50+ Back to School Crafts (Fun DIY Projects for Kids)

It's back-to-school time and that means getting school gear ready, bulletin board layouts, first day of school crafts and a great opportunity to help in classrooms and with school activities.

The first week of school is filled with creative ways to acclimatize and an easy project or two.

School days are filled with imaginative play for little learners, simple materials and the big yellow school bus.

So many great time memories of the start of a new school year!

Here's a round up of over 50 easy craft ideas that can be made at home for the school season, or a fun project list for new teachers to reference and crafting in classrooms.

My favorite crafts are ones that help with fine motor activity, but aren't just made of trash.
Which of these fun Back-to-School crafts is your favorite?

How to do Hand Lettering with Free Printable Worksheets!

Have you wanted to learn how to do hand lettering? Have you tried it already? Do you love it?

Let me teach you how to do hand lettering! It's a gorgeous style of writing that does not need any skill in penmanship, handwriting or even cursive.

It's an art form, where you shape and style the letters in a fluid and playful way. It takes practice, but is fun and rewarding to do your own lettering.

This trend of hand-lettered pieces is not going anywhere soon, so learn how to do it today!

It might be the creative escape you need, it might blossom into a business!

Use my free lettering worksheets (link at the end of the post) to practice the basic drills, learn letter shapes and begin to develop your own style. 

Use this full tutorial to become one of the new hand letterers this year!

Calligraphy Book Lover Quotes FREE Bookmark Printable

Bookmarks for the Book Worm!  

These 6 bookmarks are brush lettered book lover quotes, perfect for kids of all ages.

The printable is FREE and found at the end of this post.  

Please share, pin and comment on this post as a thank you and to keep future printables free as well.  

With a high quality print and lamination for a long lasting bookmark.  

What's your favorite book?

How to Make Pressed Flower Laminated Bookmarks DIY

Preserve gorgeous pressed flowers in lamination for the perfect and easy bookmark!

These flowers and four leaf clovers were found in my yard and perfect for an epic book place holder.

Just a few supplies needed to make all the flower art bookmarks perfect for book lovers!

Gratitude Journals: We R Memory Keepers Cinch Binding Tool

Learn how to make these paper pieced gratitude journals using the We R Memory Keepers Cinch Binding tool. 

Keeping track of special moments, things that worked out and little tender mercies is such a good way to focus on the positive parts of life rather than the dreary.

These notebooks are perfect for writing name practice, art and story writing.

How to make Easy Paper Airplane (6 Fold Plane Steps)

Learn how to make an easy paper airplane with these 6 simple folds.

Paper airplanes are fun things for a quick build and lots of air time--and this is the best paper airplane to start with!

If you don't know how to fold a paper airplane, this is the perfect plane for beginners and hands of all skill levels.

Perfect kids' Summer camp themed crafts or fun ideas for outdoor activities.

These paper airplanes are simple and they can be colored or decorated with washi tape or paint pens for a little more fun.

How to Create Bookmarks with Gel Plate Printing DIY

Learn how to create beautiful bookmarks with gelli printing art monoprints!

Mono printing with a gel plate or gelli plate is so much fun, and transforming your gorgeous unique pieces and prints into laminated bookmarks is a quick and easy craft.

Let's get started creating these gorgeous ginkgo leaf printed bookmarks!

How to Make Boondoggle Lanyard Keychains DIY Tutorial! 

Boondoggle lanyards are synonymous with Summer--and some carryover into the first weeks of school!

The plastic cord, the bright colors, the possibilities for bracelets boondoggle keychains, everyone in their teen years needs to make a bunch of these at Summer camp--I think it's one of the top life skills!

Learn how to make your own boondoggle keychains using plastic lacing cord for the perfect Summer craft!

How to Make Ginkgo Leaves Bookmark Gingko Leaf Crafts

Learn how to make Ginkgo leaves bookmark using actual leaves.

This is a fun nature craft that works with the leaves used on gel plate ginkgo leaf prints, with a subtle amount of gold acrylic paint on each leaf surface.

Let's get started creating these natural and earthly bookmarks!

How to Make Stickers with Plaid Apple Barrel Paint

Make the perfect stickers using Plaid Crafts Apple Barrel Paint. 

These cute art project stickers can be used to decorate water bottles, school supplies or be given as gifts to a teacher or friend. 

Makes a great Summertime craft activity too.

Learn how easy it is to make your own stickers using Apple Barrel Paint and Mod Podge!

