9 indoor craft activities to do with kids on rainy days

Do you need something fun to do indoors? DIY crafts are a great activity to do with children of all ages, and can be great when the weather isn't so good. It also doesn't have to be messy to be fun!

Activity length: 1-2 hours.
What you might need: A cardboard box, two wooden lolly sticks, scissors, sticky tape, a marble/small ball, extra cardboard and paper, coloured pens (for decorating).

Save some money with this clever craft by making a simple pinball machine from a cardboard box you might have in your recycling and some lolly sticks.

Not only is it a cost-effective craft that can keep you and your child occupied for hours, but it can also help your child explore and start to understand the science of forces and motion.

Activity length: 30 minutes - 1+ hours.
What you might need: Items in your recycling such as cardboard boxes, newspapers, glass jars, plastic bottles and tin cans.

Finding activities to entertain the kids doesn’t have to cost a lot. We’ve put together some child-friendly ideas for turning items in your recycling into crafty creations.

Your child could make a bedroom door sign from cardboard boxes, create a collage with old magazines, or maybe design some new colourful homemade ornaments for around your home! These low-cost craft ideas can keep your child entertained for hours! Upcycling at home is also an environmentally friendly activity, and provides a chance to teach your child about waste and resourcefulness.

Activity length: 1-2 hours.
What you might need: Two cereal boxes, one large piece of thicker cardboard, scissors, ruler/set square, pencil, adhesive tack, glue stick/PVA glue, sticky tape, printed model box template (provided).

Does your child like performing or being creative? How about creating a mini theatre stage model with your child Follow the step by step instructional video to create a mini version of the Royal Opera House stage, and then put on your own show right at home!

Activity length: 30 minutes - 1 hour.
What you might need: White sheet, bright lamp/torch, washing line/branch, clothes pegs.

Making a moth magnet with your child is a great activity to do over the months where it is dark early.

Follow the guide to help you and your child create night-time 'magnets' that will attract moths long enough for your child to take a picture and, hopefully, identify a species!

Use the moth-spotting identification sheet (provided) with your child so they can identify some of the moths that are attracted to your magnets.

Activity length: 2-3 hours.
What you might need: Plastic bottle or cardboard box, pen, pencil, scissors, glue, optional extras.

Follow the video instructions from Sophie Prescott-Crees aka DIY Blonde to create cute animal vases with your children.

They can be customisable to be any shape or colour you like - maybe you could create one to look like your pet! Or follow the instructions to create a unicorn vase! Or perhaps use a style that fits a special occasion like Halloween to create cost-effective decorations for your home. They could make great DIY gifts for family or friends.

Once you have made your animal vase with your child, you could then try growing your own plants together at home!

Activity length: 1+ hours.
What you might need: Pencil, a split pin, scissors, cipher wheel templates (provided).

Does your child enjoy action/spy movies? Learn how to make a secret spy code wheel together and use it to send secret messages! In five easy steps, you can create entertainment for hours!

You could also encrypt messages with numbers instead of letters, and come up with your own equation for the cipher which will help your child use and learn maths in a fun way at home.

Activity length: 1 hour.
What you might need: Paper cups, scissors, coloured pens and pencils.

Your child can have endless fun by creating these mix and match character makers! Just follow the step by step instructions in the video from some of the fabulous creative team at the Beano.

You can find images of your child's favourite characters for them to copy, use pictures you’ve cut out from magazines, or your child could design their own! Then switch up the characters head, body and legs to create new characters!

Each image doesn't even have to be of the same thing. Ever wondered what a unicorn crossed with a banana would look like? This might be the time to find out!

Activity length: 1 hour +.
What you might need: Card sheets/paper, cork sheets/cardboard, ruler, marker pen, pen/pencil, paint and a paintbrush, scissors/craft knife, glue gun/craft glue, tape, battery-powered fairy lights (optional).

Does your teen need some decorating inspo for their study space? Or perhaps your child wants to liven up their bedroom with some fun but usable decoration?

Follow the video tutorial from DIY Blonde as she shows you how to make a DIY pin cork board!

Activity length: 30 minutes.
What you might need: Card/paper, pens/pencils, optional extras.

Whether there is a special occasion coming up in the calendar, or you're wanting a picture for the wall, you and your child can get creative with card making. Find items around the house and see how you can create different shapes, patterns and textures for your card - the possibilities are endless!

Card making is also a great mindful activity for your child (and yourself!), and can help them bring their mind to the present moment and not get caught up in the past or worrying about the future.