5 Rainy Day Crafts for Kids with Paper and Cardboard

When you want a rainy day craft, choose a small object your child can make and then use: a puppet, a crown, a postcard, or a little book. These five projects for ages 4–6 use paper, cardboard, and crayons. None depends on buying a craft kit.

Set out one project at a time. Use age-appropriate glue and tools, and have an adult do thick-cardboard cutting and remove staples or sharp edges. Large paper details work in place of buttons, beads, or other loose decorations.

1. Make a folded-paper puppet

Fold a sheet of paper in half and draw a face on the front. Add ears or hair with folded paper or crayons. Open the fold slightly so the puppet can “talk” as your child moves it. Keep the construction simple; a face on folded paper is enough to begin.

Make a second character and give them a short scene: one is looking for a lost sock, and the other has a surprising suggestion. Save extra decoration for later if the story is already underway.

2. Build a standing cardboard town

An adult cuts clean cereal-box cardboard into broad rectangles. Fold each in half so it stands like a tent, then draw doors and windows. Arrange the buildings on paper roads and send a toy on a visit.

The buildings fold flat for storage. Your child can add a new place on another rainy day without rebuilding the whole town.

3. Design a paper crown

Join broad strips of paper into a loose band, measured and fastened by an adult. Draw patterns before fitting it, or add large torn-paper shapes with a glue stick. Avoid staples against the skin and skip ties or cords.

Decide what kind of character wears the crown: a garden ruler, a space explorer, or the person in charge of silly stories. It does not need to match a costume.

4. Send an indoor postcard

Fold scrap paper into a card and draw an imaginary destination on the front. Dictate or write a message to someone at home. Add a large drawn stamp and deliver it. If your child enjoys the game, open a pretend post office with an empty box for outgoing mail.

5. Make a tiny picture museum

Draw three small pictures on one sheet, then have an adult help separate them if needed. Fold little paper stands or display the pictures flat on a table. Your child names each work and gives a tour. Visitors can ask how a picture was made instead of choosing a winner.

Choose the amount of mess you can manage

Paper and crayons cover every project here; glue is optional for several. Keep scraps in one box and clear the working area together before starting the next game. For more open-ended experimenting, try art activities. If everyone needs to leave the table, switch to rainy day activities.

Choose materials that keep cleanup small

Use crayons in place of paint, a glue stick for broad paper pieces, and one shallow tray to collect scraps. Put only the supplies for the current project within reach. A craft that stops after coloring can still become a prop for pretend play.

If you have plates, our paper plate crafts includes illustrated rocking-boat steps. If you have clean tubes, try cardboard tube crafts with drawn faces and large paper parts.