100+ Super Quick, Easy & No Set Up Required 5 Minute Crafts for Kids

Creating and building is one of our favorite ways to keep kids busy and engaged, so it's no surprise that we love 5 minute crafts.

From paper folding to painting and coloring, there's nothing quite like making art and crafting together as a family. To help get you started, we've put together the best activities and crafts that your kids can do in 5 minutes. Kids (and parents!) will enjoy these simple and fun projects.

5 Minute Crafts for Kids

Free play is important to childhood development because it allows children to explore, observe, and imitate the world around them. Art is an amazing outlet for free play because children can manipulate different materials in different ways.

But where do you begin? Start by making art accessible to your kids with 5 minute crafts. Simple projects provide a structured way for children to explore art and enhance connections in their brains to learn.

Have you ever started at a blank piece of paper and felt overwhelmed because you weren't sure how to begin? Sometimes, a small nudge can help get our creative juices flowing. That's why we encourage families to spend time together making something that takes five minutes or less and doesn't cause a huge mess. Less stress for parents = more fun for kids.

What skills will my child be practicing through 5 minute crafts?

• Crafts for kids develop fine motor skills. Grasping pencils, crayons, chalk, and paintbrushes helps children develop their fine motor muscles. This is important for learning to write letters, tying their shoes, and other controlled movements.
• Art fosters cognitive development. Children learn to create patterns, identify cause and effect, and practice critical thinking by bringing their craft projects to life.
• Math skills are an integral part of crafting. Concepts like size, shape, making comparisons, counting and spatial reasoning are all math skills that kids can develop through arts and crafts.

What materials will I need?

We recommend having a few staple supplies on hand to make your time spent crafting easier:

• Colored construction paper
• Washable paint
• Washable markers
• Crayons
• Glue
• Safety scissors
• Pipe cleaners
• Craft sticks
• Googly eyes

Do some five min crafts use materials I already have?

That's totally our thing! We encourage families to craft with what they have in their drawers and cabinets whenever possible. Get started on this super simple pipe cleaner craft or these 20 coffee filter crafts. Got foam cups? Make your own farm set.

Are there quick educational crafts?

Absolutely! Check out ALL of our crafts that teach letters, like our "C is for Caterpillar" project or letter j crafts.

Is there anything I can just print out?

YUP. Click and print this flowers craft. You'll love it.

Have anything for play pretend?

Play pretend is perfect when you have the kids all day at home. Check out these fun paper plate masks and this fairy wand.