Free Preschool Crafts

My son tie-dyed this cool Halloween shirt at drop-in day care, and I finished it off by adding the jack-o-lantern faces to the round “pumpkins.” It’s definitely a team project!

What You Need: White T-shirt in your child’s size; orange fabric dye; rubber bands; black permanent marker (such as Sharpie).

How to Make It: Prepare dye as instructed on package. Help child section off portions of the shirt and wrap rubber bands around these sections multiple times. Dye shirt according to package directions. Wash shirt by itself in cold water using laundry detergent. Dry it by itself. Once dry, use permanent marker to draw jack-o-lanterns. (The jack-o-lantern faces would be super-cute if drawn by the child, but my kid wasn’t into it on this day!)

Each child will end up with a completely different set of bookends when they pick their favorite farm animals in this easy barnyard bookends craft. Be sure to have a large assortment of animals on hand!

What You Need: 2 wood blocks (sanded, or older children can sand their own); 8 craft sticks; wood glue or another stong but safe glue (supervise children carefully); acrylic paints; brushes; assorted plastic farm animals and accessories.

How to Make It: Paint wood blocks green for grass (or yellow for hay, or any color they’d like!). Paint craft sticks white or brown. Let dry. Glue sticks into fence shape as shown. Let dry. Glue to wood block. Repeat for other bookend. Arrange animals in barnyard scene and adhere with glue.

Kids can practice their cutting skills while making a cute gift: this easy bookmark shaped like a worm or caterpillar.

What You Need: Craft foam in bright colors; medium pompom; short length of pipe cleaner; 2 small pompoms; durable circle punch or quarter (to trace around); foam glue; scissors.

How to Make It: Punch out circles, or trace around a quarter with pencil and cut out the circles (littler kids may need some help with this). Glue circles together, overlapping slightly. Glue medium pompom to top circle. Cut 2 approximately 1-inch lengths of pipe cleaner for antennae and glue behind top circle. Glue small pompoms to ends of pipe cleaners. Optional; add googly eyes.

Capture the size of your preschooler’s little hands with this fun sunflower craft that’s quick to make at home or in school, with just a few basic supplies. It’s a great summer day camp activity, too.

What You Need: Yellow construction paper; pencil; glue; sunflower seeds; black pipe cleaner; brown pipe cleaner; scissors; stapler.

How to Make It: Trace child’s hand 8 to 10 times on yellow construction paper, using pencil. Have child cut out the hand shapes (littler kids will need help). Arrange the hands upside down (so the pencil marks don’t show), overlapping in a circle, and glue, tape or staple together. Staple straight brown pipe cleaner to back of sunflower. Cut black pipe cleaner in half and bend into circle. Staple to center of flower. Use glue to add sunflower seeds to center.

Preschoolers can make this pretty corsage and present it to mom on Mother’s Day!

What You Need: 2 jumbo-size muffin tin liners; 2 regular (cupcake) size liners; red marker; section from egg carton; yellow paint; green pipe cleaner; paintbrush; scissors; adhesive (glue, stapler or tape).

How to Make It: Paint egg carton section yellow and let dry. Have children cut into the ruffled sides of the liners, from the edge to where the ruffled part ends. They can make cuts about 1/2″ apart, or make designs or whatever they’d like. Run red marker around edges of each liner. Stack liners and secure in center with stapler or glue. Bend pipe cleaner into leaf shapes and secure on back with stapler or tape. Glue or tape yellow egg carton section to center.