Cardboard rolls and toilet paper rolls — they are the most basic items of your art and crafts kit because you can rustle them up easily from around the house. But team these everyday items with glue, paint, scissors and coloured board, and there are hours of fun to be had.

Rainbow Clouds

Kids can make this fun DIY craft project for rainbow clouds with cardboard rolls.

How gorgeous are these simple happy clouds? This is a nice and easy craft project that helps them practise scissor skills. When creating the streamers, you can talk about what causes rainbows and how they are formed – an opportunity for great scientific sideline chat about spectrums and light. Also, ask them what colours they see in the rainbow? It might even prompt a sing-along while crafting: “Red and yellow and pink and green...”

Kids can make this fun DIY craft project for rainbow clouds with cardboard rolls.

‍Step 1: Paint the cardboard roll blue. Leave to dry.

Step 2: Cut cloud shapes out of white cardboard. Draw a face on the cloud shape, and glue to the cardboard roll. ‍

Step 3: Cut the tissue paper into strips.

Step 4: Using sticky tape, attach the tissue paper strips to the inside of the cardboard roll.

Step 5: Attach thread or twine to the top and hang.

What You’ll Need

Kids can make fun DIY projects using cardboard rolls and simple crafts supplies

SEE ALSO: 16 Crafts Perfect for Primary School Kids

Counting Trees

Kids can make this cute counting trees crafts project using cardboard rolls

1, 2, 3... how many trees do you see? For little ones who are only just getting the hang of numeracy, this is a fun project that will come in handy long after the crafting is done. It’s a clever, playful way to start number recognition, and the more counting trees you create, the more they’ll learn. As they progress, it can become an addition game, too, adding up either the number of trees or the numbers on the trees. Or both!

Kids can make this cute counting trees crafts project using cardboard rolls

‍Step 1: Cut a little slit on opposite sides of the top of the cardboard roll.

‍Step 2: Cut the tree canopy shape out of the green card.

‍Step 3: Draw a number on the cardboard roll (tree trunk).  

‍Step 4: Stick red dots on the tree canopies to correlate to the numbers on the tree trunks.

‍Step 5: Place each tree canopy in the slits at the top of the trunk.

What You’ll Need

Kids can make cute counting trees using cardboard rolls and basic crafts supplies

SEE ALSO: 5 Fun DIY Paper Plate Crafts

Explorer’s Binoculars

Kids can use cardboard rolls to make this easy binoculars craft project.

Mini-David Attenboroughs will love the idea of having their own binoculars. And these are a cinch to make, fun to decorate and encourage their sense of curiosity. Once the crafting is done, the kids can explore their natural habitat – indoors and out – and report back what they see.

Kids can use cardboard rolls to make this easy binoculars craft project.

‍Step 1: Using craft bits and pieces let the kids decorate two cardboard rolls.

‍Step 2: Use sticky tape to join the two cardboard rolls together.

‍Step 3: Stick twine to the top left and right side of the cardboard rolls. Ready for action!

What You’ll Need

What you need to make a cardboard roll binocular craft project for kids

SEE ALSO: 4 Construction Activities for Kids Who Love to Build

Zooming Rocket Ships

Cool kids DIY crafts project for spaceship rockets made from cardboard rolls

What kid doesn’t love the idea of outer space? Feed their imagination for extraterrestrial adventures with this easy-to-make rocket ship. Cutting the rocket window will require some adult help, but then it’s up to them to cut the rocket wings shape and decorate.  

Cool kids DIY crafts project for spaceship rockets made from cardboard rolls

‍Step 1: Paint the cardboard roll white. Leave to dry.

‍Step 2: Help them cut out the rocket window in the cardboard roll with a craft knife.

‍Step 3: Cut the wing shape of the rocket ship out of white board and decorate.

‍Step 4: Glue the cardboard roll to the wings.

‍Step 5: Cut strips of tissue paper and sticky tape inside the cardboard roll.

What You’ll Need

What you need to make a rocket from cardboard rolls as a crafts project for kids

SEE ALSO: 5 Fun DIY Air Dry Clay Projects Kids Will Love

Cheeky Aliens

Make cute aliens out of cardboard rolls as an easy DIY crafts project for kids

What would you see from the window of your zooming rocket ship? Friendly aliens, of course. (Though they might need their explorer’s binoculars to see them up close!) Kids can use their imagination as they create little green monsters – or maybe they want to make blue, purple or even pink versions of ET? Give their fine motor skills and creative sensibilities a workout as they design their very own alien race.

Make cute aliens out of cardboard rolls as an easy DIY crafts project for kids

‍Step 1: Paint the cardboard roll green. Leave to dry.  

‍Step 2: Cut circles from the green card and attach the googly eyes, then attach to the cardboard roll.

‍Step 3: Cut shapes for the ears and mouth and attach.  

‍Step 4: Use pipe cleaners and pom poms to create antennae.

What You’ll Need

What you need to make a rocket from cardboard rolls as a crafts project for kids

Click here to download step by step instructions as a PDF and to see some homemade projects.