How to Make Watercolor Bookmarks (Beginners Tutorial)

Learn how to paint watercolor bookmarks easily for the the perfect diy bookmark.

These make a great gift in addition to a pile of favorite novels--it's the perfect craft!

Let me show you how to create these awesome watercolor effects effortlessly!

How to Make Glitter Resin Pen Holder DIY with Cup Turner!

Make a great statement piece for your desk, counter, or home decor with this ombre glitter resin pen holders DIY.

This glitter pen holder is beautiful and easy to make--and gets all those pens, pencils and markers organized. 

Learn how to make a gorgeous Resin Glitter Tumbler pencil holder with ETI Envirotex Lite and sparkly glitter--here's the full details!

Japanese Paper Doll Bookmarks

Learn how to make Japanese Paper Dolls with origami paper.

These adorable layered geisha girls are the perfect handmade gift tags, bookmarks or even wall art.

It's not an origami bookmark (paper folding with no glue), but use the vibrant shades and different colors of origami paper to capture the traditional origami vibe...as a paper doll--that makes the perfect bookmark!

Periodic Table Funny Science T-Shirts with Cricut Maker!

Making funny shirts is one of my favorite hobbies and it's perfect for back to school time.

These two shirts are perfect for a science nerd, and are easy to make--and the 5th grader will love it!

Periodically I'm DyNAmITe...and Expect SArCaSm periodically. 

Use the Periodic Table of Elements to spell out words! 

Whip out these 2 shirts in a matter of minutes with Cricut Maker and Cricut Design Space.

 Butterfly Bookmark DIY

Learn how to make a folded butterfly, heart or flower bookmarks using a few simple supplies.

Attention book lovers, make the perfect bookmark for keeping track of your page as well as looking beautiful for Spring!

How to Stencil and Paint a Back-to-School Tote bag: 2 COOL 2 BE 4 GOTTEN

Make the coolest painted tote bag for back-to-school, a trip to the library or to carry all your after school club stuff.

This cute tote is decorated with the ever efficient math formula for school yearbook signing.

   2 COOL

+ 2 BE

   4 GOTTEN

Raise your hand if you signed a yearbook, cast or some other autographed piece with this little equation!

How to Make Origami Corner Bookmarks (Easy Paper DIY)

Origami paper corner bookmarks are super easy to make and perfect for teaching a large group.

Just a few easy steps and folding to make a little DIY origami corner bookmark to keep track of reading all during the school year.

These easy corner bookmarks are a perfect gift, easy crafts for a school class or youth group, and all you need are some squares of paper.

How to Make a Back-to-School Sign with Cricut!

Get your classroom, teacher gifts or homeschool room ready for another year of school with a motivational sign made with Cricut!

Today's Readers are Tomorrow's Leaders!

Get your Cricut, vinyl, some colorful craft paint, a wood base, wood beads and ribbon and let's get started on this simple sign!

Make an Engraved Bookmark with xTool!

Learn how easy it is to make an engraved wood bookmark with the xTool M1 laser cutting machine.

This fun engraved bookmark--different projects great for older kids--would make a great handmade gift, decoration piece or used as a gift tag!

The visual appeal of engraved wood has endless possibilities.

This would make a great Father's day gift too--for a man that loves a fabulous reading experience. 

School Supplies Pencil Vase: Teacher Appreciation Gift DIY

Make an adorable Back to School statement with this pencil vase!

You just need a cleaned out soup can (with the edges cut so they aren't sharp) and Pencils--you can use regular yellow pencils or even colored pencils.

DIY Command Center for Back To School with Plaid!

What does back-to-school look like for you? 

Every school year can look completely different...dealing with hybrid schedules, homeschoolers, virtual schoolers and those attending public schools or charter schools. 

One thing that is the same across the board--is the need for good organization.

Colored Pencil Vase

Make your own colored pencil vase with 216 colored pencils, Easycast Deep Pour resin and a lathe for wood turning.

This is definitely an advanced project, you'll need a lathe and a several steps, but this is an interesting craft if you are ready for new possibilities. 

How to Make a Teaching Aid Weather Chart for Children!

Learn how to easily make a Teaching Aid Weather Chart!

Teach children about the weather with this fun laminated spinner wheel!

How to Make Laminated Washi Tape Bookmarks!

My 2 older children and I had a blast making Washi Tape Bookmarks with some scrapbook paper, washi tape and the laminator.

