As the new academic year approaches, it’s time to get creative! With the start of school just around the corner, you’re likely busy preparing everything from fresh outfits to stockpiling essential supplies. But why not make this year’s preparations a little more exciting? Introduce some fun and personality into your back-to-school routine with these 27 innovative crafts. Not only will they keep the kids entertained, but also provide a unique opportunity for self-expression and customization.
With these creative ideas, you can turn your school supplies into personalized masterpieces that reflect your individual style and flair. So go ahead, get crafty, and make this year’s first day back one to remember!
DIY Pencil Case
As the new school year approaches, the pressure is on to complete back-to-school shopping lists. Amidst the chaos of pens, markers, and colored pencils, it’s easy to overlook the most crucial aspect: where will all those supplies go? Enter the DIY pencil case, a creative solution born from an unexpected source – an empty toilet roll! Not only will this unique accessory make your first day back stand out, but it’ll also showcase your resourcefulness.
To get started, simply select a fabric of your choice (perhaps a felt sheet?) and grab your trusty glue gun. With these two essentials in hand, you’ll be well on your way to crafting a one-of-a-kind pencil case that will surely impress. And if you’re hooked on DIY crafts, don’t miss out on our collection of scrap fabric projects – there’s sure to be something that sparks your creativity!
Wrapping Paper Book Covers
When it comes to school notebooks and journals, the cost can quickly escalate with designer options featuring stunning covers. On the flip side, affordable alternatives often lack visual appeal. To breathe new life into plain notebooks, try a simple yet effective trick: wrap the covers with gift wrapping paper! A roll of beautiful gift paper can instantly elevate a notebook’s aesthetic. To get started, measure the dimensions of your notebook and cut out the necessary length of paper.
Secure it in place using clear double-sided tape. And why stop there? Feel free to add embellishments or decorative elements to take the cover to the next level!
Back to School Themed Upcycled Craft
Embracing upcycling for your back-to-school supplies is the cool thing to do. Why not get creative and breathe new life into old materials? Take Jenga blocks or wooden blocks with a smooth surface as your starting point. Grab your artistic arsenal, including craft paint, sponge paintbrushes, paint pens, and permanent markers.
Then, unleash your imagination and turn these blocks into functional back-to-school essentials like bulletin boards, rulers, pencils, erasers, name tags, chalkboards, or crayons. The possibilities are endless!
Paper Envelope
Transform any greeting card into a stunning work of art by crafting your own DIY envelope in under 15 minutes! A beautifully designed envelope can elevate the overall presentation, making it perfect for birthdays, Christmas, or simply expressing get well wishes. To create these show-stopping envelopes, start by selecting patterned cardstock and grabbing your ruler. A key tip to keep in mind is to use thick paper that will hold its shape when folded.
With a little creativity and some basic crafting skills, you’ll be able to add an extra layer of thoughtfulness to your greeting cards.
DIY Notebook
Why not create your own DIY notebook from the ground up this school year? Not only are they simple to craft, but you’ll also have the freedom to tailor the size, shape, and features to suit your unique needs. To bring your handmade book together, you’ll need a sewing machine or an alternative binding tool like a spiral coil. Thick tape can also be used as a substitute. When it comes to the cover, get creative!
You can decorate it with your favorite scrapbook paper or even use fabric for a more tactile experience. As inspiration, here’s a DIY journal cover idea worth exploring!
Back to School Shirt with Handprints
As you commemorate each new academic journey with your children, consider starting a meaningful tradition – one that can be passed down through generations. This special tee serves as a tangible representation of their milestones, becoming a treasured keepsake over time. Imagine presenting this to your kids on their final first day at school or college – what an incredible gift! It’s a thoughtful way to mark the occasion and create lasting memories.
Start by personalizing plain tees with your children and watch the tradition unfold.
Fish Craft for Kids
For a fin-tastic craft session with young learners, look no further! This ocean-inspired project lets you and your mini-me’s unleash their creativity while exploring the wonders of sea life. To get started, gather some essential supplies: colorful felt sheets, popsicle sticks, googly eyes, and adhesive. Don’t forget to have a pair of scissors on hand for when it’s time to help the kids cut out the fabric pieces.
Once you’ve got everything ready, it’s time to dive into the fun and let the creative process begin!
DIY Desk Organizer
When schoolwork dominates your evening, a dedicated workspace like your desk becomes essential for productivity. However, maintaining a clutter-free and organized study area is just as crucial. To achieve this, consider creating a DIY desk organizer using empty cardboard boxes, toilet paper rolls, and sturdy duct tape. The latter serves as the structural backbone of your creation, ensuring everything stays in place.
Alternatively, repurpose upcycled tin cans to categorize and store your school supplies, keeping them from overwhelming your workspace.
