10 Toilet Paper Roll Crafts & Activities for Kids

If you’re stocked up on toilet paper, don’t toss the empty rolls in the trash! You can transform these cardboard tubes into educational games, awesome art projects, and tools for at-home learning!

  • Visual aid of how to complete Dancing Puppets
    Dancing Puppets

    (Ages 5-11)

    Levers are simple machines that help us move or lift something. See how levers work by making your own dancing puppet!

  • Visual aid of how to complete Light-Up Mason Jar

    Bring the stars to you and learn about the amazing night sky by creating your own mini-constellation jar that can light up. Download our constellation printable here. Or for some winter-themed fun, you can create your own light-up jar of snowflakes!

  • Visual aid of how to complete Cardboard Tube Octopus

    Sometimes I wish I could buy empty cardboard tube rolls. They are so great for kids' crafts and we use them up as soon as they hit the recycle bin. This sweet octopus is a new family favorite, especially once my two-year-old discovered he could stick his hand in the bottom to turn it into a puppet. His octopus voice was hilarious!

  • Visual aid of how to complete Kaleidoscope Symmetry

    A kaleidoscope is a toy that uses light and mirrors to make pretty patterns with symmetrical designs. Symmetry is when two or more parts of a thing are identical. Think of butterfly wings, matching socks, and spiderwebs —they all have parts that match. In this experiment, with a little help from Ziploc® brand bags, you’ll learn how kaleidoscopes use reflections in a mirror to create symmetry. When you spin the wheel, the pattern you see changes. Why do you think that is? Download the printable template here.

  • Visual aid of how to complete Feelings Friend
    Feelings Friend

    (Ages 3-8)

    Create a doll that changes expressions to show different feelings!

  • Visual aid of how to complete Cardboard Tube Owls

    I'm a big fan of using recycled materials for craft projects with kids. It teaches them at a young age to think outside the box and find uses for things that might otherwise simply get discarded.

    For this craft, we used toilet paper rolls and various scraps of paper to make owls. The kids had a hoot decorating the owls however they liked. At first I was a little nervous they wouldn't be seen as owls to anyone but our family, but once we put on some googly eyes and orange beaks, each creatures' owl-ness was unmistakable. And I'll even go so far as saying they are really cute...(especially when you consider they are made from trash).

  • Visual aid of how to complete Toilet Paper Roll Kazoo

    We have been into making music for the past few weeks at our house so we decided to add to our growing collection of instruments by making this kazoo!

  • Visual aid of how to complete Cardboard Tube Rocket Ship

    My son is always dreaming about flying to the moon in a rocket ship. With this fun and easy craft, we found a way to encourage his creative imagination while helping him see how everyday items can become something magical!

  • Visual aid of how to complete Cardboard Construction Set

    This simple DIY construction set slots together to make all kinds of funky cardboard shapes and sculptures.

  • Visual aid of how to complete Cardboard Tube Marble Run

    Create a marble run on a wall using tubes and tape. If you don’t have a marble, try it with other small round objects.


Get inspired!