Shells are easy to collect and hard to use. As I kid, I couldn’t go to the beach without collecting handfuls of shells. But the moment I tried to craft with them, I ran into an issue: they didn’t have holes!

The moment you try to drill into shells, they can chip, crack, or split right where you wanted a neat little hole.

The good news is that making holes in shells doesn’t take force. It takes the right bit, a little water, and patience. Once you know the setup, you can prep beach shells for bracelets, charms, wind chimes, and other beach-inspired projects.

Start with shells that give you room to work

I love crafting jewelry with found shells. In fact, you CAN use shells you found at the beach, and that is part of what makes this project fun. The best shells for this method have a bit more surface area, because you get more room to place the hole and more control while you work. A broader shell is easier to hold steady under the water, and that will really help you when you’re using your tool to make this.

That doesn’t mean every shell has to be large. It means the area where you plan to drill should be wide enough that the bit can stay in one spot. When the shell gives you that room, the hole comes out cleaner and the process is easier.

It also helps to think about your finished project before you drill. One hole is great for a pendant, charm, or hanging accent. Two holes can turn a shell into a bracelet connector or focal piece. In the example shown in this post, two holes were added so a double-strand could pass through the shell and start a bracelet. Yes, I will be sharing the tutorial so make sure you subscribe so you don’t miss it!

This technique works for more than jewelry, too. A clean drilled shell can become part of a wind chime, a hanging charm, or another summer project. If you want ideas for what to make after the holes are done, these DIY seashell jewelry tutorials have plenty of ways to use your drilled shells.

Use the right tool and set up at the sink

To make clean holes in shells, you’ll want to use a simple rotary tool. The brand of rotary tool is flexible – as long as it comes with a diamond tip. In this tutorial, a WORX Maker X rotary tool is used, but a Dremel or another similar rotary tool can work too.

For this project, the key part is a diamond tip. That is what helps the tool grind through the shell cleanly. You are not punching through the shell. You are slowly wearing away one tiny spot until the bit passes through.

This is one of those projects that works better at the sink than on a craft table. The shell needs to stay wet while you drill, so moving your setup to the sink makes the whole process easier. Turn the faucet down to a thin, steady trickle. You don’t need a hard stream. You want enough water to keep the shell and bit wet the whole time.

Before you start, check your tool’s manual and make sure it can be used safely near water.

Once your shell is drilled, one clean hole is enough to turn it into a simple pendant. If you want to use your beach finds that way, this guide to make a custom seashell necklace is a nice next project.

The water trick is what keeps the hole smooth

The biggest reason this method works so well is the water. Keeping the shell wet helps reduce heat and dust while you drill. It also helps the drilling stay controlled, which is why the finished hole looks clean instead of rough or chipped.

A dry shell is much less forgiving. Shell material can get brittle fast under friction, and the dust gets messy too. Under a light stream of water, the bit keeps moving through the same spot without building up as much heat. That small change makes a huge difference in the finish.

Keep the shell wet, stay in one spot, and use the lightest pressure you can. That is the whole secret.

Pressure matters just as much as water. The tool does the work, not your hand. If you push hard, the bit is more likely to skid, catch, or stress the shell. When you barely press and let the diamond tip grind slowly, you get far more control.

Patience is part of the process. You won’t see a full hole right away. First, you’ll notice a worn spot starting to form. As the bit works through the shell, that area can start to look a little translucent. That is a good sign. It means you’re thinning the shell in the right place and getting close to breaking through cleanly.

Try not to move the bit around once you’ve chosen your spot. Stay there and let the tool keep working. The more steady you are, the smoother the opening will be when it comes through. It is a slow method, but it is also the one that gives the neat result most people want for jewelry. And the total time is about a minute per hole, which is totally manageable.

How to make holes in shells, step by step

Supplies needed

• a seashell with enough surface area to drill
• a rotary tool, such as a Dremel or WORX Maker X
• a diamond-tip bit (which is likely included in your bit kit but double check)
• a sink with a light, steady stream of water

Watch the video

Watch the full-length video on YouTube if you prefer to learn that way! Or scroll down for written instructions with photos.

Process

1. Pick the shell and choose the hole placement.
Start with a shell that has enough room to work with. Decide where the hole should go before you turn on the tool.

2. Move to a sink and turn on a thin stream of water.
Set the faucet so it gives you a light, steady trickle. You want the shell to stay wet the whole time, but you do not need strong water pressure.

3. Attach a diamond tip to your rotary tool.
A rotary tool like a Dremel or WORX Maker X can work for this. The important part is the diamond-tip bit, because that is what grinds through the shell material.

4. Turn on the tool and bring it under the water.
Hold the shell where the water can run over the spot you plan to drill. Then place the spinning bit against that spot with the slightest amount of pressure.

5. Stay in the same place and let the bit work slowly.
Don’t press hard, and don’t bounce around the surface. Be patient while the shell starts to wear down. As it thins, the spot may look a little translucent.

6. Keep drilling until the hole comes through cleanly.
Continue in that same spot under the water until the bit passes through. When done this way, the opening should look smooth and neat.

7. Flip the shell and repeat if you need a second hole.
For bracelet pieces or connectors, a second hole can go on the other side of the shell. Use the same slow process, under water, with the same light pressure.

8. Check the size of the finished holes.
If you’re planning to string the shell, make sure the opening is wide enough for your cord or thread. In the video example, the holes were large enough for a double-strand to pass through for bracelet making.

9. Wipe the shell and get it ready for your project.
Once both holes are drilled, the shell is ready to use. At this point you can string it, turn it into a charm, or save it for a larger beach-themed piece.

After you’re done, take a close look at the edges of the holes. They should feel smooth, not jagged. That clean finish is what makes the shell look polished once it is part of jewelry. It won’t snag fabric cords or scratch the wrist.

Smaller drilled shells also work beautifully for earrings. If that is next on your list, this tutorial on how to make earrings with seashells gives you another simple way to use your beach finds.

Your beach shells are ready to use

If cracked shells have been stopping you from making jewelry, this method fixes the problem with a few simple changes. Water, a diamond tip, and light pressure are what make the holes come out clean.

Once you’ve drilled one shell successfully, the rest feel much less intimidating. A few minutes at the sink can turn a beach keepsake into something you can wear, hang, or build into your next summer project.

The post How to Make Clean Holes in Shells for Jewelry appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

When I picked up a huge pack of pop tabs to make a soda pop tab bracelet tutorial, I knew I had to continue with more fun, colorful crafts. I ended up making these butterfly keychains using chenille stems and pony beads.

