gives you plenty of inspiration. The new school year is almost here!
Keep little hands busy with our collection of easy crafts for kids, perfect for every time of year:
- 15 Animal Crafts for Kids: Learning Through Art
- Animal Paper Crafts for Kids: Creative Fun with Simple Materials
- Pipe Cleaner Crafts for Kids: Creative Fun from Toddlers to Teens
- 15 Recycled Crafts for Kids Using Plastic Bottles
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