Our Favorite Craft Projects, Art Supplies, and Creative Toys to Keep Kids Busy at Home

A set of watercolors recently delighted my 4-year-old son. He painted one picture after the next, marveling at how he could mix two colors and—presto!—make a new one. His enthusiasm was a relief.

Keeping children busy—preferably independently so—is a challenge these days. With everyone spending more time at home, parents have been forced to find creative ways to entertain, educate, and engage kids while simultaneously squeezing in everything else. Options that hold attention spans for more than a few minutes, require minimal parental oversight, and don’t involve a screen are in short supply. (Though if screens are keeping the peace right now, don’t feel too bad about it.)

Simple arts-and-crafts projects, open-ended creative activities, and toys or projects that provide opportunities for imaginative play may fit the bill. Play, after all, is how kids learn, says Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, a professor of psychology at Temple University and the author of Becoming Brilliant: What Science Tells Us About Raising Successful Children. “We’re so concerned about getting worksheets done,” she says, “but building a Lego model is as powerful as a worksheet—maybe more.”

Projects also offer kids a way to process things. “This [current situation] is really tough on kids,” says Dr. Michael Yogman, a pediatrician based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and the lead author of The Power of Play, a report by the American Academy of Pediatrics. “You have to give them ways to express themselves both physically and emotionally.”

Here are some of our favorite craft projects, art supplies, and creative toys to help keep kids busy—and hopefully buy you a little time.

A crafty subscription

Ages 2 to 4
Koala Crate (starting at $17 per month at the time of publication)

As shelter-in-place orders continue in many states, a subscription craft box can give kids something to look forward to from the outside world. Koala Crate, our favorite for the preschool set, comes with all the supplies they’ll need—which is convenient, since bopping out for materials isn’t so easy anymore. Each month, expect to receive three activities that will delight children in this age group; we found the activities to be more creative than those in other subscription boxes we tried.

Ages 5 to 8
Kiwi Crate (starting at $17 per month at the time of publication)

Kiwi Crate, our subscription craft-box pick for kids in early elementary school, delivers monthly projects that are not only hands-on and fun but that also incorporate elements of STEAM (PDF) (science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics). These aren’t traditional craft projects; one, for instance, involves constructing an arcade claw. Parents may need to pitch in, but we like how inventive and challenging these projects are. We also like Green Kid Crafts (starting at $25 per month at the time of publication), our runner-up pick, which comes with up to eight projects per box and includes all the supplies you’ll need. Most of the activities are more like traditional crafts, and our testers found them to be less original than those from Kiwi Crate or Koala Crate.

Tactile fun

Ages 3 and up
Relevant Play Mad Mattr (starting at about $9 at the time of publication)

For hands-on play that’s not too messy or sticky, Mad Mattr modeling compound is moldable like Play-Doh, but it doesn’t dry out or stain. We like its interesting consistency: When stretched, the Mattr morphs into a kind of soft sand.

Ages 3 and up
Hey Clay (starting at $17 at the time of publication)

Hey Clay takes sculpting a step further with an accompanying app that gives kids lively tutorials on how to construct fun figures that dry to a solid state after roughly 24 hours. Sets include 18 0.7-ounce plastic containers of bright, flexible clay. Choose from aliens, adorable animals, dinosaurs, and monsters. The results can be impressive, but we recommend using up the colored clay within a couple weeks after opening the individual jars—once the seal is broken, the clay can dry out.

Ages 3 and up
Crayola Model Magic Deluxe Variety Pack ($24 at the time of publication)

Crayola’s Model Magic clay lets kids sculpt to their heart’s content with ease. The clay, which doesn’t crumble or leave behind a mess, hardens after about 24 hours, resulting in figurines that are sturdy enough to play with (though we’ve had pieces fall apart here and there). The set includes 14 half-ounce bags of clay in different colors, along with 10 project cards. Less of a themed set compared with Hey Clay, Model Magic is great for free-building a diorama or other 3D design, and it can also come in handy for school projects.

Ages 8 and up
Crazy Aaron’s Magnetic Thinking Putty 4" Tin ($15 at the time of publication)

For older kids who still love the sensation of squishing and squeezing putty, but who want something a bit more sophisticated, Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty comes in all sorts of colors and effects, such as glow-in-the-dark, color-changing, and cheese-pizza-scented.

At-home art cart

Ages 3 and up
Crayola Twistables Slick Stix Crayons ($10 at the time of publication)
Crayola Ultra-Clean Washable Markers ($5 at the time of publication)
Fiskars Softgrip Blunt-tip Kids Scissors ($3 at the time of publication)
Elmer’s Disappearing Purple Washable School Glue Stick ($3 for a 3-stick pack at the time of publication)

A well-stocked and accessible art-supply box is handy for impromptu projects. Fill it with some of our favorite school supplies and stocking stuffers. Crayola Twistables Slick Stix Crayons glide easily over paper and produce rich, vibrant colors akin to oil pastels (be warned—they stain). Crayola Ultra-Clean Washable Markers wash out (with some scrubbing) and won’t dry out, even if they’re left capless for up to six hours. For collage-making or cut-and-paste projects, these Fiskars scissors are comfortable for little fingers and will work for both right- and left-handers. And we found Elmer’s Disappearing Purple glue sticks the easiest and most effective way to stick stuff together. Need some inspiration? Kid-art hub Deep Space Sparkle offers free monthly downloadable packs of printouts and drawing guides, and the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum is featuring project ideas to get creative energy crackling.

