25 Indoor Rainy Day Craft Ideas For Kids They'll Love

Rainy afternoons don’t have to feel long with these rainy day craft ideas for kids, designed for preschool through early elementary ages. Perfect for parents, teachers, caregivers, and homeschoolers, these activities work well at home, in the classroom, or even in daycare settings.

Most use simple supplies and help build fine motor skills, creativity, and focus. Inside, you’ll find puppets, paper activities, painting ideas, and printables. You can also explore more seasonal inspiration with our spring crafts collection.

Promotional graphic for rainy day crafts for kids, with a collage of colorful children’s craft projects behind large text.

Kids Activities When It’s Rainy Outside

Unicorn Rainbow Puppet

Turn brown paper bags and bright cardstock pieces into a colorful character kids can hold and move after printing the template. Scissors and glue help them layer the face and details onto the bag without a ton of prep.

Perfect for end-of-year classroom playtime, it turns art table time into a mini “show” as everyone gets excited for summer break.

kidscraftroom.com

Astronaut Puppet

Print the template on a printer card, cut out the pieces, and use a single-hole punch to prep the joints. Paper fasteners and embroidery thread connect the arms and legs, and a pull tab makes the limbs pop up for interactive play.

When school routines start to loosen up, this feels like a “big kid” build that keeps hands busy right before summer.

www.notimeforflashcards.com

Mosaic Chameleon

Sticky-back foam makes mosaic building easy and mostly mess-free for little hands. After tracing the printable outline onto paper, cut the foam into small shapes, sort pieces in a muffin tin, and let kids peel, press, and finish with a sticky googly eye.

During end-of-year downtime, students can choose their own colors and create a one-of-a-kind display to take home.

Also try: Zoo Animal Tracing Worksheets

Crayon Paper Bag Puppet

A simple brown paper bag becomes a bright classroom character using colored cardstock or construction paper, scissors, and a glue stick. Kids cut the printable pieces, then layer the wrapper and facial features before attaching everything to the bag flap for easy pretend play.

Great for winding down the school year, it's a fun prop for last-week read-alouds and end-of-year storytelling.

thechirpingmoms.com

Slinky Dog Paper Chain

Brown construction paper strips become a stretchy chain body when kids loop and tape (or staple) each link. An accordion-folded strip makes the tail, while extra construction paper shapes and googly eyes bring the face and legs to life.

Hang it as a countdown to the last day of school, then let kids use it for pretend play once summer starts.

Related: Handprint Dog Craft

happyhooligans.ca

Paper Dolls

Thin white cardboard or a cereal box gets cut into simple people shapes, ready for decorating with fabric scraps, buttons, ribbons, and yarn. Kids glue on yarn hair, add foam details, and use markers plus googly eyes to give each figure a face.

Send kids into summer with a nostalgic end-of-year project that also doubles as a calm, screen-free toy.

Also try: Hedgehog Puppet Craft

Paper Chain Octopus

Colored cardstock strips loop into a wiggly paper chain, giving kids a fun twist on a classic classroom art supply. After printing the template, they glue the face pieces onto the template, add marker details, and build the chain “arms” by gluing each loop closed.

Set it out as an end-of-year fine-motor center, then send it home as a cheerful start-to-summer keepsake.

diyinspired.com

Hand Puppet Paper

Paper scraps in three colors and a short piece of pipe cleaner come together to form a playful finger-held character with a moving “mouth.” Use circle punches (or trace circles) for layered eyes, and fringe and curl paper eyelashes with a pen. Then glue the pipe-cleaner “V” between the backing circles.

A quick win for the last week of school, especially when kids want something they can act out right away.

Related: Easter Bunny Paper Bag Puppet

jdaniel4smom.com

Yoda Puppet Star Wars

Three brown paper lunch bags, green paint, and a plastic fork create a textured base that looks surprisingly detailed. Kids cut clothing and face pieces from construction paper and paper-bag scraps, then glue everything on and finish with a silver corrugated paper accessory.

Perfect for an end-of-year movie-day follow-up, it gives kids a fun prop for imaginative play once the final bell rings.

Also try: Baby Yoda Tissue Paper Craft

Torn Paper Dinosaur

Construction paper scraps get torn into little pieces and pressed onto glue, creating a textured picture that feels more like art than worksheets.

Use the printable outline, spread glue over one section at a time, then add the cut-out pieces and finish details with a black marker—a relaxing last-week-of-school option that builds fine-motor control while kids daydream about summer.

raisinglittlesuperheroes.com

Paper Chain Snake

Green and yellow cardstock strips turn into a long chain when kids cut, loop, and staple each link. Rounded triangle pieces get glued on for a head and tail, then googly eyes and a small red balloon piece add personality.

Try it as an end-of-year countdown—one link per day makes the wait for summer feel shorter.

Related: Snake Headband Craft

www.craftymorning.com

Paper Bag Lego Man Puppet

Colorful paper (orange, brown, yellow, blue, black, and red) and a plain paper bag come together as kids cut out hair, arms, and outfit pieces. Glue the shapes in place, then use a skinny black marker to add extra details or to draw the dark squares without cutting.

A fun end-of-year option for older kids who enjoy lots of scissors work, and it's great as a take-home art project after the class party.