You’ll see lots of creators make soda tab butterfly keychains that look more “real.” My goal was to adapt that craft, and turn it into something more kid-friendly.

While you can create these with wire and glass beads, chenille stems and pony beads are easier to manipulate and make something much more colorful and fun.

Why we love soda tab butterfly keychains

Some craft projects require a pile of supplies and an hour of patience. This one doesn’t. You need a few basic materials – some of which you probably already have – and about 15-20 minutes. Want to craft more? Just make more of them!

The supplies are easy-to-find and cheap and you’ll love making this on repeat.

There are so many ways you can use soda tab butterflies. Clip one to a backpack zipper. Add beaded strands to make bag charms. Attach them to a key strap. Make a batch as party favors. Set them near the checkout table at a craft market. Tie one onto a wrapped present instead of a paper tag.

This version of DIY soda tab butterfly keychains is so playful and full of texture. It embraces the unconventional craft material and makes the most of it.

The chenille stem adds some plush that make these so much fun. The pony beads add color and character.

And I even used colorful ball chains to finish these off just to up the playful factor – because butterflies should be playful.

Design Variations and Styling Ideas

The materials we used

Any time anyone looks at my soda tab crafts, they ask “wait – you actually bought soda tabs?” My answer is yes. I didn’t have patience to collect so I bought. You can of course upcycle soda tabs. You’ll want to make sure there are no sharp edges, but it works.

You can even paint them with nail polish if you want the solid color look of mine. Just paint them before crafting.

And the ball chains can definitely be replaced with classic keychains, carabiner clips, or whatever floats your boat. I used colorful ball chains because I felt like it!

Chenille stems in a as standard size were used here – something you can swap out with aluminum wire (that is, thick easy to bend wire). Or use jewelry wire for a more mature look.

And pony beads can be swapped for any bead that fits on your wire.

More variations

Once you get the hang of the basic shape, you can really get creative with it. Change the whole mood with color, bead count, or build style. I even show this by wrapping my chenille stems in two ways in the images.

Match your colors to keep things looking more polished. Think purple stem with purple beads, or blue on blue for a cleaner finish. You can even match your soda tab color and keychain color. Mixed beads feel brighter and more casual. Orange, teal, pink, and yellow are great butterfly color if you like a cheerful look.

You can also adjust the shape. Fewer beads keep the butterfly light. A few extra beads make the center stand out more. You can even play around with single-tab wings for smaller butterflies!

Seasonal colors are easy too if you want to craft this beyond summer. Try pastels for spring or red and pink for Valentine’s Day. You can really add lots of character with color.

The charm is in the repetition

Your first butterfly doesn’t need to be fancy. Keep the shape simple, get the wings balanced, and make the center wrap tight. That’s what gives the piece its clean finish and durability. These really are strong – the wings are rigid if you do it right.

After that, repetition does the work. The second one comes together faster. The third one usually looks even better. Once the base pattern feels natural, color is where you can switch up your craft

How to make DIY Soda Tab Butterfly Keychains

You’ll need

• Soda tabs
• Chenille stems
• Scissors
• Pony beads
• Keychains

Watch the video

Watch the full-length video on YouTube if you prefer to learn that way! Or scroll down for written instructions with photos. I did show a slightly different method of wrapping in each one, so you can see both and choose your favorite!

Step by step instructions

1. Take four soda tabs. Arrange them as pictured: One horizontal with the round end pointing to the left and one vertical so that the squared end matches the squared end of the horizontal one – the round end facing down. Do the same to the right with the round side facing right.

2. Take a chenille stem. Wrap the end a few times around where the two tabs form a corner. Don’t worry yet about exact positioning.

3. Take the other end of the stem and wrap it around the other pair of tabs a couple of times in the same spot – the inner square corner. The two sets of tabs should be touching or almost touching. Trim any remaining chenille stem.

4. Reposition your tabs. Your chenille stem is sitting on the inner side through the top hole of the tabs.

5. Take a second chenille stem. Fold it in half. Thread a bead on one side and place it in that center fold. This will serve as a stopper bead.

6. Thread on three more pony beads.

7. Place the stem over your wings so that the beads sit just below the wrapped portion.

8. Wrap each side of the stem around that center twist – one on each side. Go over the top, around the back to the bottom, and bring it back over to the frong.

9. We now have the base for our antennae. Thread a pony bead on one side of your stem about an inch from the wings Fold over and twist it around the length of that inch.

10. You should have a bit of a tail leftover from that antennae. Push it down through those three center beads.

You’ll have a bit of chenille stem leftover that came through above that base blocker bead.

11. Wrap that little extra through the bottom hole of the vertical soda tab on the same side as the antennae and back around the center stem until your chenille stem is fully used. This secures the wing against the body.

12. Repeat steps 9-11 with the second antennae on the other half of your soda tab butterfly.

14. I used the extra scrap from my first wraps to wrap a bit between the vertical and horizontal soda tabs to secure it more. You don’t have to do this, and the style of wrapping I show in the video doesn’t need this but you can if you want. At this stage, play with your butterfly, reposition things as needed. and make sure you’re happy with how it looks.

15. Add a keychain! You can thread it through an antennae bead, a soda tab hook, or wherever you’d like!

And here’s a peek at the other style of wrapping. The main difference is that we just wrapped that first wrap around the top of the hole instead of the inside.

I hope you had a blast making DIY soda tab butterfly keychains!

FAQs for making soda tab butterfly keychains

What size soda tabs work best for butterfly keychains?

Standard soda can tabs are usually the best option. They’re easy to find, easy to match, and they give the most consistent shape.

Can chenille stems hold the wings without glue?

Yes, most of the time they can. A tight center twist is usually enough. Glue is optional if you want extra hold on a charm that will get bumped around a lot.

Are these safe for kids to make?

They can be, with adult supervision. Clean tabs can still have sharp edges, so I recommend purchased tabs for younger kids. Tight twisting can be tricky for younger kids. Pre-check the tabs and help with the final twists if you’re working with little ones. Tweens should get the hang of this and be able to craft it independently.

Another concern is the chenille stems. They can be pokey, so proceed with caution!

Can the same pattern work with different bead colors?

Yes. The structure stays the same, and the color swap changes the look completely. That’s part of why this project is so easy to repeat without getting boring.

The post How to Make Soda Tab Butterfly Keychains – An Adorable DIY for Tweens! appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

There’s nothing like a good craft derived from the recycling bin to get the creative inspiration going, and these egg carton flowers are no different!

