30+ Easy Back to School Crafts for Kids

It’s that time of year when children are headed back to school! And what better way to make them feel excited about going back than with some fun crafts? From back-to-school countdown chains to cute apple projects, these 30 easy and inexpensive crafts for kids will have your little one coming home from a long day of learning super excited about their next lesson.

From back to school countdown chains to cute apple projects, these 30 easy and inexpensive crafts for kids. Get ready for the first day of school with these super cute and easy to create Back to School Crafts for preschool, kindergarten, first grade, and beyond.

Back to School Crafts

So get ready for the start of a new school year with this list of 30 crafts perfect for any child who’s eager for school to start!

Get ready for the first day of school with these super cute and easy to create Back to School Crafts for preschool, kindergarten, first grade, and beyond.

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Easy Back to School Crafts

Apple Stamping Craft

This apple stamping craft is so easy and fun. It’s ok to play with your food sometimes! Cut an apple in half and use it to stamp out some red, yellow, and green apples in the paper strip basket. This is an adorable first day of school craft.

Johnny Appleseed Craft

Johnny Appleseed helped plant apple trees all over America back in the 1800s. Now you can help kids learn all about this planting pioneer with this adorable paper bag puppet idea! This craft is perfect for back to school and would be a great project for any grade-level classroom.

Kindness Crafts for Preschoolers

Kids really do learn best by example, and what better way to teach your children about kindness than through their back-to-school crafts? These kindness ideas for preschoolers are as easy as they are adorable! Teaching your child the importance of spreading love and kindness gives them a valuable lesson that will last throughout their lives.

Fall Busy Bag for Preschoolers

This back-to-school busy bag is a great way to get kids excited for the new school year. Kids will practice fine motor skills and number recognition while having fun with this cute apple-themed activity.

More Fun Back to School Crafts for Kids

School Bus Craft from messylittlemonster.com: Make an adorable school bus keepsake with the kids! You can print and assemble the bus with the plain windows or put your kids’ pictures in each of the bus’s windows. This is a charming craft if it’s your child’s first year riding the bus.

Kindness Pencil Toppers from coffeeandcarpool.com: These back-to-school pencil toppers are perfect for kids giving out to classmates or teachers giving to their students. What better way to show kindness than by making a pencil that reads “I like your smile” or “I’m glad you’re my friend.”

Popsicle Stick Apple Core Craft from parentingchaos.com: This is a fun take on the usual apple theme for school. It’s not a complete apple; it’s an apple core! If you don’t have foam craft sheets, don’t worry. Cardstock or construction paper will work just fine, too.

First Day of School Crafts

Shape School Bus from lookwerelearning.com: Working with simple shapes is an easy way for kids to practice beginner cutting skills and shape recognition. Assemble this cute little bus with rectangles, squares, and circles.

DIY Pencil Case from frugalcouponliving.com: Older elementary kids and tweens may enjoy making their own pencil cases using a zip-top bag and duct tape. With all the pretty duct tape designs out there, it’s really easy to create some super cute bags in no time. Make one or two to give to friends, too!

Craft Stick Pencil from darcyandbrian.com: Wouldn’t this be such a cute handmade gift for the teacher on the first day of school? Kids may also like having their own version to hang above their desks or workspace at home.

Back to School Crafts DIY

Paper Plate Apple from simpleeverydaymom.com: This is a classic craft that’s brightened up with a cute, smiling apple face. Use the printable template to easily bring this craft together in just a few minutes, excluding drying time for the paint. If you want to save time, you can even start with red or green plates to eliminate the painting step.

Back to School Popsicle Stick Frame from glitteronadime.com: Kids can make their very own colorful frames to display their first day of school pictures. All you need are some craft sticks, paint, glue, and hinge clips. You’ll also need a magnet or some magnetic tape if you want to pop this frame up on the fridge to change pictures in and out all year long.

Pencil Holders from craftsbyamanda.com: Of course, you need a pencil holder or two to stash all those new, freshly sharpened pencils! This tutorial shows you how to make your own using colorful paper and recycled tin cans. Now that’s a cheap and useful craft!

