Crafting with kids is a fantastic way to engage their creativity and motor skills and is an opportunity to teach them about recycling and reusing materials.
One of the most versatile and readily available crafting supplies is the toilet paper roll. These cardboard tubes can be transformed into a menagerie of characters, a fleet of vehicles, or even pieces of decorative art.
In this article, we'll explore playful toilet paper roll crafts that kids can enjoy making. From fluttering butterflies to roaring rockets, these crafts are simple, cheap, and a delightful way to spend a crafty afternoon.
So gather up those leftover rolls and prepare to inspire your little ones with a world of imaginative possibilities!
43 Toilet Paper Roll Crafts for Kids
1. Cardboard Tube Penguins
These penguin figurines are crafted from toilet paper rolls, and their bodies are painted in a stark black-and-white coat.
The eyes are made of small circles of white paper with a black dot in the middle, and triangles of orange paper and cardboard serve as the beak and feet.
2. Superhero Cuffs With Sparkles
Create dazzling superhero cuffs by covering jumbo toilet paper rolls with shiny foil or metallic paint. Embellish them with glitter and sequins to add sparkle.
These cuffs can be slit on one side to fit around a child's wrist, allowing for easy wear during heroic imaginative play.
3. Miniature Cardboard Castles
Construct miniature castles using toilet paper rolls for the towers and additional cardboard for the walls.
Paint the structures in stone colors, and add paper flags atop each one. Glue on cut-out windows and doors to give the castle a more realistic appearance.
4. Jungle Safari Binoculars
Transform a pair of toilet paper rolls into safari binoculars by painting them in green, brown, and black splotches to mimic a camouflage effect.
Glue the two rolls together, create a focusing ring with cardboard for a realistic look, and wrap everything together with a piece of string or a rubber band for children to hang around their necks.
5. Toilet Roll Dragons With Flames
Fashion a dragon from toilet paper rolls by using them for the body’s base, cutting out scales, and painting them in greens, reds, or any color of choice.
To complete the mythical creature, add wings cut from colored paper, then use a paper cup for the face.
6. Space Rockets With Foil Flames
Craft space rockets from toilet paper rolls, painting them white with bands of red and blue. Attach a cone-shaped top cut from cardboard.
For the flames, use curled strips of cardboard or foil in red and yellow hues affixed to the rocket's base.
7. Underwater Submarines
Create submarines by covering toilet paper rolls in bright yellow and blue paint. Add a periscope using a scrap toilet paper roll, and use a marker to draw on windows.
8. Fairy-Tale Carriages
Turn toilet paper rolls into fairy-tale carriages by painting them in pastel shades and attaching wheels cut from cardboard.
Use watercolors, draw on doors and windows, and decorate with glitter to complete the whimsical look.
9. Cardboard Tube Superman Craft
Make a Superman figure by covering a toilet roll in blue paper or paint. Cut the iconic "S" symbol from red and yellow paper and glue it to the front. Create a cape from red fabric or paper to attach at the back.
10. DIY Kaleidoscopes with Beads
Assemble a kaleidoscope using a toilet paper roll as the body. Cover it in holographic foil, and at one end, secure a translucent, bead-filled disc made from clear plastic.
The opposite end can be left open or covered with a circle of clear plastic to look through.
11. Colorful Cardboard Tube Snakes
Paint toilet paper rolls in bright, alternating shades of green. Cut the roll into a spiral from the bottom to the top to create a coiling effect. Add a forked tongue from red paper and draw or stick on eyes to give the snake life.
12. Cardboard Tube Polar Bear
Paint a toilet paper roll in white or cover it with white paper to create the body of a giant polar bear. Glue on cotton balls for a textured fur effect.
Use small black beads for eyes and yarn for noses to complete the Arctic creature.
13. Enchanted Fairy Houses
Turn toilet paper rolls into fairy houses by painting them in green and purple colors and crafting cone-shaped roofs from cardboard covered in foam or paper flowers and faux moss.
Cut out windows and doors, then decorate with flower stickers and drawn-on vines for an enchanted look.
14. Pirate Telescopes With Gold Trim
Make pirate telescopes by covering toilet paper rolls of different sizes with black paper and adding gold paper or paint around the ends for trim.