There are so many different ways you can turn cardboard egg cartons into flowers, but I’m going to share a way that makes use of the shape of the egg carton itself for a fun craft that can be done – on different levels – by virtually any age group.

While most tutorials for egg carton flowers can be quite advanced, with the goal being a polished finished result, I originally crafted this one with my toddler. The goal was just a fun process. And since you paint so much of this, it’s really fun for toddlers!

So while this does require a bit of adult (or big kid) input in preparing, and it uses a hot glue gun, it’s a much more simple egg carton flower tutorial.

Tips for making egg carton flowers

The egg cartons

One cool thing about this tutorial is that it makes use of the egg carton shape itself. The problem is that egg cartons aren’t all the same! Here are the egg carton flowers we made nine years ago:

And here are the ones we made this year:

The original egg cartons were MUCH more suited to egg carton flowers. But I’m happy that I have the chance to show you how to do this with egg cartons that aren’t as perfect.

I did play with both 18 egg and 12 egg cartons, and found that the dozen eggs was much better suited to this craft, so if you can choose that.

Choosing the right supplies for egg carton flowers

My original craft was created as an excuse to use some new neon colored Crayola washable paints with my toddler (those paints are no longer in production and are available at inflated prices. This bold set is most similar). If you are doing this with toddlers, you may want to stick with washable paints.

However, I found that the egg carton is VERY absorbent. The main difference in functionality between washable paint and good quality craft acrylics is in the richness of the color. Washable paints tend to be much less opaque and the coverage isn’t as good.

It has a look to it and you can definitely use that. For the remake, I went for good coverage and used craft acrylics from a good brand.

Another great option is paint sticks – they’ll dry quicker but won’t absorb as much. They lay on the color thick and smooth and are washable, however, you do need to get a good quality brand to make sure they dry well.

More material tips

As the years of running this blog progressed (I’ve been doing it for more than ten years) I found that my stash of supplies became more advanced and sophisticated. The cool thing about remaking a craft like these egg carton flowers is that even though I used better supplies this time, I know that it can be done simpler.

For example, I used colorful dowels on the remake. On the original, I used regular dowels. You can even use a stick from outside.

On the original, I added more leaves and used washi tape to integrate them… there are so many ways you can craft these egg carton flowers, just go crazy and get creative!

Notes on the original egg carton flowers

Confession time: I am not the perfect mom. I like when my crafts come out pretty. I also always disliked the concept of “adult-created kid crafts” that involve the adult so much more than the child.

Which is why I enjoyed this so much – I prepared the parts, we painted them together, and we assembled it “together”, but it’s totally recognizable as what he painted.

He takes great pride in it and definitely recognizes them as something he made – because he painted the actual final form.

Another thing is, because we did it TOGETHER it didn’t seem to matter so much. I wasn’t correcting his work, or adding on to it. We were doing it as a team effort. And I got the pretty I like when I craft and he had the time of his life painting with Mommy.

Two years later, these egg carton flowers are still sitting on our bookshelf, and M, now four, remembers making them. There are moments like these that simply stick. And despite the fact that I mess up often, and can make a list a mile long of my parenting mistakes, I know I’ve done right by him with this one.

How to make egg carton flowers

Watch the video

Watch the full-length video on YouTube if you prefer to learn that way! Or scroll down for written instructions with photos.

Supplies needed

• An egg carton (one for 3 flowers)
• Wooden dowels – 3/16th inch ones work great here
• Hot glue gun (adults only) – my favorite is this one from Surebonder
• Strong scissors and/or craft knife
• Paint – washable kids’ paint or good quality craft acrylics
• Paintbrushes
• Smock

Process

1. (Adult) Cut your egg carton as follows:

Split the base into three sets of four. Cut around it halfway through, but leave that center part nice ‘n long, with the hole in the center.

2. The covers tend to have these leaf-shaped holes so that you can “peek” at your egg, I guess? Cut around them in a leaf shape. If you have a solid cover, you can simply cut out regular leaf shapes.

3. Cut the fronts and backs of the base and cover into long strips, and cut fringe into them. Don’t worry if its a bit broken up.

4. Paint your parts! You can just block in paint and have fun with it like M did on the original. Or, color it a solid color and add detail around the edges and center like I did on take 2.

Paint the back too. I used the color that I used around the flower edge.

5. Paint the center yellow. On take 2 I also added some brown detail and blended it in.

6. Paint the leaves green (again, some brown and yellow accents add dimension) and the dowel if you want.

Allow all your painted parts to dry completely before assembling.

7. Cut fringe into your yellow centers. It should be relatively close together, and almost till the end.

8. Optional: if you want to make things look a little nicer, curl out the fringe end of your yellow center. Simply roll it over the dowel. Do this so that it tapers off toward the end – the very end shouldn’t be rolled at all.

9. Assemble your flower! Note: on the remake, I used hot glue as an efficient and strong solution. On the original, I used a good quality washi tape which can work as well and is more kid-friendly. You can also use masking tape and then paint over it.

Start by gluing the dowel to the end of the center strip that is not curled out.

10. Start rolling it around the dowel! Do this by adding a small line of glue…

And then rolling up that bit, holding it in place till it sets. Repeat until your center is all rolled up.

11. Your egg carton should have a naturally occurring hole in the center of the flower. If it doesn’t, make a hole with a craft knife. Poke the dowel through the hole from the top of the flower.

12. Add some glue to the base of your center and push it all the way through the hole so it sits in that flower center.

13. Finish it off by gluing your leaves in place. Some leaves will have a natural curl to it – if it doesn’t, curl the ends around the dowel before gluing.

Your egg carton flowers are complete! Which occasion will you be crafting these for? Comment below!

These egg carton flowers look beautiful displayed simply in a vase!

And that’s all for now. I did add some white vase filler to it to anchor the flowers.  I love how this craft uses almost the entire carton, and makes the most of the various parts!

Loved these egg carton flowers? Try the flower crafts below:

The post Egg Carton Flowers – A Recycled Craft for Kids and Grown-ups! appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

Soda pop tab bracelets were a mainstay summer camp craft when I was a kid (90’s-00’s, I know you were wanting to ask…)

We used to collect the tabs from the cans we used and use those.

Today I’m sharing how to make them, and yes, I did buy them. You can use collected soda pop tabs or purchased ones – and I’ll be sharing the pros and cons of each…

Part of my challenge here was to make it slide-on, instead of a classic ribbon tie and I think I nailed it.

Ready for the details?

Tips for making Soda Pop Tab Bracelets

The process form making soda pop tab bracelets can be quite specific, but once you master the process, it becomes a take-and-go easy craft to make loads of.

