Spring Crafts for Kids: Easy Projects for Rainy Days

Introduction

Springtime brings plenty of rainy days that can leave kids feeling cooped up and bored. This is the perfect opportunity to get creative with fun craft projects! The purpose of this article is to provide a variety of easy spring craft ideas to keep children engaged and entertained during wet weather.

Spring is an ideal time for arts and crafts. With frequent rainy days, kids often find themselves stuck inside more. Doing crafts together is a constructive way to fill the time and prevent cabin fever. The projects in this guide will spark your child's creativity and imagination.

Crafting is also beneficial for your child's development. As they cut, glue, color, and create, kids build dexterity and fine motor skills. The process of designing crafts boosts creative thinking and problem-solving abilities. Your children will have so much fun making these spring projects, they won't even realize they're learning!

Supplies to Have on Hand

Having a few basic craft supplies on hand will make spring crafting with kids easy and fun. Here are some supplies that are good to always have ready:

• Paper - construction paper, cardstock, tissue paper
• Glue - glue sticks, white school glue, tacky glue
• Tape - masking tape, duct tape, double-sided tape
• Scissors - kid safety scissors, regular scissors (for adults)
• Crayons, markers, colored pencils
• Paint - washable tempera paint, acrylic paint

It's also helpful to save recyclables that can be turned into fun crafts. Here are some go-to items to collect:

• Cardboard tubes from toilet paper and paper towels
• Plastic bottles and containers
• Egg cartons

With just these basic supplies and recyclables on hand, you'll be ready for a wide variety of kids craft projects this spring!

Rainbow Collage

A rainbow collage is a fun and simple project that helps develop fine motor skills. For this collage you'll need:

• Colored construction paper or tissue paper
• Child-safe scissors
• Glue stick or white glue
• Paper plate or cardboard

Start by cutting the colored paper into strips. Make strips of different widths and lengths for more interest. Help young kids by cutting the paper into strips for them if needed. Then show them how to arrange and glue the strips onto the paper plate or cardboard in a rainbow shape. Encourage them to overlap the strips and layer colors. Press the strips down firmly to secure them as the glue dries.

Cutting the paper and manipulating the strips to form the rainbow shape helps promote fine motor development. The collaging process also allows kids to express creativity and make design choices about color placement. Rainbow collages make cheerful springtime artwork for the fridge or walls!

Source: https://www.pinterest.com/nammg/preschool-art-collage

Egg Carton Flowers

A fun spring craft is making bright and colorful flowers out of egg cartons. This is an easy project that kids of all ages can do. To make the egg carton flowers:

1. Paint egg carton cups a variety of bright colors like pink, yellow, orange, purple, blue, etc. Allow the paint to dry completely.
2. Cut out flower petal shapes from construction paper or scrapbooking paper. Cut different sizes and shapes for variety.
3. Take a painted egg carton cup and glue the paper flower petals around the outside of the cup, overlapping the petals slightly. Add petals all the way around the cup until it looks like a flower.
4. Repeat with the remaining egg carton cups to create a whole bouquet of colorful flowers. Let the glue dry fully.

Kids will have fun mixing and matching the egg carton colors with different colored petals. Encourage creativity by using patterned papers or mixing large and small petals. Add leaves by cutting leaf shapes from green paper. The egg carton flowers make a lovely spring craft that can be used for decorations or given as gifts. For more ideas, see this article on egg carton crafts.

Paper Plate Bunny

This easy paper plate bunny craft is a fun way to celebrate spring and Easter with kids. It's a simple project that helps develop fine motor skills.

To make the bunny mask you will need:

• Paper plates
• Cotton balls
• Glue
• Crayons or markers
• Scissors (for parents)

Start by cutting out bunny ears from a paper plate. Then let the kids glue on cotton ball tails and eyes. Have them draw on a bunny nose and whiskers with a crayon or marker. This is a great opportunity for them to practice drawing animal shapes.

Once complete, they can wear their paper plate bunny mask for imaginative play. It's sure to bring smiles this Easter!

For step-by-step instructions, check out this guide: Easy Easter Bunny Paper Plate Craft

Toilet Paper Roll Butterflies

This is a fun and easy butterfly craft that uses basic supplies like toilet paper rolls, paint, and pipe cleaners. Start by having kids decorate the toilet paper rolls however they'd like - they can paint them, color them with markers, or glue on sequins or glitter. Let the rolls dry completely after decorating.

