Rainy-Day Paper Crafts for Kids Using Basic Supplies

Rainy-day paper crafts can be as simple as a folded greeting card, a torn-paper collage, or a printable animal that children color, cut, and glue. Start with paper, crayons, child-appropriate scissors, and a glue stick. Choose one project and prepare any tricky cutting before inviting children to join in.

You do not need to fill the whole afternoon with planned activities. One finished bird, a funny card, or a colorful paper scene can be enough. These ideas include both projects you can make from household paper and crafts that use a downloadable template.

What supplies do you need?

• Plain paper or clean, dry scrap paper.
• Crayons or colored pencils.
• Child-appropriate scissors, with adult supervision.
• A glue stick or a small amount of suitable craft glue.
• A printer for the template-based projects.
• Optional cardstock, if your printer supports it.

Set aside a tray or scrap sheet for offcuts. Avoid staples, hot glue, and tiny decorations for these projects. If your child is not ready to cut, prepare the pieces yourself and let them focus on coloring, arranging, or gluing.

Which craft fits the supplies you have?

Craft	Main supplies	Template needed?
Folded greeting card	Paper and crayons	No
Torn-paper rainy scene	Scrap paper, backing sheet, and glue	No
3D paper turtle	Printed template, crayons, scissors, and glue	Yes
Bird finger puppets	Printed template, scissors, glue, and optional crayons	Yes
Paper birds and birdhouse	Printed template, coloring supplies, scissors, and glue or tape	Yes

1. Make a folded greeting card

Fold a sheet of paper in half and invite your child to decorate the front. They could draw a rainy window, an animal holding an umbrella, or a bright rainbow. Inside, help them write a short message to someone they know.

To use a coloring page, color a small section, cut it out with help, and glue it to the card. Keep the amount of glue light so thin paper does not become too wrinkled. Let the card dry flat before folding it closed.

Make it simpler: skip cutting and draw straight onto the folded sheet. Extend it: make a matching paper envelope together.

2. Create a torn-paper rainy scene

Use a plain sheet as the background. Tear scrap paper into strips for rain, rounded pieces for clouds, and larger shapes for houses or trees. Arrange the pieces before gluing them down.

If you only have white paper, color patches first and then tear them into shapes. Ask your child what the weather might look like next: perhaps they want a rainbow, sunshine, or a puddle full of imaginary fish.

Make it simpler: use a few large pieces. Extend it: add a character and invent a short story about their rainy day.

3. Build a 3D paper turtle

Our Turtle Printable Craft includes A4 and US Letter PDF files with assembly instructions. The finished turtle has a raised shell effect, adding a simple building stage after coloring.

1. Choose the file that matches your paper and follow its printing instructions.
2. Color the template while it is still a full sheet.
3. Help your child cut out the pieces.
4. Use the included guide to shape and attach the parts.
5. Let the glue set before playing with or displaying the turtle.

Coloring before cutting gives children a larger, easier surface to hold. For a follow-up activity, draw a pond on another sheet and place the turtle beside it.

4. Make bird finger puppets

Our Printable Bird Finger Puppets include ready-colored and color-your-own versions in A4 and US Letter sizes. Choose the colored version when you want to focus on assembly, or the outline version when coloring is part of the fun.

Print at the scale specified in the pack, check the supplied scale marker, and follow the illustrated assembly instructions. An adult can handle small cuts and help fit the puppet comfortably. Once it is dry, ask your child to introduce their bird: What is its name? Where is it flying when the rain stops?

A folded piece of paper can become a simple stage. Keep the performance short or let the birds join another game.

5. Assemble paper birds and a birdhouse

For a project with several pieces, try our Printable Paper Birds & Birdhouse Craft. The set includes bird designs, a birdhouse template, and instructions. Use the printable files and follow the included guide for cutting, folding, and assembly.

Split the project into stages: color first, take a break, then build. If several children are working together, each can decorate a bird while an adult helps with the birdhouse. Display the completed pieces on a shelf or table.

How do you make a craft session easier?

Try the first fold yourself before showing it to your child, keep the instructions nearby, and bring out only the materials for the current project. If a piece tears, repair it with a small paper patch or print just that page again where the product license allows.

There is no need for the result to match the product photograph perfectly. Different colors and extra drawings make the craft personal. For a broader mix of indoor ideas, explore our rainy-day activities guide.

Frequently asked questions

What can we make without a printer?

Start with the folded card or torn-paper scene. You can also draw a simple animal on paper and decorate it without using a template.

Can ordinary printer paper work for crafts?

Yes, for many coloring, folding, and collage projects. Some standing or wearable crafts benefit from cardstock. Follow the template’s recommendation and your printer’s paper limits.

What if we do not have glue?

Choose the folded greeting card and draw directly on it. Tape may work for some assemblies, but check the template instructions because replacing glue can change how pieces fit.

Are these crafts suitable for young children?

Adapt them to the individual child. Coloring and arranging larger pieces may be easier than cutting or shaping a model. Adults should supervise scissors and prepare difficult pieces.

Choose the project that matches what you already have. A sheet of paper and a few crayons are enough for the first idea; a printable template adds an easy starting point when your child wants to build something.