A circle of clear plastic can be attached at the end with the gold trim to mimic the lens of a telescope, and a skull and crossbones emblem can be added for a pirate touch.
15. Whimsical Lanterns With Ribbons
Create colorful lanterns by coloring or covering toilet paper rolls in brightly colored paper. Attach long ribbons or strips of fabric to one end of the roll.
Hang the lanterns with a string attached to the roll, allowing the ribbons to flow and flutter in the breeze.
16. Cardboard Tube Batman
To create Batman, paint a toilet paper roll deep gray and add the classic costume with paint and the emblem cut from yellow paper! For his cape, use a piece of black fabric or paper glued to the back.
17. Springtime Tulips With Green Stems
Create tulips by cutting toilet paper rolls into petals and painting them in bright tulip colors.
Put the petals together, and attach them to green-painted wooden skewers or straws to serve as stems. Place them in a vase for a springtime display, or arrange them into a bouquet for Mom on Mothers' Day!
18. Festive Christmas Crackers
Wrap paper towel rolls in holiday-themed paper and tie near the ends with ribbon to mimic Christmas crackers!
19. Cardboard Tube Chicks
Create cute chicks made from toilet paper rolls by covering them in yellow paper or paint.
Add features like orange paper beaks and feet, and glue on small googly eyes. For a fluffy appearance, attach yellow feathers or fringed paper around the head or body.
20. Halloween Ghosts With Floating Arms
Craft ghosts by draping crepe paper or Japanese paper over toilet paper rolls. Draw on haunting faces with a marker, and cut the bottom edges to resemble floating forms.
Suggestion: You can also add battery-powered lights to each ghost and hang them up for spooky lighting.
21. Bright and Bold Butterflies
Create fluttering butterflies by decorating toilet paper rolls with bright paints or colored paper for the body.
Cut eye and wing shapes from cardboard, paint them in vibrant patterns, and attach them to the roll. Add antennae made from pipe cleaners or thin wire to complete the butterfly.
22. Cardboard Tube Owls With Feathers
Create owls using toilet paper rolls as the body, painting feathers and adding wings with black speckles for texture. Fashion large eyes from white and black paper circles and a small triangle of brown paper for the beak.
These owls can be perched on a branch or lined up for a woodland display.
23. Flowering Cacti with Pink Blooms
Make cacti by painting toilet paper rolls green and adding texture with black lines. Top them with pink paper flowers to represent the blooms.
24. Racing Cars with Number Decals
Turn toilet paper rolls into racing cars by painting them in bright colors and cutting out a hole for the seat. Cut out circles from cardboard for wheels and attach them to the sides.
Add numbers cut from paper or stickers to give each car its own identity.
25. Fire-Breathing Dragons with Tissue Paper
Construct dragons by wrapping toilet paper rolls in green paper and painting scales. Use another toilet paper roll for the face, ears, wings, and tail to finish the mythical creature.
26. Princess Crowns With Jewels
Craft princess crowns from the top half of toilet paper rolls, cutting zigzag patterns to create peaks. Adorn them with gems to emulate real jewels.
Tip: You may also choose to paint the crown gold or cover them in gold foil for maximum royalty.
27. DIY Rain Sticks With Rice Inside
Create rain sticks by sealing one end of a long paper towel roll with cardboard. Fill the tube with rice, beans, or small pebbles, then seal the other end.
Decorate the outside with colored paper or paint, and listen to the sound of rain as you slowly tilt the stick back and forth.
28. Unicorns With Yarn Manes
Make unicorns by painting toilet paper rolls white and gluing yarn around the top for the mane. Choose pastel or rainbow colors for the yarn. Then jam a stick into the mane and wrap it in stripes of yarn colors for the horn.
Draw on eyes and add ears using paper to complete the enchanted creature.
29. Alien Spaceships With Dome Tops
Fashion alien spaceships using toilet paper rolls for the base, painting them in metallic or bright colors. Attach the bottom of a clear plastic cup or its plastic dome lid on top, and if desired, place a small alien figure inside.
Add details like portholes and antennae using paper or markers.
Tip: You can also DIY aliens using construction paper!