Purchased pop tabs vs. collected ones

I purchased black and white pop tabs to make this bracelet. You can also get really cool colorful ones, but hey, the black and white ones were cheaper! I figured I’d add the color with the elastic (and then went minimal even with that).

But then the black and white also looks so sharp!

You can, of course, make these using collected soda can tabs. There are a few drawbacks:

• They often have scratchy protruding parts.
• They don’t come in fun colors…
• And they are not really finished for durability.

If you’re making these just for fun, as a recycled summer camp craft, go with the collected variety. It’s a fabulous upcycling lesson on something common and easy to collect.

You can color it with sharpies, or spray paint them if you want. And when you assemble the soda pop tab bracelets, you’ll be making sure that the sharp parts face each other on the two layer bracelet.

It’s all about how polished you’re wanting it to look.

Using elastic to make it a slide-on

Ribbon, cord, wire… there are so many materials you can use to make soda pop tab bracelets!

I’m showing you how to do it using elastic for a simple reason: that way you can get it on and off your hand without opening or closing it.

It wears like a bangle, but that little stretch allows you to make it secure and less bulky.

And I wanted to show you: elastic can be fun! I chose some pops of color to play things up.

There are many different elastics you can try – and my first instinct was to use 1/4 inch braided elastic (also in fun colors) but using a flat elastic adds a challenge of keeping it running flat through the bracelet.

So I stuck with a round elastic.

You can also get regular stretch beading cord like this one in fun colors, but for durability, elastic cord is a better option.

How to Make Soda Pop Tab Bracelets

Supplies needed

• Soda pop tabs (18-22 soda pop tabs per bracelet, depending on size.)
• Elastic cord (36 inches per bracelet is a generous figure)
• Scissors

Video Tutorial

Watch the full-length video on YouTube if you prefer to learn that way! Or scroll down for written instructions with photos.

Step-by-step Process

Starting off the soda pop tab bracelets

1. Take your first soda pop tab. Cut a piece of elastic cord about 36 inches (we’re being generous here) and find the center at 18 inches. If using a recycled one, any sharp ends should be facing back. Thread half through the top hole of the soda pop tab and the bottom through the bottom, pulling the string all the way through. The center fold sits over the horizontal line on the soda pop tab.

2. Position another soda pop tab next to it but a little behind it. If you’re using a recycled one with a side that has sharp edges, make sure the sharp edges face up. This way the sharp edges on both layers of the bracelet face each other.

At this stage I’ll point out that the soda pop tab has two ends – a flat one and a curved one. I played with different formations and on this one, my front tabs are rounded end face up and my back ones are rounded end face down. You can mix this up, just be consistent with what you choose so that it looks clean.

Pull the two ends from back to front through the two holes. You’re still holding the second pop tab a bit behind the first.

3. Now, shift your first pop tab a bit more to the right so that you have a part of the holes that overlap. Thread the two sides back through the front over that part. You’ve “started” your soda pop tab bracelet.

Threading up all the tabs on your soda pop tab bracelets

4. The rest of your bracelet length will be created using the same repeating pattern. Take a third soda pop tab. Place it right next to your first one, in front of your second one. You should have overlapping holes about halfway through the tabs.

5. At this point, we’re going to cross over the two threads. This forms the X pattern on the front and also makes it more rigid and secure, holding its positions – but you can also go straight if you’d like.

Thread the top elastic from front to back through the bottom hole. Thread the bottom elastic from front to back through the top holes.

When you pull it all the way through, it forms an X.

6. Place a fourth soda pop tab next to the second one, behind the third one. Here you’re NOT making an X (I find that the X on the back of the bracelet adds unwanted bulk). Thread the bottom elastic back-to-front through the bottom overlapping holes and the top through the top holes, pull tight.

7. Repeat steps 4-6 until you’re happy with the size of your bracelet. I did 11 on each side, but I have an adult size wrist so figure a total of on average18-22 soda pop tabs per bracelet, depending on size.

You’re ending off with a back soda pop tab, since you started with a front one.

Finishing off your soda pop tab bracelet

8. The process of finishing off your bracelets can be played with. I tried to do it as seamlessly as possible, in a way that kids can safely do it themselves (that is, no lighters or end zappers).

Start by bringing your last soda pop tab under the first one, as if you’re continuing it, overlapping the holes on the “single” half of the tab.

9. Thread both ends of your elastic from front to back through those overlapped hoels, forming an X, as if you’re just continuing the bracelet but in a ring.

10. Now it would look just lovely if we knotted it on the back, but that might be uncomfortable. You can try it that way, but I decided to go to the next set of holes and bring the elastics back to the front.

11. And then I knotted it in a tight overhand knot before trimming the ends. Of course, you can triple knot, glue it, or do whatever you’d like to make it more secure if you’d like.

Your soda pop tab bracelets are complete! Did these totally fill you with nostalgia? Which materials will you be using to make these? Comment below!

DIY Soda Pop Tab Bracelets

Craft your own soda pop tab bracelets - and then stack 'em up because they're so fun!

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Materials

• Soda pop tabs (18-22 soda pop tabs per bracelet, depending on size.)
• Elastic cord (36 inches per bracelet is a generous figure)
• Scissors

Instructions

1. Take your first soda pop tab. Cut a piece of elastic cord about 36 inches (we're being generous here) and find the center at 18 inches. If using a recycled one, any sharp ends should be facing back. Thread half through the top hole of the soda pop tab and the bottom through the bottom, pulling the string all the way through. The center fold sits over the horizontal line on the soda pop tab.

2. Position another soda pop tab next to it but a little behind it. If you're using a recycled one with a side that has sharp edges, make sure the sharp edges face up. This way the sharp edges on both layers of the bracelet face each other.

At this stage I'll point out that the soda pop tab has two ends - a flat one and a curved one. I played with different formations and on this one, my front tabs are rounded end face up and my back ones are rounded end face down. You can mix this up, just be consistent with what you choose so that it looks clean.

Pull the two ends from back to front through the two holes. You're still holding the second pop tab a bit behind the first.

3. Now, shift your first pop tab a bit more to the right so that you have a part of the holes that overlap. Thread the two sides back through the front over that part. You've "started" your soda pop tab bracelet.

4. The rest of your bracelet length will be created using the same repeating pattern. Take a third soda pop tab. Place it right next to your first one, in front of your second one. You should have overlapping holes about halfway through the tabs.

5. At this point, we're going to cross over the two threads. This forms the X pattern on the front and also makes it more rigid and secure, holding its positions - but you can also go straight if you'd like.

