5 Crafts You Can Do with Stuff You Already Have at Home

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Because the last thing any of us needs is another mid-week craft store meltdown



Let’s be real — I love a good craft session… in theory. But if it involves a special trip, 17 supplies I don’t have, or glitter that will haunt my floors for the next six years? No, thank you.

Some of the best crafting moments with kids (and, let’s be honest, the least stressful ones) happen with stuff we already have lying around the house. The crumpled recycling. The mystery buttons. The cereal boxes. The craft cupboard you kind of forgot existed until now.

So here are 5 fun, easy crafts you can do with things you probably already own — no panic shopping or Pinterest perfection required.


✂️ 1. Cereal Box Creations

AKA turning your breakfast leftovers into art

Got an empty cereal box? Boom — you’ve got a canvas, a robot body, a fairy castle, or a spaceship. Cut it, paint it, wrap it in foil — let the kids run wild

Ideas:

  • Turn it into a mini puppet theatre
  • Make DIY puzzles by drawing a picture and cutting it into chunky shapes
  • Use it as the base for a nature collage with leaves, twigs, and flowers

You’ll Need:

Scissors, glue, imagination, and maybe a snack to keep little hands busy while you cut the fiddly bits.


🎨 2. Toilet Roll Tube People


The humble loo roll strikes again

Toilet roll tubes are like the blank slates of the craft world. Add googly eyes, felt tip faces, or paper clothes and you’ve got yourself a whole cast of characters.

Ideas:

  • Make a mini family (yes, with Mum wearing a dressing gown and coffee cup)
  • Create animals, monsters, or storybook characters
  • Add string and turn them into puppets for a DIY show

You’ll Need:

Toilet roll tubes, markers, scraps of paper or fabric, glue or tape.


🖌️ 3. Paint with Unusual Things

Because brushes are boring (and also mysteriously missing)

Who needs a fancy paint set when you’ve got an old toothbrush, a potato, or a bit of foil? Try painting with whatever you can find — it’s creative and keeps little brains busy.

Ideas:

  • Cut apples or potatoes in half for DIY stamps
  • Use cotton buds for dot painting
  • Dip string in paint and drag it across the paper for swirly magic

You’ll Need:

Some kind of paint (even homemade), paper, and a “weird” tool of choice.


🧃 4. Junk Modelling Challenge

Recycling bin = treasure chest

Give the kids a box of safe-to-use “junk” and a challenge: build a rocket, a robot, a zoo, or their dream bedroom. Let them glue, tape, or stack to their heart’s content.

Ideas:

  • Build a town out of boxes and bottle caps
  • Create a race car from milk cartons and straws
  • Make a bug hotel using sticks and paper tubes

You’ll Need:

Recyclables, scissors, glue/tape, and zero attachment to your table staying clean.


🖼️ 5. DIY Story Stones or Cards

Craft meets imagination — and keeps on giving

Grab some pebbles or cut up an old cereal box into small cards. Draw simple pictures on each — a sun, a cat, a house, a rainbow. Then let your child use them to tell stories.

Ideas:

  • Pick three at random and create a silly story
  • Use them as prompts for drawing or writing
  • Hide them around the house like a scavenger hunt

You’ll Need:

Small stones or sturdy paper/cardboard, pens or paint.


You Don’t Need Fancy Supplies to Make Magic

If you’ve got a glue stick, some imagination, and a pile of recycling, you’ve already got everything you need. Crafts don’t have to be Pinterest-perfect — they just need to be fun (or at the very least, keep the kids busy for 20 minutes while you reheat your tea).


✨ Got a go-to craft that uses household stuff? Share it in the comments or tag me on Instagram

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