30. Toilet Roll Ninjas
Make ninjas by painting toilet paper rolls in black. Use beige-colored fabric for the face, and cut eyes from black paper. Attach these near the top end of the roll.
Then use additional black paper to create arms and the head covering's hanging ends, and wrap a thin black rope around the body for the belt.
31. Flying Superheroes With Capes
Craft different superheroes by covering toilet paper rolls with colored paper to represent different outfits.
Add eye masks on them, belts, emblems, capes, and paper arms using colored paper. You can even let them pose in flying positions.
32. Cardboard Tube Elephants With Large Ears
Turn toilet paper rolls into elephants by painting them gray and adding large ears cut from gray paper or cardboard.
Attach a long trunk made from gray paper and draw on eyes. For legs, add smaller toilet paper rolls at the base and paint them gray too.
33. Decorative Totem Poles
Create totem poles by stacking multiple toilet paper rolls vertically and securing them together.
Paint each section with vibrant colors and traditional Native American or Polynesian symbols or figures. Display them standing upright.
34. Cardboard Tube Giraffes With Spotted Necks
Make giraffes by painting paper towel rolls yellow dotted with brown or tan spots for the fur pattern.
Top it with a small head crafted from a halved toilet paper roll and a painted cup, then add eyes, ears, and horns made from paper or cardboard.
35. Miniature Bowling Alley Set
Construct a miniature bowling alley using toilet paper rolls as pins. Paint them white with two red stripes at the neck, resembling traditional bowling pins.
Use a toy bowling ball for a fun game.
36. Toilet Paper Bees With Striped Bodies
Craft bees by painting alternating black and yellow stripes around toilet paper rolls. Cut wings from wax paper or colored paper and attach them to the back.
Add wire or fuzzy wire for antennae, add eyes using paper, and draw a smile on the front with marker to finish the bee.
37. Cardboard Tube Monsters With Googly Eyes
Cover paper towel rolls in colorful paper or paint to create monsters. For a whimsical effect, affix multiple sizes of googly eyes, and use paper strips or ribbons for wild hair and limbs.
Each monster can have its unique set of features, like sharp teeth or horns made from cut paper or drawn on with markers.
38. Toilet Roll Airplanes With Wing Flaps
Craft airplanes by cutting wing flaps from cardboard and attaching them to toilet paper rolls painted in bright hues or covered in colored paper.
Attach a propeller cut from paper or cardboard at the front.
39. Intricate Cardboard Lighthouses
Build lighthouses by stacking and gluing toilet paper rolls to create height. Cover them with paper painted in stripes and add cutouts for the windows.
For an accurate depiction, attach roofs on top made from cardboard. For older kids, you can even add viewing decks!
40. Cardboard Tube Turtles With Shell Patterns
For summer crafts, create turtles by painting toilet paper rolls and drawing patterns or cutting out shell patterns from colored paper and gluing them on the rolls.
For the head and limbs, attach smaller pieces of painted paper or cardboard.
41. Toilet Paper Roll Octopuses With Curly Legs
Fashion octopuses by painting toilet paper rolls in shades of purple or pink. Cut the bottom half of the roll into eight strips or attach eight cardboard strips and curl them to create tentacles.
Add paper eyes and dots to give them a playful appearance.
42. Cardboard Tube Ladybugs With Spotted Wings
Make ladybugs by cutting toilet paper rolls into shorter segments and covering them with red paint or paper. Add black spots, then attach a small black paper dome with goofy eyes and paper antennae at one end.
43. Miniature Cardboard Tube Village
Build a village by covering toilet paper rolls in various colors of paint. Cut out doors and windows or paint them in contrasting colors. Then attach cardboard roofs with different colors and patterns.
Turn Trash Into Treasures With These Toilet Paper Roll Craft Ideas!
The humble toilet paper roll is a surprisingly versatile crafting material that offers endless opportunities for creativity and fun with kids.
From fluttering butterflies and fierce dragons to intricate lighthouses and cozy fairy houses, these toilet paper roll crafts provide engaging activities for children of all ages.
So next time you're about to toss out an empty toilet paper roll, remember that it could be the start of a fantastic crafting adventure for you and your little ones!
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