Thread the top elastic from front to back through the bottom hole. Thread the bottom elastic from front to back through the top holes.

When you pull it all the way through, it forms an X.

6. Place a fourth soda pop tab next to the second one, behind the third one. Here you're NOT making an X (I find that the X on the back of the bracelet adds unwanted bulk). Thread the bottom elastic back-to-front through the bottom overlapping holes and the top through the top holes, pull tight.

7. Repeat steps 4-6 until you're happy with the size of your bracelet. I did 11 on each side, but I have an adult size wrist so figure a total of on average18-22 soda pop tabs per bracelet, depending on size.

You're ending off with a back soda pop tab, since you started with a front one.

8. The process of finishing off your bracelets can be played with. I tried to do it as seamlessly as possible, in a way that kids can safely do it themselves (that is, no lighters or end zappers).

Start by bringing your last soda pop tab under the first one, as if you're continuing it, overlapping the holes on the "single" half of the tab.

9. Thread both ends of your elastic from front to back through those overlapped hoels, forming an X, as if you're just continuing the bracelet but in a ring.

10. Now it would look just lovely if we knotted it on the back, but that might be uncomfortable. You can try it that way, but I decided to go to the next set of holes and bring the elastics back to the front.

11. And then I knotted it in a tight overhand knot before trimming the ends. Of course, you can triple knot, glue it, or do whatever you'd like to make it more secure if you'd like.

Did you make this project?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

The post Soda Pop Tab Bracelets appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

It’s been a while since we shared a paper bag puppet, and I have the perfect one to add to your collection (or start one, if this is your first!) 

My kids tend to get very anxious when they see the doctor. By kids, I mean even babies, but especially when they’re toddlers, they sometimes have meltdowns before the doctor even appears! This paper bag doctor puppet allows children to act out or respond to realistic scenarios from their lives. If they have any anxiety or worries about going to the doctor, a friendly puppet toy is sure to help their fears disappear!

While some of our favorite puppets and puppet plays are fanciful and imaginary, there’s a lot of benefit in using real life characters and scenarios as well. The role play can help prepare children for what to expect and how to act in real situations, and it can help them process events that have already happened by re-enacting them. 

In play, the children are in charge, so they can feel safe and confident to express all their thoughts and feelings about their doctor visit experiences, both past and future. It’s also fun for kids to try out adult roles – perhaps they will be inspired for their future career!

This craft is perfect for preschool and gradeschool age crafters. They’ll be using their fine motor skills and eye-hand coordination to trace, cut, and glue the parts together. Following the directions in order is also an important skill to practice at this age. 

Younger or less skilled crafters may need help cutting out the doctor’s stethoscope, since the pieces are smaller and more intricate than the other parts of this project. They’ll also need help tracing. You may also need to show your crafters how to bend the paper in half to cut a slit for step 2.

Another way to simplify the craft is to print the template onto white cardstock and have the children color the pieces with crayons or markers, instead of tracing them onto colored paper. Tracing is a great skill to practice, but we understand that young crafters still want to enjoy puppet-making even if they’re not quite up to tracing yet!

Find your comfort zone, follow your child’s lead, and have fun together making and using this friendly doctor paper bag puppet! Then, head to our archives to choose more puppet friends to join the fun!

What you’ll need

• Colored paper (you can get Colors of the World as well for more skin tone variety)
• Pencil
• Glue
• Markers
• Scissors
• Paper bag
• Doctor puppet template – download and print at the end of this post

How to assemble a doctor paper bag puppet

1. Cut out all the pieces of the template. Trace them onto the colored papers of your choice, and cut them out (if you print the template on white cardstock, you can skip this step for pieces you’re leaving white).

Use markers to draw the irises and pupils in the eye cutouts.

2. Cut a slit along the line inside the hair piece. Slide the top of the head through the slit so that the top of the hair covers the top of the head.

3. Use glue to stick the head to the hair. Glue the eyes onto the head, and use markers to draw a nose and mouth.

4. Glue the shoes to the bottom of the pants/skirt, and the hands to the bottoms of the sleeves. Glue the round accent onto the round end of the stethoscope, and the shirt (the little triangle) to the center of the collar cutout.

5. Glue the pants/skirt to the bottom of the lab coat (the big rectangle).

6. Glue the collar with the shirt at the top of the coat rectangle. You can leave a little extra room at the top (gluing the collar a little lower than the top) because the head will overlap this when the puppet is done.

7. Glue one part of the stethoscope to each shoulder of the coat.

8. Use markers to outline the collar and add buttons to the coat.

9. Take your paper bag and position it so the open end is facing down/toward you, and the base of the bag is at the top. The bottom of the bag will be the top of the puppet.

10. Flatten the bag so that the bottom is facing toward you. Glue the head to the flattened bottom of the paper bag.

11. Glue the body (coat) onto the side of the paper bag below the head (the head should overlap the body a little).

12. Glue the arms to each side of the puppet.

Download the Doctor Paper Bag Template

To download, fill out the form below. You’ll be signed up for our free newsletter – unsubscribe at any time in the footer of the emails. I respect your privacy and the law and won’t share your information with anyone.

The post Doctor Paper Bag Puppet appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

The best crafts for kids are the ones they continue to enjoy after the craft activity is finished. These upcycled paper giraffes will inspire hours of pretend play and additional craft ideas. 

Pretend play is a crucial part of child development. It strengthens kids’ understanding of the world, language and communication, and emotional health. It helps kids socially interact with the peers and adults who join their play. Best of all, it’s super fun! Make a few of these giraffes or add other safari animals for more social play-acting.

Craft some paper grass or trees for the giraffe to romp around in or feed on, too.

I love how this craft uses simple materials I have at home, (including some I accidentally threw out… how could I?!). Repurposing trash for crafts teaches kids to be more conscious about waste, and builds their creativity and imagination. 

Toilet paper rolls are perfect for this craft, but if you feel squeamish about that you can take a paper towel roll and cut it down to size. You can also take thin cardboard, like an empty cereal box, roll it into a tube, and staple or tape it together. And yes, you can buy craft rolls too. Though not recycled, they are recyclable.

You can save even more waste by using scraps of paper from past projects for the smaller cutouts in this one. 

As you can see, I’ve kept this post extra simple for you. But if you’d like to dress it up a little, feel free to add wiggly eyes and a braided yarn tail, or mix up your materials.

You can use any kind of glue for this project. Tacky Glue would be perfect because it holds a little faster and requires less patience.