Also try: Star Wars Lego Mosaics

Torn Paper Pete the Cat

Kids turn colored cardstock or construction paper into a textured storybook keepsake by tearing and gluing paper onto the printed background. Print the template, spread glue on sections, tear the main color into small pieces, then add the cut-out eyes and nose, and draw the face details with markers.

It's a fun end-of-year reading tie-in when classes are wrapping up, and kids still want hands-on projects.

artsymomma.com

Recycled Robots

Junk drawer treasures—cardboard tubes, small boxes, lids, and bottle caps—become a build-your-own figure when kids start stacking and taping. Wrap the main body in tin foil, then add arms and legs with pipe cleaners, straws, or folded cardboard, and decorate with markers, stickers, and googly eyes.

A perfect end-of-school-year maker activity that helps clear out odds and ends while kids create something uniquely theirs.

Related: Robot Father's Day Card Craft

Elephant Toilet Paper Roll

Save an empty toilet paper roll and wrap it with cardstock pieces to create a sturdy 3D animal. After printing the template, kids cut out the parts, glue the face pieces together, then use tape to secure the body around the tube before adding legs and the head.

Perfect for end-of-year classroom cleanouts, it turns recyclables into something kids can proudly take home for summer play.

www.easypeasyandfun.com

Accordion Paper Bee

Two long strips of yellow and black paper turn into a springy body when kids glue them at a right angle and accordion-fold. Add a small black triangle at the bottom, then attach a decorated head and blue heart-shaped wings with glue (wiggle eyes are optional).

Make a few during the last week of school and hang them up for a simple, cheerful “hello summer” display.

Also try: Bee Paper Craft

Lion Toilet Paper Roll

A toilet paper roll gets a makeover with colored cardstock or construction paper, tape, and a few cut-and-glue pieces. Print the template, assemble the face and body parts, wrap the body around the tube, then attach the head and a simple tail for the finishing touch.

Great for using up classroom leftovers right before summer break, and kids can make more than one for pretend play.

myboredtoddler.com

Speckled Toilet Roll Frog Puppets

Half a toilet roll wrapped in dark green paper becomes a sturdy little character kids can hold and play with. Cut legs from dark green paper, glue on googly eyes, draw a smile with a marker, then add a red tongue and light-green hole-punched “speckles.”

Great for the last days of school, when kids need a quick art project they can use right away for songs and pretend play.

Related: Frog Paper Cup Craft

Seagull Paper Plate

Use half a paper plate as the body base, then glue on cardstock wings, legs, and a beak to create a bold silhouette. Kids cut the plate, glue the template pieces in place, and build the face step by step with easy shapes.

An end-of-school-year activity that feels summery without getting messy, making it great for classroom parties and send-homes.

happytoddlerplaytime.com

Cloud Suncatcher

Black construction paper frames and sticky contact paper create a window-ready design, with double-sided tape helping hold everything in place. Kids fill the open areas with torn white and blue tissue paper, then seal it with a second layer of contact paper for a smooth finish.

An easy end-of-year classroom decoration that feels bright and summery, and it doubles as a sweet take-home keepsake.

Also try: Rainbow Do A Dots

Paper Plate Panda

A plain paper plate becomes a cute animal face once kids trace the template, cut it out, and glue on cardstock shapes. Black marker finishes the mouth detail, while layered ears and cheeks add personality without extra fuss.

It's a calm end-of-school-year project when you need an easy project that still looks polished on a bulletin board.

frugalfun4boys.com

Pipe Cleaner Princess

Pipe cleaners, pony beads, and short straw pieces twist together into a poseable little person kids can bend and move. A cupcake liner becomes the skirt with a bit of hot glue, and a painted wood bead head gets yarn hair, googly eyes, and a simple felt hat or tiara.

Fun for end-of-year play centers, especially when kids want an art they can keep acting out during summer break.

Related: Princess Handprint Craft

nontoygifts.com

Torn Paper Giraffe

A black cardstock background makes the colors pop while kids build the long neck first with the printable pieces and glue. Tear brown construction paper into tiny spots, glue them on for texture, then add the head pieces and draw the mouth with a black marker.

A great end-of-school-year zoo-unit wrap-up that keeps hands busy without needing paint or glitter.

Also try: Giraffe Handprint Craft

Paper Dinosaur Egg

Colored cardstock or construction paper pieces get cut and layered into a cute hatching scene using the free template and a glue stick. Kids add details like spines, a belly, and an arm, then decorate the shell with spots using a circle punch (optional) before gluing everything together.

Perfect for end-of-school-year bulletin boards, and it keeps scissors busy during that “almost summer” week.

www.craftsonsea.co.uk

Build an Astronaut Free Cut and Paste

Print the PDF on white paper (or cardstock for durability), then let kids color the parts with markers or colored pencils. After cutting along the dotted lines, they glue the helmet, arms, legs, boots, and extra gear together, then add a chosen face or even a photo in the visor.

Perfect for end-of-year classrooms because it's low-prep, keeps scissors busy, and looks great on a summer-ready bulletin board.

More Fun Kid’s Ideas

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photograph of found of Simple Everyday Mom, Sam

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Sam is the crafter and founder of Simple Everyday Mom. She has been featured in Oprah Mag, Good Housekeeping, The Spruce Crafts, Country Living, The Bump, and more.

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