Kids love crafting, and who can blame them? It’s a wonderful way to explore creativity, develop fine motor skills, and artfully express themselves. Plus, as any parent or caregiver knows, crafting with kids can be a lifesaver on a rainy day, as well as an irreplaceable bonding experience. We’ve gathered seven of our favorite crafting books for little ones to encourage budding hobbyists — or maybe even future professionals — to build their skills.
Mousetown: 30+ Kids Crafts Made from Recycled and Everyday Materials by Jodi Levine and Margaret McCartney
Crafting experts Levine and McCartney add a fantastically clever spin to this instruction manual of recycled crafts by centering it on building the town of adorable protagonist Mouse and his pal Ginger. Little ones will use recycled materials to build the local bakery, assist Mouse as he goes grocery shopping, and even help plan and throw a party for Ginger. By giving little crafters a friend and a narrative to guide them through the activities, they become part of the story and will have a whole village to play with by the book’s end.
Cardboard Creations for Kids by Kathryn Ho
What is it about an empty cardboard box that unlocks the imagination of children? Cardboard construction guru Ho seems to have the answer in this delightful compendium of toys, playhouses, and costumes that can be made with nothing more than a few cardboard boxes and other recycled objects. Along with helpful instructions for working and shaping cardboard as a crafting material, the book offers detailed instructions for fun creations like butterfly wings, mini monster trucks, and pinball machines.
Make and Play: Dinosaurs by Joey Chou
Just one in a set of precious Make and Play books by Chou and Nosy Crow, this sweet title offers press-out pieces that can be slotted together to create six different dinosaurs and their volcanic jungle home. Little readers can have tons of fun playing with their reptilian friends, then head back to the book for more activities and crafts, including dinosaur-themed songs and instructions on how to craft their own paper plate dinosaur or erupting volcano.
Low-Mess Crafts for Kids: 72 Projects to Create Your Own Magical Worlds by Debbie Chapman
Okay, real talk: crafting with kids can be messy, and the cleanup is usually the worst part for the grown-ups. Chapman took this to mind for this expansive idea book of crafts that require minimal supplies, especially the messy stuff like glue, paint, and glitter. Utilizing familiar crafting supplies and household objects in new and fun ways, this book is filled with crafts that can be completed in short sessions yet enjoyed for a long time, like paper roll fairy houses, plastic spoon mermaids, and a poster board race track.
Modeling Clay with 3 Basic Shapes by Bernadette Cuxart
Sometimes, learning a new craft can be tricky, and it can help to have a system that simplifies things. Cuxart makes clay modeling super-easy for young readers by breaking down how to make 40 charming clay animals from three basic shapes: worm, ball, and teardrop. Once kiddos have the three basic shapes down, they can use these building blocks to construct any of their favorite animals, from pandas to rhinos to kittens to turtles.
The Kids’ Book of Craft Love: Write. Make. Play. Share. by Irene Smit and Astrid van der Hulst
Part instructional manual, part art supply, this clever title combines the step-by-step guides to making 72 different crafts with the tear-out pages and cuttable designs to create them. By folding, pasting, and assembling, kids can turn the book’s two-dimensional pages into three-dimensional decorations and toys, including puppets, paper flowers, adventure logs, baskets, friendship bracelets, and much more.
We Are in an ARTivity Book! by Mo Willems
When the name Mo Willems is on the cover, you know that kids are in for a good time. Following the popular characters Elephant and Piggie on a trip to the art museum, little readers can learn about different art styles and mediums while being invited to create their own art pieces. Pages and pieces tear out of the book and require few supplies to assemble, allowing kids to interact with the characters on the page as they learn, craft, and solve the mystery of who the super-secret, super-surprise art critic is.
We hope that you and the little readers in your life have fun checking out these artsy books and making the crafts from every page! Enjoy your quality time spent together and, as always, happy reading!
For more on bookish arts and crafts, check out our article on how to turn damaged books into new craft projects.
For all of our recommendations for mini bookworms, check out our Bookshop bookshelf.