What you need

• Colored cardstock or craft paper
• Empty toilet paper roll or cardboard tube
• Pencil 
• Scissors 
• Tacky glue
• Markers

How to Make a Toilet Paper Roll Giraffe

1. Print out the PDF template (at the end of this post)  and use cardstock paper or craft papers to cut out the pieces for the giraffe.

2. Glue the circles to the end of each horn.

Glue the muzzle (mouth part) to the bottom of the head.

Glue the hoofs to the bottom of the legs.

3. Glue the giraffe’s spots onto the body, head and legs. 

4. Wrap the body paper around the toilet paper roll and glue it in place.

5. Glue the horns onto the head, sticking out from the back. 

Draw a friendly face on the giraffe’s head (optional).

6. Glue the head to the neck.

7. Glue the legs onto the bottom of the giraffe.

Download the free toilet paper roll giraffe template

To download, fill out the form below. You’ll be signed up for our free newsletter – unsubscribe at any time in the footer of the emails. I respect your privacy and the law and won’t share your information with anyone.

The post Toilet Paper Roll Giraffe appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

This past fall, I was walking past my garden and I saw those last blooms withering away with the oncoming frost.

I decided that I need to preserve them for future crafting! There’s nothing like a home garden, with the love and nurturing it receives, and preserving those flowers, especially for crafting, helps that magic last.

Today, I’m sharing with you how to dry flowers quickly in the microwave. The truth is, the best use for this is when you need last-minute dried flowers for crafting. Otherwise, you can do much more going about this the traditional route – using books and lots of time.

When you microwave-dry flowers, you are a bit more limited in how many you can do at a time. However, since it’s a very quick process, even if you have a lot of flowers, you can churn out batch after batch if you give it a couple of hours, and get a whole garden-full done.

What you can do with speed-dried flowers

My main reason for wanting to dry flowers is for resin crafting. Smaller flowers are perfect for flower-in-resin pendants. Larger ones can be turned into loads of different crafts. Here are some ideas.

• Make flower mandalas: tape clear contact paper sticky-side-up, arrange in circular patterns, varying flowers, petals, and leaves, and then seal with another layer of contact paper.
• Cardmaking: Use dried flowers to add a gorgeous touch to your cards. Make sure it’s fully sealed and adhered so it doesn’t crumble all over.
• Resin: Beyond pendants, dried flowers enhance any resin craft you’d like to try. Incorporate larger statement flowers into DIY epoxy resin coasters, smaller ones into resin letter keychains, and tiny ones or petals into DIY resin earrings. You can arrange dried flower mandalas into larger resin art pieces and serving trays too.
• Collage-making: Glue them into different pictures and shapes. If you’re planning to preserve it, display it in a shadow box.
• Lantern-making: Decoupage them onto glass jars to make gorgeous lanterns.

There are so many other crafts you can make with them, so let’s dive into the best process for how to dry flowers quickly.

Tips for choosing flowers to dry in the microwave

Based on my trial and error, I found that the flowers that work best for drying are those that have:

• Distinct centers, and petals that can neatly spread around them.
• OR Stems with small blooms that can be dried flat as a single unit
• All pieces still very secure
• Smaller flowers work best, larger flowers require more time and batches.

If you have favorite flowers you want to work with but they don’t seem right for drying based on my tips above, you can also simply dry the petals. Leaves work fabulously as well (but I find that they get more brittle).

You can also try and experiment, like I did with the big burgundy bloom, and if it doesn’t work well, or it’s falling apart, gently pull off the petals to use as-is.

And finally, don’t just stick to your garden! A fresh bouquet of flowers that’s starting to go is also a fabulous choice for dried flower crafting!

How to dry flowers Quickly in the microwave: step by step

I’m going to outline for you the process in a step-by-step tutorial, however, you can definitely play around yourself. Switch up the weights you use, fiddle with the timing, etc.

What you’ll need

• Flowers – full stem removed, petals, leaves, or small branches with tiny flowers attached
• Paper towels
• Plain copy paper
• A stack of heavy ceramic or glass plates (I used a few from the dollar store) – make sure they are microwave safe.

Process

1. Fold your paper in half to mark the center. Unfold. Arrange your flowers, petals, leaves, and stems on the paper. When arranging full flowers, make sure that all petals are spread around the center and place them face down.

2. Fold the paper in half so that the blooms are sandwiched.

3. Sandwich with paper towel. If you’re drying larger/full sized flowers, you’ll likely need a second layer of paper towel to absorb the moisture.

4. Sandwich between two plates.

5. Add plates on top until you feel like it’s adequately pressed. Note: you can do a couple of layers of flowers between separate plates, but you’ll always need enough pressure on the top layer as well.

6. Microwave in thirty second increments, just to be cautious, and keep checking. After a few rounds, I started mine at a minute and then added thirty second increments, but I suggest that if you’re drying your first batch, start with a conservative thirty second run.

Replace paper towels in middle if needed.

I can’t really give you a final time frame, as it really varies by flower health, moisture levels, size, thickness, etc.

Keep zapping in the microwave in increments until it’s fully dried.

Now that you learned how to dry flowers quickly in the microwave, what will you be crafting with them?

How to Press Flowers Using the Microwave

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Active Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Estimated Cost: $5

Learn how to press flowers using your microwave, to preserve your favorite garden blooms and bouquets, and to make fun pressed flower crafts!

Print

No Ratings

Materials

• Flowers - full stem removed, petals, leaves, or small branches with tiny flowers attached
• Paper towels
• Plain copy paper
• A stack of heavy ceramic or glass plates (Make sure they are microwave safe)

Tools

• Microwave oven

Instructions

1. Fold your paper in half to mark the center. Unfold. Arrange your flowers, petals, leaves, and stems on the paper. When arranging full flowers, make sure that all petals are spread around the center and place them face down.

2. Fold the paper in half so that the blooms are sandwiched.

3. Sandwich with paper towel. If you're drying larger/full sized flowers, you'll likely need a second layer of paper towel to absorb the moisture.

4. Sandwich between two plates.

5. Add plates on top until you feel like it's adequately pressed. Note: you can do a couple of layers of flowers between separate plates, but you'll always need enough pressure on the top layer as well.

6. Microwave in thirty second increments, just to be cautious, and keep checking. After a few rounds, I started mine at a minute and then added thirty second increments, but I suggest that if you're drying your first batch, start with a conservative thirty second run.

Replace paper towels in middle if needed.

Keep zapping in the microwave in increments until it's fully dried.

