Easy Craft Ideas for Moms Who Have Nothing on Hand
As a mom, I’ve had those days when I wanted to craft with my kids, but I didn’t have any supplies around and was clueless about what to create with the limited ones I had and had no idea that I could actually use household items. But since I started actively crafting with my kids, I’ve discovered other ways to still create with my kids without needing many store-bought supplies, and it’s been time-saving and cost-effective knowing this.
In this post, I’m sharing six low-prep ideas for what to make when you have low to zero craft supplies, from cereal boxes to socks. So let’s dive in, mama, because you’ve got more “craft supplies” around you than you think.
1. Cereal Box Puzzles
If you’re wondering what to make when you have zero craft supplies, start with that empty cereal box in your recycling bin, really. I made these as an after-kindergarten and road trip activity for my kids, and it was fun for them. What you need to do is cut out the front of the cereal box, then use a pen to draw puzzle shapes; it doesn’t have to be perfect at all. After that, cut it into 6 -10 pieces and give it to your children to put back together.
2. Magazine Collage Art
This is one of the best crafts with no supplies, All we used were an old magazine, and a glue stick, and if you don’t have glue available, cellotape works as well.
How to make it:
- Flip through the magazine you pick out and cut out colours, and bold pictures that also look cute.
- Arrange them on paper into animals, scenes, or on a simple plain white paper (like we did in the pictures).
- You can talk about the images: “What colours do you see? What story can we tell?” (I had my kids make up a story using their collage. It was fun, but quite funny at the same time).
3. Sock Puppets
My kids had an absolute blast making this one. All we used were old socks, googly eyes, old buttons, glue and cotton wool.
Instructions:
- You can either choose to use googly eyes, pompoms, buttons and wool to make the face or simply draw the face with a marker.
I love this particular one because it eventually leads to hours of pretend play and high-pitched voices.
4. Playdough Crafting
For this one, we used our store-bought playdough, but if you’d prefer a homemade version, then you should definitely check out MOTHERCOULD. She has the best homemade playdough recipe you’ll ever find. But here’s what we crafted.
Craft Ideas:
- Make animals, flowers, or their favourite foods.
- Use forks or spoons for texture.
- Add buttons or pasta if you have them lying around.
My favourite thing about crafting with playdough is that it’s it’s sensory and it’s open-ended.
5. Clothespin and Tissue Paper Craft
I love how we can just pick up a clothespin and a piece of tissue paper, and suddenly, it’s a butterfly. My two kiddos were amazed (and so proud!) that they made one all by themselves. I think I was just as excited watching them do it
Instructions:
- Pinch the middle of a sheet of tissue paper and clip it with the clothespin.
- You can add googly eyes if you’ve got them; otherwise, simply grab your pen or marker and draw a face on.
Bonus points: if you want, you could literally make a whole clothespin zoo, no, seriously. LOL!
DIY Binoculars
This one is popular and really fun to make. All you have to do is tape two toilet paper rolls side by side with only tape. And if you want, make a hole on each side and thread yarn through to create a strap for your kids to hang around their neck. You can even turn it into a little outing if you’re up for it – we took ours on a walk through the forest and played “I spy” while using the binoculars. It’s such a simple way to get your kids excited about being outside.
6. Picture Frames
We cut up an old delivery box for this and made picture frames out of it.
How to make it:
- Cut out a square frame from a cardboard panel and decorate around it
- Add a photo or drawing inside.
A beautiful way to reuse and decorate without any craft store run.
Final Thoughts
So, the time you’re caught off guard, just remember this list. You now know exactly what to make when you have low to zero craft supplies, and better yet, how to turn everyday scraps into fun moments with your kids.