Ages 3 and up
Areaware Moon Chalk Color Set ($34 at the time of publication)

Super-cool Areaware Moon Chalk comes in three unique shapes (Satellite Stack, Cosmic Pollen, and Lunar Rake) that leave out-of-this-world patterns as you swipe them across the sidewalk or a chalkboard. The color trio (red, blue, and yellow) might inspire kids to leave a colorful message or artwork on the sidewalk for their neighbors. For a more traditional variety pack, try Crayola Washable Sidewalk Chalk ($5 at the time of publication).

Ages 4 and up
Creativity Street Peel and Stick Wiggle Eyes ($6 at the time of publication)

There are bound to be giggles if you let kids roam around your home armed with a set of these peel-and-stick wiggle eyes. Stick the googly peepers (there are 60 in a pack) on oranges or other inanimate objects for some goofy fun, or dress up construction paper or coloring-book pages.

Ages 8 and up
Kuretake Gansai Tambi Watercolors ($34 at the time of publication)
Arteza Acrylic Paint ($42 at the time of publication)

Older budding artists may savor Kuretake watercolors, which are a step up from most watercolor paints and are made by a 117-year-old sumi ink manufacturer in Nara, Japan. For a different medium, versatile Arteza Acrylic Paint produces vibrant hues, dries quickly, and glosses onto a number of surfaces, including wood, glass, and paper.

DIY creatures

Ages 7 and up
Klutz Mini Pom-Pom Pets ($17 at the time of publication)

This mini pom-pom pets craft project produces the most adorable little yarn animals, with the help of a dinner fork. You wrap the included yarn around said fork and clip the string loops to create a fluffy ball. Though young kids may need assistance to form the animal bodies, they’ll easily handle the rest, such as adding eyeballs and other features.

Ages 10 and up
Woolbuddy Needle Felting Animal Kit ($15 at the time of publication)

The Woolbuddy Needle Felting Animal Kit encourages older kids to slow down. Almost meditative in its process, the project requires considerable time and focus to use a needle to poke at the fibers (and to avoid getting poked) until a cute little creature forms.

Weaving wonders

Ages 3 to 5
Melissa & Doug Lace and Trace Pets ($10 at the time of publication)

I remember going out to dinner with a friend once and marveling as her 4-year-old daughter sat quietly at the table working diligently on these Lace and Trace Pets. A precursor to sewing and a way to develop fine motor skills, the project involves pushing and pulling a shoelace methodically through the holes that border a sturdy, wooden picture.

Ages 6 to 8
Rainbow Loom ($10 at the time of publication)

Rainbow Loom had its heyday several years ago, when weaving bracelets out of its brightly colored rubber bands captivated seemingly every elementary school kid. Even though it’s no longer so trendy, Rainbow Loom can still spark hours of creativity for kids who are just now developing the dexterity for it.

Memory keepers

Ages 6 to 8
Me: A Compendium ($11 at the time of publication)

Wee Society’s Me: A Compendium journal offers kids a place of their own to jot down or sketch their feelings during this strange time. Lively prompts (“If I were going to outer space, this is what I’d pack.”) and bright, interactive illustrations motivate and inspire.

Ages 10 and up
Fujifilm Instax Square SQ6 ($85 at the time of publication)

Older kids can document their lives with a Fujifilm Instax Square SQ6 (pictured above), our pick for the best instant camera. It produces photos with the most pleasing colors and comes with filters (orange, purple, green), a selfie setting, and a double-exposure mode, which combines two images in one print.

Building bonanza

Ages 18 months and up
Lego Duplo Classic Heart Box ($20 at the time of publication)

A box of assorted Lego Duplo blocks—paired with a Lego Classic Green Baseplate ($15 at the time of publication)—will normally occupy my 4-year-old for long stretches of time. (Think of the duo like paints and a canvas.) For additional inspiration, search YouTube or Lego.com for fun and educational Duplo activities, such as building a rainbow or constructing numbers.

Ages 1 and up
FAO Schwarz Wooden Castle Building Blocks ($20 at the time of publication)

The turrets and arches in the FAO Schwarz Wooden Castle Building Blocks 75-piece set add a whimsical twist to traditional wooden blocks. When kids build with them, they develop spatial skills. And once your little one’s fortress is complete, it can open up all kinds of imaginative play fun.

Ages 5 to 12
Plus-Plus Super Tube ($25 at the time of publication)

For kids who love building, Plus-Plus Super Tube’s small, interlocking, puzzle-shaped pieces offer a fresh challenge for constructing both 2D and 3D objects. Though Plus-Plus does sell projects, including a unicorn and a clownfish, we think the 500 colorful pieces in this tube offer boundless (and time-consuming) fun.

An immersive play space

Ages 2 to 5
IKEA Cirkustält ($20 at the time of publication)

The big top–inspired IKEA Cirkustält is an inexpensive and durable tent that provides a special space for kids to retreat. Set it up and let them settle in to read, draw, or perfect a project.

Ages 3 to 6
Hape All Seasons Wooden Dollhouse ($158 at the time of publication)

The Hape All Seasons Wooden Dollhouse is a bright, gender-neutral take on the traditional dollhouse—complete with pretend solar panels on the roof. There’s a good reason dollhouses are perennial favorites. They’re perfect for role-playing, acting out stories—or just rearranging furniture.

Ages 3 to 10 (younger kids will need parental assistance)
The Ultimate Fort Builder ($50 at the time of publication)

Like an oversize Tinkertoy set, the Ultimate Fort Builder comes with 45 poles and 25 bulb-shaped connectors that snap together to form a fort, a rocket, an igloo, or other geometric structure. (The pieces are easy to disassemble and store.) Drape a sheet over your construction and you’ve got a cozy tent that’s great for make-believe or hiding away.

Sources

1. Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, professor of psychology at Temple University, phone interview, April 17, 2020

2. Dr. Michael Yogman, pediatrician based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, phone interview, April 16, 2020