Notes

I recommend looking for flowers with the following:

• Distinct centers, and petals that can neatly spread around them.
• OR Stems with small blooms that can be dried flat as a single unit
• All pieces still very secure
• Smaller flowers work best, larger flowers require more time and batches.

Use your pressed flowers in resin crafts, decoupage, art collages, mandala suncatchers, and more!

Did you make this project?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

The post How to Dry Flowers Quickly (in the Microwave) appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

Springtime is such a magical time of year. The sun is starting to peek out more and more, that nasty cold section of winter is past, and nature begins to show its face a little bit. It’s the perfect time to head back outside. Get kids outdoors with these 14 spring nature crafts for kids.

From flowers (or weed “flowers) to leaves and pinecones, from twigs to rocks, there are so many craft supplies found in nature! Bring some home (those that are ethical to take, of course) to get your Spring nature crafts going.

Gardening-Focused Spring Nature Crafts

Our kids love planting gardens, both indoors and out – and bonus! It’s a good time to get crafty too! Check out these ideas to get the inspo flowing and then come up with your own!

DIY Gardening Kit by 24 Hour Family

Kids will love this little garden starter that they can help set up. And with a whole egg carton worth of planted seeds, it will still pay off, even if a few are duds.

How to Create Recycled Container Herb Garden by Two Kids and a Coupon

Here’s another excellent seed starter idea with a hidden benefit! Not only do kids learn about growing food, but upcycling containers teaches them about being good stewards of the planet. They can customize the collected containers as much as they’d like.

How to Make a Rainforest Terrarium by Natural Beach Living

A rainforest terrarium is a great way for kids to see a living example of how a rainforest ecosystem works. They will also have a blast adding all the layers and building it.

Flower Arranging Kids Activity by Moms and Crafters

This flower arranging activity can be done by children (and adults!) of all ages. Go on a family nature walk to collect your stems, and get creative while adding them to your floral foam brick. Yes, it’s made of overgrown weeds and grass, but kids will have so much fun with it and learn some basics of flower arranging.

Nature Fairy Houses by Red Ted Art

Fairy houses are a big deal in a small package. Kids love imagining the fairies coming to live in a house they helped build. Keeping things limited to what’s available in nature makes for some cute, simple fairy houses.

Arts & Crafts for Spring From Nature

Craft supplies can cost as little as… free! That is, if you find them outdoors! Have a chat with the kids about which nature-derived treasures are okay to take, go for that walk, and then get crafting!

DIY Nature Paint Brushes by Fox Farm Home

This fantastic spring nature craft idea will inspire all sorts of creativity. Kids make their own paintbrushes; the only rule is that the materials must come from nature. What a fabulous way to challenge those creative little minds! I love this open-ended art project.

Painting With Flowers by Finding Myself Young

Flowers make excellent paintbrushes, believe it or not. Whether using a light touch to use them as floral stampers, or going heavy for a unique pattern, they are truly one of a kind.

Beautiful Suncatcher Flower Mandalas by A Little Pinch of Perfect

These flower mandalas are the perfect way to welcome spring into your home. They come with a splash of color that helps spread cheer throughout the house after Winter’s gray mush.

Nature Lantern Craft Kit by Craft-Tastic

Use this fun kit to create a nature lantern! You can use a mix of found items in nature and included stickers, making it perfect for when you have a smaller-quantity of nature-derived resources. Get the kit here.

How to Make Pressed Flower Bookmarks by Lil Tigers

Pressed flowers are an elegant way to decorate. Plus, these bookmarks will be extra special to your kids, who collect the flowers and leaves themselves. This is one of those crafts that has no age ceiling, and can be enjoyed by parents or caregivers alongside kids.

Leaf Faces by Picklebums

Making leaf faces is an easy, interesting activity that kids will love. They gather supplies from nature outdoors, then arrange them into portraits to display. They can be super silly too (think three eyes or skip the nose). When you’re done, have them make other nature images!

Twig Candle Holder DIY by Moms and Crafters

This gorgeous twig candle holder DIY makes for fabulous decor for your home! Collect your twigs and use an LED candle to create this cozy accessory for your home, or gift it to a friend!

DIY Outdoorsy Spring Nature Crafts for Kids

Bring the outdoors right back outdoors with the following crafts for kids! You’ll be double-dipping on that outdoors fun!

Nature Suncatcher Craft by Messy Little Monster

This quick, easy suncatcher incorporates whatever nature offers in your neck of the woods. Kids can gather leaves, flower petals, or anything else flat and somewhat translucent. Assemble it into some decor that’ll fit right into the yard.

Homeschool Preschool Bird Activity by Two Pink Peonies

These bird feeders offer two significant advantages. Making one is a fun activity that even young kids can help with. And once it’s done, watching for birds to come to pick off the seeds is an activity in itself.

Make A Colorful Bird’s Nest Helper by Barley & Birch

Nest helpers are a neat idea that not many people have heard of. The little cage is stuffed with supplies birds might use to build a nest. Once it’s done, kids can watch to see if any feathered friends come to pick up the free supplies for their homes.

Tic Tac Toe Board Game with Rocks by The Country Chic Cottage

Grab a wood slice, some painted rocks, and a marker or precut stickers for dividing lines, and you have a ready-made tic-tac-toe board. Kids can enjoy countless games on a board they made themselves. And because it came from nature, they can now play with it in nature too!

Pine Cone Lambs by Fireflies & Mud Pies

Pine cone lambs are one of the most unique pine cone crafts. Once finished, this spring nature craft almost can’t even be recognized as a pine cone. But it’s the perfect little companion to place in your garden.

Got any favorite Spring nature crafts to add to the list? Comment below!

Favorite Nature Crafting Books

Want more ideas for spring nature crafts & activities? Check out these fun book ideas!

The Big Book of Nature Art by Yuval Zommer

• The Organic Artist for Kids by Nick Neddo
• Forest Club by Kris Hirschmann & Marta Antelo
• The Unplugged Family Activity Book by Rachel Jepson Wolf
• S.T.E.A.M. Ahead: Experiment with Outdoor Science by Nick Arnold
• Stanley Jr. Gardening is Awesome! by Chris Peterson
• Audubon Birding Adventures for Kids by Elissa Wolfson and Margaret A. Barker

The post Spring Nature Crafts – Using Flowers, Rocks, & More! appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

The cool thing about having two kids with similar interests close in age is that you can repeat party themes. The cool thing about repeating party themes is that you can get super creative the second time around – or at least you need to – to avoid too much repetition.

