Simple Toddler Arts & Craft Ideas: 101 Toddler Activities

Need simple toddler arts & craft ideas for slow summer days or rainy mornings? With just a few household items and low-prep, your little one will stay engaged (if only for a few precious minutes!).

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Parent need hands-on, screen-free activities year-round, but summer brings new routines and challenges. Less structure and routine plus busy toddlers can equal pull-your-hair out frustration for us moms! That’s why I rounded up my favorite go-to toddler crafts to help us create meaningful play moments. I enjoyed these projects with my boys in their younger years. Each activity invites wonder without a trip to the store.

Whether your toddler is figuring out fine motor skills or moving towards preschool independence, the arts and crafts ideas here encourage exploration and curiosity. Just a heads-up that some crafts might require extra hands and supervision for younger kids, but most are simple enough for older toddlers and preschoolers to play solo.

Bonus: no complicated supplies necessary. One craft project calls for Plaster of Paris (the DIY Chalk), but most use items from your recycling bin, junk drawer, or typical craft bin.

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Tech-Free Toddler Arts & Craft Ideas

Decorated Snack Bags

Let your child decorate their snack bags with pipe cleaners, stickers, and googly eyes! (may require some help if you use glue/tape). This toddler arts and craft idea is one your tot can make now, then you can save a stack of their bag creations to put snacks in whenever you go on an outing! They’ll love the surprise of seeing their handiwork again.

Finger Puppet Craft Idea

Create simple finger puppets using old rubber gloves! Waterproof for bath time fun as well!

Wildlife Care Activity

Teach your child to help your backyard wildlife with this easy bird nesting bag craft!

DIY Playdough Craft

The clean way to make your own playdough or goo: put it in a plastic bag and tape it shut. I love this! It never has to come out of the bag! Shhhh don’t tell your child until they are MUCH older, and you might get another year or two without digging dried chunks out of all your furniture!

• Check out my DIY Purple Playdough Recipe (it’s scented!)
• Or, try this fun Chocolate Playdough Cookie Shop Play Idea

DIY Sidewalk Chalk or Paint

Make your own chunky sidewalk chalk for coloring on sidewalks and driveways using this easy recipe and some shape molds. Let your toddler draw to their heart’s content outside. (This craft uses Plaster of Paris – grab a small bag here and try these vegetable based paint powder instead of tempura paint for safety with kids).

Make your own non-toxic sidewalk paint! Don’t worry, it’ll wash away with the next rain shower! 

A Continuous Easel for Toddler Artists

Create a continuous coloring easel using a roll of paper, over the door hooks, and curtain rod/dowel!

Paper Tube Rain Stick Craft

This paper tube rain stick is quieter than the real version! My son loves to make noise, and I think I’d rather hear this than wooden trucks knocking about!

Want more music? Try this handmade musical instruments craft project!

The Simplest Paper Craft for Toddlers!

This is so simple, it’s almost ridiculous. Let your baby tear paper (magazines, construction, etc) into strips. I’ve read paper tearing is an important pre-scissors skill. And babies love the sound of it. If you have an older child, they can make a collage with the torn strips. Turn this into a side-by-side craft with their older siblings!

Decorate a vase or pencil holder

Create a decorated vase or pencil holder by having your toddler apply stickers to an empty soda bottle, disposable coffee cup or other container. (Tip: Use those sheets and sheets of mailing labels that come in promotional mailings for sticker practice before using up your “fun” stickers.” Early sticker-artists won’t really care as long as they get to stick, stick, stick!).

The Wonder Box Idea

Years ago I spotted this idea for a “wonder” tissue box craft. Since I didn’t have a tissue box handy, I used a wet wipes container instead. This activity needs parents to help assemble because of the knot-tying. I found it to be a great no-sew use for the TONS of scrap fabrics and ribbons I collect. The “craft” part comes in when you give your toddler a pile of colorful fabric scraps and allow them to arrange to their liking. What a great chance to name colors and patterns as they play with the fabric. Have them hand you the next scrap to hand-tie together, or allow them to lay out a whole line of scraps and tie them all at once! Older toddlers may enjoy learning how to tie a knot!

My son loved playing with this tactile box. He pulled the strips out and stuffed them back in over and over again. I highly recommend this wonder box as a quiet road trip activity.

Bean Bag Toss Activity

Make temporary bean bags with zip snack bags filled with beans, rice, or unpopped corn kernels. (Be sure you’re using bags with a good seal, otherwise tape them shut!). Toddlers will love to measure in the beans/filler. You might want to mix them for a fun multi-colored effect!

Quick safety tips for toddler arts and craft time:

To keep play time safe and spree-free, stay close during toddler creative play! Watch for small parts, use non-toxic materials, and always supervise.

Protect your space by covering tables and floors with a drop cloth (if you’re handy, try this easy 1-hour Cornered Tablecloth!)

Make clean up a breeze by playing close to a sink or water hose.

And don’t just stand by – join in! Simple crafts offer opportunity to connect. Because it’s not really about that spaghetti necklace is it? It’s about the moments of laughter and exploration you’ll cherish.

Got a favorite project for toddler arts and crafts time? (Especially for the pre-scissors stage!). Share it in the comments.

Pin this post to share these toddler arts and craft ideas!

Have you checked out all 101 Toddler Activities?

• Water Play with Toddlers
• Summer Reading for Toddlers
• Simple Arts & Crafts with Toddlers (you are here)
• Rainy Day Ideas for your Toddler
• Road Trip with a Toddler
• Kiddie Workout
• Toddler Activities In the Kitchen
• Life Skills for every Toddler
• Simple Things you can do with your Toddler