☔ Rainy Day Craft Projects with Supplies You Already Have at Home

It’s raining — again.

The yard is soaked, the loop trail’s a no-go, and your toddler is asking for another snack while your preschooler is making sock puppets out of clean laundry.

You don’t have the time (or mental energy) to plan a craft that requires a trip to Hobby Lobby and a hot glue gun with six settings. What you do have: a drawer of random stuff, a kid who needs a project, and a rainy Wenatchee afternoon to fill.

Good news — you’re in the right place.

Here are fun, low-prep, kid-approved craft projects using things you already have in your house. No fancy gadgets. No special paper. Just good, old-fashioned creativity and connection.

1. Toilet Paper Roll Critters

Supplies:

• Empty toilet paper or paper towel rolls

• Markers, stickers, tape, glue

• Scrap paper, googly eyes (optional)

• Scissors (for adult use)

How-To:
Transform toilet paper rolls into bugs, bunnies, superheros, or whatever your kid dreams up. Cut little wings out of paper, use pipe cleaners for antennae, or tape on construction paper arms.

Why it works:
It’s open-ended, mess-proof, and easy to adapt for different ages. (Plus, it magically uses up those paper rolls piling up under your sink.)

2. Magazine Collage Art

Supplies:

• Old magazines or junk mail

• Scissors

• Glue stick

• Cardstock or cereal box cardboard

How-To:
Give your kid a theme — like “all things green,” or “stuff that makes me happy.” Then let them flip through pages and cut out what they find. Glue onto paper for a mood board or silly mash-up collage.

Why it works:
It builds fine motor skills and gives your kid creative freedom — without needing fancy supplies.

3. Q-Tip Pointillism Paintings

Supplies:

• Q-tips or cotton swabs

• Washable paint (or mix flour and food coloring)

• Paper plates or construction paper

How-To:
Dip Q-tips into paint and dab out designs — flowers, rainbows, hearts, animals. It’s an easy way to introduce the concept of “pointillism” without the mess of brushes.

Why it works:
It stretches a little paint a long way — and your kids will love the “dot-dot-dot” method.

4. Cardboard Box Town

Supplies:

• Amazon boxes or cereal boxes

• Tape or glue

• Markers, paper scraps, crayons

• Hot wheels or figurines (for play after)

How-To:
Flatten a box for a road base, or build small “buildings” from cereal boxes. Let your child design a mini town with houses, stores, stop signs, and people.

Why it works:
It combines crafting with pretend play — and keeps them entertained even after the craft is over.

5. Handprint & Footprint Art

Supplies:

• Paint or ink pad

• Washcloth or wipes

• Paper or leftover packaging cardboard

How-To:
Make butterflies, turkeys, flowers, fish — all with handprints or footprints. Add funny eyes or turn prints into animals with a few marker lines.

Why it works:
Kids love getting messy (within limits). Bonus: You get keepsakes. Use them later for birthday cards or grandparent gifts.

6. Sock Puppets & Paper Bag Faces

Supplies:

• Clean socks or paper lunch bags

• Scraps of yarn, paper, or felt

• Tape, glue, googly eyes (if you have them)

• Markers

How-To:
Design characters and bring them to life with stories. Paper bags work great for easy animal faces or silly monsters.

Why it works:
It taps into storytelling and creativity — and might even buy you a full 30 minutes of independent puppet show time.

7. Folded Paper “Surprise Drawings”

Supplies:

• Regular paper

• Markers or crayons

How-To:
Fold paper into thirds. Draw a head on the top section, a torso in the middle, and legs on the bottom — each person draws one part without seeing the rest. Unfold to reveal your mixed-up creature!

Why it works:
It’s hilarious, easy to repeat, and even older kids enjoy the surprise reveal.

8. Pasta Necklaces or Painted Pasta Art

Supplies:

• Uncooked pasta (macaroni, penne, etc.)

• Yarn or string

• Markers, paint, or food coloring

• Glue (if doing glued pasta art)

How-To:
Color the pasta, string into necklaces, or glue onto cardboard in patterns or shapes.

Why it works:
You’re crafting and fine-motor-skill-building — with ingredients from your pantry. Win-win.

9. Rainy Day Story Spinner

Supplies:

• Paper plate or cardboard circle

• Paper fastener (or just spin with your hand)

• Markers or crayons

• Scissors

How-To:
Divide the circle into sections with prompts like “A magical animal,” “In a forest,” “With a silly friend,” etc. Spin the plate to land on a mix — then create a story together or draw what you imagine.

Why it works:
It turns boredom into creativity. Great for mixed ages — toddlers can draw, older kids can write.

Bonus: Bathtub Art (When You’ve Tried Everything Else)

Supplies:

• Shaving cream

• Food coloring

• Muffin tin or small cups

• Paintbrushes or sponges

How-To:
Mix a bit of food coloring into shaving cream and let your child “paint” the bathtub walls. Rinse off when they’re done!

Why it works:
It feels naughty (painting in the tub!) but it’s actually mess-free — and doubles as bath time.

Final Thought

Rainy days can test your patience — and your snack supply. But with just a few basic materials, you can create moments that feel warm, connected, and creative.

You don’t need a Pinterest-perfect plan.
You don’t need silence or clean floors.
You just need one little spark of fun and connection — and a willingness to embrace the mess for a few minutes.

Before you know it, the rain will stop.
But the art might just hang on your fridge for weeks.