This is a fun craft to teach kids how to tear tape, and washi tape is so forgiving, colorful and fun.

Cookies in a Can!

Make the perfect teacher gift with cans filled with cookies!

These fun handouts are easy to make with the right tools and are exciting to open.

Free printable available.

Alpaca Tote

Make the perfect pun tote--Alpaca bag for library and school books!

This fun bag is perfect for kids learning about play-on-words and puns, pom poms for the win!

Locker Frame Magnet

Spruce up that locker with a fun magnet frame!

This fun DIY craft is great for older kids.

Marbled Notebooks

Add a child's name to this book for writing lesson plans, practicing name recognition or creative writing and drawing.

Use school spirit colors as a great way to limit colors.

Pen Pun Printable Teacher Gift

Make a great teacher gift with these fun pun printables and lots of awesome pens and school suppplies.

Colored Pencil Roll

Get your colored pencils organized the perfect way in a rolled up bundle. 

Pencil crafts have never been as fun as using it this way!

Shark Pencil Case

Pencil holders are the best--and the perfect school craft ideas for any age group.

Decorating a pencil case is easy and makes a fun statement!

Leather Bound Journal

A fancier notebook for students that are serious about journal keeping, story writing and art.

Make a leather bound journal for a high quality keepsake.

Sea Turtle Bag

Make a cute tote bag with Cricut and iron on!

Teddy Bear Back Pack

Transform a stuffed animal, like a teddy bear, into a cute little back pack!

This is a fun bag for little kids to put a few things in as they go back to school.

Tropical School Supplies

Decorate those school supplies in a tropical fashion with colorful paper and die cuts!

This would be fun to do with the classroom if you have the dies already all cut.

Harry Potter themed Shirt

Funny themed shirts are always in style for school and those social skills.

Make a fun Harry Potter book themed shirt with a few supplies!

Upcycled Soda Bottle Pen Case

Make a fun pen holder using old soda bottles, a zipper and hot glue, no sewing needed.

This could be covered like a tissue paper apple craft, with a felt stem and leaf coming out of the top.

Upcycled Candy Bag Pencil Case

Turn those empty candy bags into pencil cases!

This is one of the best ideas for upcycling, it's a creative back to school craft that older kids will love!

Color Wheel Teaching Aid

Teach little kids the color wheel with this fun adding and subtracting color wheel.

Colored Pencil Necklace

Head back to school in style with this fun colored pencil necklace!

It's easy to make with old, nearly used up colored pencils!

  

Duck Tape Notebooks

Decorate binders, notebooks and chalkboards with duct tape for a fun back to school bundle of supplies.

Felt Covered Composition Books

These fun mini notebooks are easy to make with felt and a little creativity!

Snap Pencil Envelope 

Make a fabric envelope that snaps closed to hold a glorious collection of gel pens!

Tombow Teacher Gift

I know what I want to be when I grow up...younger!

Make a fun gift for a teacher with some high quality supplies and a funny note!

How to Cover a Text Book

Learn how to cover a text book with butcher or kraft paper to protect or hide the cover of the books you are reading.

This fun technique is how I had to cover all my books every year in the olden days...but you can cover any book to make it a built in doodle cover.

Chalkboard Thought Bubble!

Take some back to school photos with a fun sign to hold up!

Just write the child's grade and snap a pic!

Duct Tape Book Cover Tutorial

Use duct tape to cover a book--with a removeable cover!

 Lego Man Crayons

Use up all those broken crayons and make them into something much more fun!

Coloring cute coloring pages has never been more fun!

Art Kits!

Make the perfect art journal with a pencil or pen storage that attaches to the book.

Perfect for school, traveling or just to keep things organized at home!

Truffula Tree Pens!

Make pom pom wrapped pens as a fun craft related to the Lorax by Dr. Seuss.

Pom Pom Pens!

Make pens with fluffy pom poms using bakers twine!

This fun DIY craft is great for older kids to help with!

Zip-up Pencil Pouch!

Make a pencil pouch with solid zippers!

This is a fun sewing project if you have a bunch of extra zippers sitting around!

Spruce up the kids wardrobe--Back to School Tee Shirts!

Make a bunch of fun back to school shirts with freezer paper and paint!

That's it!

So many fun back to school craft ideas, I am sure you have a few that you've saved to make later.

These fun crafts are great for kids, classrooms and teachers--which is your favorite?

Like, Pin and Save!