There’s nothing as lovely as a lazy weekend after busy weekdays and back-to-back event-filled weekends. That is until your child starts saying that they’re bored. Fortunately, plenty of creative activities are available to take a break from tech without requiring too much energy or effort to complete. Here are some of the best lazy weekend crafts to make your indoor days a little brighter.
Best Crafts For Lazy Weekends
Make Paper Plate Animals
Some of the best crafts are created with supplies you have on hand. Leftover paper plates from last year’s barbeque season are the perfect starting point for creativity on rainy days. You can use these to create a zoo filled with fun, zany paper plate animals. All you need is scissors, construction paper, markers, and glue.
Get creative and make a whole menagerie of animals, from a paper plate peacock to a paper plate lion. This craft encourages creativity and motor skill development while presenting an opportunity to learn more about the animals. After the crafting is complete, your children can set up a zoo or play with the animals for hours of lazy day fun.
Make Superhero Masks
Another easy way to pass the time is to make superhero masks. You’ll need some cardstock or construction paper, markers, glue, and string for this craft. Use a mask template to cut out a few plain masks for your kids (and yourself) to decorate. Then, you can tie on some blankets as capes and put those imaginations to work.
This craft also offers hours of entertainment after the work is done. You can also use this opportunity to help your children learn character development and storytelling, improving their literacy through creative play.
Create Faux Stained Glass
Stained glass decor is beautiful, but creating the real deal is a huge undertaking. Fortunately, you can create beautiful faux stained glass with parchment paper and markers.
Trace a design on parchment paper using a sharpie. Then let your kids color in the designs with markers. Display the images in a sunny window to see the colors shine as the light comes through. This is a simple craft that requires minimal effort and yields beautiful results.
Paint Rocks
Rock painting has become a fan-favorite activity during the pandemic, with many families working together to paint rocks and hide them around the neighborhood. Painting rocks and letting them dry is the perfect activity for a lazy weekend, so you can encourage your kids to go on an outdoor adventure another time.
There are plenty of templates and ideas online for rock painting inspiration. You can paint the rocks like fruit and vegetables, add your favorite colors, or do some freestyle painting with an inspiring quote written over the top. This is also a fun, soothing activity for adults to partake in— just like coloring.
Make Paper Bag Puppets
Paper bag puppets are another iteration of paper plate animals and superhero masks. This activity allows your kids to create characters and craft stories. Consider setting up a makeshift puppet theater by repurposing an old box or using the space behind the sofa.
To create paper bag puppets, you’ll need basic craft supplies: markers, construction paper, scissors, and glue. You can also pick up some simple stickers, felt, string, and other accessories at the local craft store to make “outfits” for the puppets.
Create Rainy Day Drawings
Staying inside and coloring or drawing is a typical way to spend a rainy day— but what if you incorporated the rain into the process? Have your kids color rain-inspired pictures on paper. This could include clouds, puddles, raindrops, rainbows, or whatever else they want. Then, set the pictures in the rain for a few minutes to create a mottled raindrop effect.
Be sure to communicate the purpose of this craft to your kids before taking the pictures outside so they know that the rain isn’t ruining them; it’s making them better.
Practice Origami
Making origami helps improve critical thinking, creativity, and fine motor skills. Kids often find it amazing to see how a simple piece of paper can turn into a beautiful sculpture. The options for creating origami are endless, and it’s a skill they can develop over time.
Some simple origami creations to consider include:
- a corner bookmark
- a paper boat
- a fortune teller
- an envelope
- a dog or cat
All you need for this craft is some colorful paper (and patience).
Get Crafting!
Keep these simple crafts in your back pocket for lazy weekends and rainy days. Your kids will love the opportunity to try something new and display their creations for everyone to see.