To make the wings, cut long rectangles out of construction paper or cardstock and glue them onto the sides of the roll, so the paper sticks out on both sides like wings. Bend a pipe cleaner in half and twist it around the middle of the toilet paper roll to form the butterfly's antennae.

Then let kids decorate their butterflies however they want! They can add pom poms, googly eyes, more glitter - anything that makes their butterfly unique. The great thing about this craft is it allows kids to express their creativity, while the toilet paper rolls and pipe cleaner antennae make it simple for small hands to make.

Source: https://www.simpleeverydaymom.com/spring-toilet-paper-roll-crafts

Handprint Garden

A handprint garden is a fun and easy craft that lets kids get creative. Start by having your child trace and cut out their handprint on colored construction paper or paint their hand and press it onto a piece of paper. Use green, blue, yellow, or any bright color they like.

Then, glue the handprints onto a large piece of poster board or cardboard in the shape of a garden scene. You can have some handprints be flowers with the fingers as petals, others as leaves, grass, clouds, sun - let your child's imagination run wild!

Make sure to write your child's name on their handprint so you will remember whose little hand made this special art. The handprint garden makes a wonderful homemade gift for grandparents or a nice piece to display in your child's bedroom.

As cited from https://www.simpleeverydaymom.com/handprint-art-crafts-for-kids, handprint crafts are a creative way to capture your child's growth and boost their fine motor skills.

Egg Carton Flower Pots

A fun way to teach kids about gardening is to let them decorate and plant their own egg carton flower pots. This activity helps them learn about the plant life cycle in a hands-on way.

Start by having the kids decorate empty egg cartons however they'd like - they can color them with markers or paint, add stickers, glue on pom poms or googly eyes, etc. Let their creativity shine!

Once decorated, add some potting soil to each egg carton cup, leaving about 1/2 inch at the top. Help the kids gently press seeds into the dirt (marigolds and zinnias work well). Lightly cover the seeds with a bit more soil.

Then, have the kids water their seeds gently with a spray bottle. Place the egg carton in a sunny window and watch over the next week as the seeds sprout and grow into seedlings! The kids will love checking their progress each day.

After a couple weeks when the weather is warm, the seedlings can be transplanted into the garden outside. The egg carton flower pots teach kids about the satisfying process of growing plants from seeds.

Source: https://www.pbs.org/parents/crafts-and-experiments/grow-seedlings-in-an-egg-carton

Paper Chain Garland

A fun and easy spring craft is to make a colorful paper chain garland to decorate for the season. This is a great rainy day activity that helps develop fine motor skills in kids.

To make a paper chain garland, you will need:

• Colored paper or construction paper
• Scissors
• Glue or tape

Start by cutting the colored paper into strips about 2-3 inches wide. You can cut the strips into different lengths for visual interest.

Take one strip and loop the ends together, gluing or taping them to form a circle. Then take another strip and loop it through the first circle. Attach the ends together to form a second circle linked to the first. Continue looping and attaching strips of paper to form a paper chain garland.

Encourage kids to get creative with patterns, colors, and designs. You can alternate colors, use spring-themed papers like pastels or flower prints, or cut the strips into interesting shapes. Kids can also decorate the paper strips with crayons, markers or stickers before assembling the garland.

Once the garland is complete, hang it up to display for spring. Drape across windows, doorways or ceilings for a festive handmade decoration.

Source: https://boardandbrush.com/blog/easy-crafts-for-kids-paper-garland/

Conclusion

These cute and creative spring crafts are perfect for keeping kids engaged and learning on rainy spring days. From rainbow collages to egg carton flower pots, the projects covered provide a fun way for children to express their creativity and build fine motor skills. The best part is most of these crafts use common household items like paper plates, toilet paper rolls, and egg cartons, making preparation simple.

The next time a spring rain storm hits, don't let it dampen your day. Pull out your art supplies and try one of these easy kids crafts for hours of indoor fun. Your children will love being hands-on while making their own beautiful spring-themed art projects. Plus, you'll cherish their crafty creations for seasons to come!

So gather your supplies and get crafting on the next rainy spring day. Your kids will be learning, creating, and staying happily occupied.