DIY Locker Pocket
School lockers are notorious for their limited storage space. Despite having ample vertical room, shelves and cubby space remain scarce. This frustrating reality can be addressed with a simple yet effective DIY solution: the locker pocket. By creating extra storage capacity, this hack allows you to keep loose sheets of paper, notes, and even small treasures like gum or candy neatly organized and out of the way.
DIY Headband
Kick off the new school year with a stylish DIY headband that’s as easy to make as it is trendy. This project requires just 30 minutes of your time and a few simple materials: a pair of scissors, an old tee shirt, and some basic knot-tying skills. The result is a beautiful knotted headband featuring a intricate Celtic-inspired pattern. With step-by-step instructions, you’ll be able to create your very own unique piece of wearable art in no time.
No-Sew T-shirt
When it comes to crafting with a no-sew pattern, few projects are as fun and versatile as upcycling an old T-shirt. With this DIY, you can get creative with the fabric itself, adding personal touches like paint or embroidery if that’s your style. The best part? It’s also a great way to breathe new life into old clothes without having to donate or discard them entirely. To get started, grab some tailor’s chalk and a pair of fabric scissors.
Before you begin cutting, take the time to carefully plan out your design to avoid any mistakes. And if you’re looking for more inspiration, we’ve got 37 DIY T-shirt ideas just waiting to be explored!
Embroidered Pencil Pouch
While it’s difficult to imagine having too many pencil pouches or school supplies, organizing them effectively is crucial. One creative way to keep your essentials in order is by crafting a DIY embroidered pencil pouch. To get started, choose vibrant threads, trendy patches, and gather your embroidery tools. The key to this project lies in deciding what design you want to stitch onto the pouch, which will also determine the color of the thread and any additional embellishments needed.
Simply thread your needle and begin creating! With a little creativity and some basic sewing skills, you can turn a plain pencil pouch into a unique and personalized accessory.
Wreath
Kick off the new school year with a fun and festive touch! Why not start by crafting a unique back-to-school wreath to adorn your room? To get started, grab a wreath form and some ruler-print tape. Simply tear the tape into strips, fold each piece in half, and then stick the adhesive sides together. Next, arrange the strips around the wreath, overlapping each row slightly as you go. As you work on your masterpiece, don’t forget to leave space for hanging it proudly in its new home.
Drawstring Bag
Creating a drawstring bag is an excellent way to keep your valuables secure and organized without the bulk of a large purse. Its versatility also makes it an ideal storage solution for school supplies, craft materials like washi tape, embellishments, and more. If you’re eager to create your own personalized pouches at home, you’ll need some fabric – which you might already have lying around from previous projects.
Along with your trusty sewing needle, thread, and pins, you’ll be all set to get crafting. For inspiration, take a look at the array of DIY scrap fabric projects available online.
Popsicle Stick Frame
What’s the most memorable way to capture milestones like the first day of school or even the annual return to classes? A DIY photo frame, that’s what! With this project using popsicle sticks, you can cherish those special moments for years to come. If you’ve got leftover craft sticks from another project, consider yourself lucky – you’re halfway there! For those who don’t have any on hand, jumbo-sized ones are just a click away.
Additionally, you’ll need hinge clips like these, cardstock, and of course, a cherished first-day-of-school photo to display. This project is the perfect excuse to get creative with your kids – make it a fun hands-on craft session that you’ll both treasure! For more popsicle stick crafting inspiration, check out this collection.
Apple Paper Photo Frames
Don’t think the popsicle frame was a one-hit wonder – here’s another DIY masterpiece that’s just as easy and charming. Introducing the apple paper photo frame, crafted in under 30 minutes with minimal materials: red and green cardstock, gold glitter clothespins, scissors, and a glue stick. And if you want to get extra precise, we’ve got a downloadable pattern and template for you to work from.
The only real challenge here is deciding which picture to showcase – so take your time and pick out the perfect shot!
Paper Plate Apple
In continuation with our previous DIY craft session featuring apples, we’re excited to share another fun and creative activity for young minds: crafting paper plate apples. This engaging project is perfect for Pre-K and primary school students, offering a wonderful opportunity to explore colors, fruits, shapes, and more. As kids work through the process of tracing and cutting out their apple shape, they’ll also be developing their motor skills in a fun and interactive way.
To take this activity to the next level, encourage your little ones to add some personality to their apples by creating green leaves and big, shiny eyes. This added touch will not only make the project more adorable but also foster creativity and imagination.
Dinosaur Pencil Holder
Kids’ fascination with dinosaurs is undeniable – whether it’s the mighty T-Rex or the lovable Barney, these prehistoric creatures have a way of captivating young minds. To build on this enthusiasm, let’s create a fun DIY project that combines learning with creativity: a dinosaur pencil holder! With just a few simple materials, including cardboard tubes (think toilet paper rolls), we can bring this dino-mite idea to life.
This adorable desk companion not only makes studying more enjoyable but also provides a convenient storage solution for pens, pencils, and craft supplies. Imagine the excitement on your child’s face when they see their favorite dinosaur guarding their school supplies – it’s sure to make learning a whole lot more engaging!