For Y’s sixth birthday, he chose a LEGO theme and we did a few fun activities. This LEGO party game was hands down the winner. It was easy to set up, fun to play, and highly entertaining. The kids did it again and again.

Sadly, I did not document this well enough (I wasn’t planning on making a standalone post until I saw how successful it was!)

But I’ll do my best to share.

The game makes kind of a flipped over LEGO brick and includes a fun scoring challenge.

How to Make the LEGO Party Game

You’ll need

• Plastic bowls in a solid color
• A poster board in the same color.
• A frame. We repurposed one from a broken toy. You can use a cardboard box that’s large enough, build one from pipes or wood, or borrow a frame from anything.
• Hot glue gun – see my recommendations here
• A permanent marker
• Scissors
• Pen
• Loose bricks

Putting it together

1. Arrange your bowls on the back of your poster board so that they are evenly spaced in two rows. I fit six.

2. Trace around each bowl.

3. Cut around each bowl, a little smaller than you marked. It doesn’t need to be neat but you want it to be a bit smaller than the outer rim.

4. Hot glue your poster board to the base. It can simply be stretched over the opening of a cardboard box. You just want to make sure that it’s sitting a bit above the ground so that the bowls sit nicely, stretched out to make the bowls accessible. And ideally, it’ll be a bit lower in front (you can trim the front of the box to accomplish that).

5. Hot glue around the rim of each hole, and place your bowl inside so that it sits in place.

Mark a point count on each bowl to up the ante for this LEGO party game!

How to Play the LEGO Toss Party Game

Have participants stand a designated distance back from the game (we placed ours in a not-yet-planted garden bed).

They are then given however many turns you’d like and told to toss their LEGO bricks in. Someone should be in charge of keeping score.

We had a few kids line up and did not choose a winner. We just tallied it up for each kid. They sort of had a mental image of a leaderboard going on, but it was low key.

You can allow them to keep whichever bricks they get in, if you are using loose bricks and want a built-in prize.

You can also make it more competitive and keep a total score.

I simply called out scores as they did it, getting theme excited. The kids kept on getting in the back of the line to play again, and again.

It’s an open-ended party game that had the kids excited, let out some energy, and didn’t cost much as we used bricks we had!

Got another LEGO party game to recommend? Comment below!

DIY Lego Toss Game

Print

5.0 Stars (1 Review)

Materials

• Plastic bowls in a solid color
• A poster board in the same color.
• A frame (You can use a cardboard box that's large enough, build one from pipes or wood, or borrow a frame from anything)
• Hot glue gun
• A permanent marker
• Scissors
• Pen
• Loose bricks

Instructions

1. Arrange your bowls on the back of your poster board so that they are evenly spaced in two rows. I fit six.

2. Trace around each bowl.

3. Cut around each bowl, a little smaller than you marked. It doesn't need to be neat but you want it to be a bit smaller than the outer rim.

4. Hot glue your poster board to the base. It can simply be stretched over the opening of a cardboard box. You just want to make sure that it's sitting a bit above the ground so that the bowls sit nicely, stretched out to make the bowls accessible. And ideally, it'll be a bit lower in front (you can trim the front of the box to accomplish that).

5. Hot glue around the rim of each hole, and place your bowl inside so that it sits in place.

Did you make this project?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

The post Lego Toss Party Game appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

We feature a lot of beautiful crafts with all kinds of fun materials on this site, but sometimes the biggest winner is when you can use ordinary materials you already have to make something you’ll have fun using. 

Here, we use simple paper and objects that could be mistaken for trash, and the end result is instantly playable. 

This pirate ship is not actually seaworthy since it’s made from paper materials, but it is perfect for pretend play using a bed or floor as the ocean. Since it’s made from a tube, kids can even stick little people inside for transport. 

You can even experiment with it in the bath, just be aware that it might be a single-use endeavor!

You can also make a second ship for the “good guys” by just leaving off the pirate flag or designing your own flag using different colors.

This craft is based on a cardboard tube. When I was a kid, empty toilet paper tubes were a crafting staple. They were almost endlessly available, and there were equally endless things to do with them. 

These days, many people are more wary about hygiene and less encouraging of their kids playing with bathroom garbage. If that’s you, don’t worry – there are many other ways to enjoy the same crafts. Some ideas:

• Amazon sells the same kind of tubes without the toilet paper. They are actually stronger.
• You can use paper towel rolls from the kitchen or elsewhere, just cut them down to size if the instructions are made for toilet paper rolls. Other products that may come on cardboard rolls include wrapping paper, aluminum foil, etc.
• You can make your own tubes by rolling up cardstock or thin cardboard and gluing or taping it closed
• Empty a toilet paper roll before it goes into the bathroom by pre-cutting the toilet paper into sheets of 2-3 squares. This can also be a great lifestyle fit if you have a little one who likes unraveling the roll for fun, or family members who tend to waste too much paper.

Personally, I think it’s well worth the few minutes of extra effort of preparing the roll in order to engage kids in this classic activity of repurposing household “trash” by crafting. 

My kids actually enjoy being the ones to pre-cut toilet paper themselves – it’s a fairly easy task to teach at any age.

What you’ll need

• Cardboard tube (such as toilet paper roll or a purchased craft tube)
• Colored paper
• Ruler
• Scissors
• Glue (I like tacky glue because it holds well before it cures)
• Tape
• Sticks (such as craft sticks, skewers, mini dowels, or natural sticks)
• Template you can download and print at the end of this post

How to Make this Pirate Ship Craft

1. Cut out all the pictures from the template. For parts that you want to leave white, such as the skull and bones, you’re done. For the other pieces, trace the template onto the colored papers of your choice and cut those out.

2. Glue the window cutouts onto your cardboard roll.

3. Take two sticks for the sails.

4. Glue a paper sail to the top of one of the sticks. You may want to secure it with a piece of tape across the stick as well.

5. Glue the skull and bones onto the flag cutout.

6. Glue the flag and the rest of the sails onto the sticks. Use tape to secure them as needed.

7. Poke two holes in the top of the cardboard tube to put the sticks through (you may want to help children with this step since it may require some force with a pointy object).

8. Poke the bottoms of the sticks through the holes. Use glue as needed to secure them in place.

9. Glue the anchor cutout near the windows for a finishing touch.

Your cardboard tube pirate ship craft is complete!

Download the Pirate Ship Template

To download, fill out the form below. You’ll be signed up for our free newsletter – unsubscribe at any time in the footer of the emails. I respect your privacy and the law and won’t share your information with anyone.

The post Cardboard Tube Pirate Ship Craft appeared first on Moms and Crafters.