Pencil Bookmarks from craftsbyamanda.com: Turn some jumbo craft sticks into cute pencil-themed bookmarks to save your place in your textbooks or favorite fall reads. These will make great gifts for friends, too.

Minion Pencil Toppers from artsycraftsymom.com: Any Minions fan will love having these cute yellow guys sitting on top of their pencils. This is a great beginner sewing project for kids, but assemble the pieces with hot glue if they don’t like sewing.

Monster Pencil Toppers from redtedart.com: If you like a little variety and want even more pencil toppers, these monster ones are super easy and super fun. Plus, they’ll have that satisfying “swish” factor when you write.

Welcome Back to School Craft Ideas

Paper Backpack Craft by nontoygifts.com: With the simple backpack printable and some colored cardstock, you can easily set up a fun craft for an entire group of kids. This is a great low-prep classroom activity. All kids will need are the template, scissors, and glue.

Mini Notebooks from redtedart.com: These mini notebooks are great for condensing notes about a certain subject into a handy little pocket guide to study from. This is a terrific craft for tweens and teens.

Laptop Card from thesoccermomblog.com: Create a keepsake for the scrapbook or make a cute card to send to the grandparents to announce your child’s first day of school. We love that the name, grade, and school year are spelled out on the keys!

Origami Pencils from redtedart.com: Try your hand at some cute origami pencils. Follow along with the video to make this craft in no time. It would be a cute gift for a teacher along with a gift card slipped inside or could be cute classroom decorations with each child’s name on a pencil.

Unicorn Pencil Holder from craftsonsea.co.uk: Any unicorn fan will love making this pencil holder with a sparkly, cute, and simple unicorn theme. Won’t it look cute on your desk?

First Day of School Crafts for Preschoolers

Shape Pencil Craft from adabofgluewilldo.com: Make a simple shape pencil out of rectangles and triangles. This is a terrific craft for the classroom to get kids reacquainted with some of their shapes, work on fine motor skills, and see how well they follow directions.

Countdown to Preschool from preschoolinspirations.com: Is your little one excited to start preschool in the fall? Make this cute pencil-themed countdown chain to count the days until the first day of school.

School Bus Countdown from thesuburbanmom.com: Here’s another take on the back-to-school countdown with a bus instead of a pencil. Both are cute options. Pick your favorite or make both!

Unicorn Notebook from rachelteodoro.com: This is another cute back-to-school unicorn craft that would go perfectly with the pencil holder above. Nothing will get you more excited about taking notes than a cute notebook!

Back to School Slime from thesoccermomblog.com: You’ve probably got a pencil box somewhere that’s chock full of broken crayons. Put them to use in this back-to-school slime. It’s clear so you can see all the pretty crayon colors, and it’s super stretchy, too. You could also grate the crayons into the slime if you don’t want the large pieces.

First Day of School Arts and Crafts for Preschoolers

School Bus Suncatcher from thesuburbanmom.com: This school bus will look adorable hanging in your windows as the kids anticipate the first day of school. It’s made with simple shapes, too, which makes it easier for little hands to cut.

Crumpled Paper Apple Craft from kidsactivitiesblog.com: This crumpled paper apple is gorgeous and would look great on a canvas for the classroom or your homeschool room. Crumpling the tissue paper is great fine motor practice, too.

Tissue Paper Apple Card from easypeasyandfun.com: Send your appreciation for your child’s teacher the first day with a sweet little apple card made with cardstock, foam alphabet stickers, and crumpled tissue paper.

A is for Apple from thesimpleparent.com: A is for apple! It’s something we all learned in elementary school, and it’s a classic craft still today. This project is perfect for daycare, preschool, or kindergarten.

These back-to-school crafts for kids are a great way to get back into the swing of things. They are fun, easy, and cheap. They’re also very versatile – so you can tailor them to your classroom needs or make something at home to get your kids excited about the upcoming school year!

CLICK HERE FOR 30+ FUN THINGS TO DO IN THE FALL

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