Friendship Wheel
Honor your child’s special friendship by creating a unique gift together – a friendship wheel! Not only is it a thoughtful present for their best friend, but also an enjoyable craft project to enjoy during their next playdate. To make this keepsake, you’ll need a large sheet of white paper or a roll, as well as a variety of coloring tools like crayons, pencil crayons, and markers.
The bigger the wheel, the more creative and detailed it can be, making it an even more treasured memory to look back on.
Time Capsule
Creating a Time Capsule: A Journey Through Memories As we reflect on the past, let’s explore a fun and meaningful activity that allows us to relive cherished moments – the time capsule craft project! This tradition is a rite of passage for many children, serving as a way to preserve memories and revisit them years later with a newfound appreciation.
To make this experience even more special, consider including these items in your time capsule: * A reflection on your favorite memory from the current year * A list of your closest friends, highlighting the importance of those relationships * A tactile representation of yourself at this age, such as a traced handprint, accompanied by personal mementos like a book, card, or childhood toy that holds sentimental value * A heartfelt letter to your future self, offering words of wisdom and guidance
Watercolour Bookmark
To spark a lifelong love of reading in your children, it’s crucial to capture their attention with engaging materials early on. A clever approach is to create personalized bookmarks that will pique their interest! To get started, gather the following supplies: drawing paper, scissors, watercolor paints and brushes from a set like this [insert link], a palette as described here [insert link], markers or colored pencils, and a bowl of water for blending.
With these materials at hand, you’ll be well on your way to creating unique bookmarks that will motivate your kids to dive into the world of books.
Vinyl Personalized Notebook
In school, students are often surrounded by notebooks, planners, and journals that provide a unique canvas for self-expression and creativity. One way to take advantage of this is to personalize your notebooks with custom vinyl designs. This allows you to unleash your artistic side and bring your personality to life on the page. The result is a bold and eye-catching statement piece that’s uniquely yours.
With plenty of room to experiment with different patterns, shapes, colors, and designs, the possibilities are endless. Not only will this add a touch of creativity to your schoolwork, but it’ll also earn you kudos from friends who appreciate your flair for the unique. If you’re looking for more ways to get creative, be sure to explore our other paper crafts tutorials!
DIY Binder Covers
When it comes to completing your back-to-school bundle, there’s more to it than just notebooks and supplies. A binder is an essential component, but you can’t stop there. To take your binder to the next level, why not try making your own personalized cover? It’s a fun DIY project that requires just a few simple materials. Start by gathering some washi tape from your favorite craft store.
This will be the main attraction on your binder cover, so make sure you choose colors and patterns that reflect your personality. You’ll also need some cardstock to provide a base for your design. And of course, don’t forget your binders themselves – pick out some new ones or reuse old favorites from your favorite office supply store.
3D Paper Apple Book
Retrograde your way back to childhood with a modern twist – create a 3D paper apple book filled with memories of your kid’s first day of school. This project allows you to capture the essence of their early years and cherish those moments for years to come.
What makes this idea truly special is that it can be a collaborative effort between you, as a parent, and your child. You can include photographs of them from throughout the year, making it a unique and personalized keepsake.
As time passes, you’ll find yourself adding more and more to this book, ultimately creating an incredible treasure trove that your child will appreciate when they’re older.
Dragon Bottle Cover
When it comes to creative activities with little kids, three magic words come to mind: dungeons, dinosaurs, and dragons. Who wouldn’t love crafting with these thrilling themes? Take it to the next level by helping your tiny adventurers create their own dragon-themed sippy bottle covers! They’ll be thrilled to take them to school and show off their masterpieces to friends.
To bring this imaginative project to life, you’ll need a quarter yard of favorite fabric, half yard of lining and strap material, some colorful felt scraps, elastic, a glue gun, and the downloadable template as your guide. Let the creativity soar!
Back to School Countdown Calendar
If you’re eagerly anticipating the start of a new academic year, there’s one essential tool that can help make the countdown more enjoyable: a back-to-school countdown calendar! To create your own, you’ll need some basic supplies. A Cricut machine would be a fantastic investment for cutting out intricate designs, while adhesive and ribbon will help bring everything together seamlessly. Once you’ve gathered all the necessary materials, follow the template to cut out your desired pattern.
And if crafting is more than just a hobby for you, why not try your hand at some construction paper crafts? The possibilities are endless!
Reusable Snack Bag
The ease and sustainability of these reusable snack bags truly shine through. Not only do they require minimal effort to create, but they’re just as effortless to clean and reuse – a hassle-free solution. Moreover, the fact that they can be used not only for snacks but also for lunch boxes makes them an attractive alternative to traditional packaging methods. And if you’re wondering about the process, fear not!
These bags are no-sew, making them an accessible option for crafters of all skill levels. Simply select your preferred fabric and you’ll be well on your way to creating these eco-friendly wonders.
