These crafts for teens and tweens offer creative ways to make room decor, gifts, jewelry, and colorful art without gathering a long list of supplies. Many projects use everyday or recycled materials, making them practical for a rainy afternoon, a small group activity, or a regular craft night. Choose a project based on the supplies you have, and set up a protected work surface before using paint, glue, or scissors.
Why Try Crafts for Teens and Tweens?
Older kids often enjoy projects that leave room for personal choices, such as selecting colors, patterns, and ways to display the finished piece. Several ideas below can be made with friends, while others are easy to work on independently. Finished projects can brighten a bedroom wall or shelf, or become handmade gifts.
For a relaxed group activity, put out a few material options and let everyone adapt the project to their own style. Reusing cardboard, paper bags, and other materials can also help keep supply costs down.
Yarn Crafts for Teens and Tweens
1. Yarn-Wrapped Cardboard Letters
Cut letters from cardboard and wrap them with yarn to create personalized room decor. Making three letters can turn the project into a decorative monogram. To keep the yarn in place, secure its starting and finishing ends on the back of each letter.
2. God’s Eyes
This classic weaving craft uses twigs and yarn to create a colorful decoration. Try different color combinations, or add homemade pom-poms at the ends. Choose sturdy, clean twigs and keep the yarn tension even as you weave.
Paper Crafts for Teens and Tweens
3. Melted Crayon Butterflies
Use saved crayons to make colorful butterfly shapes, then display several together as a wall arrangement. Printable butterfly outlines can help with shaping. Because this project involves a hot iron, an adult should handle or closely supervise that step and protect the work surface.
4. Painted Paper Pinwheels
Paint the folds of paper pinwheels and add details such as gold paint for a more decorative finish. Make a collection in coordinating colors to hang together. Allow the paint to dry before folding or displaying the pieces.
5. Paper Bag Stars
Turn brown or white lunch bags into large paper stars with glue and scissors. Decorate them with paint or chalk markers, or use a hole punch to create a patterned, light-catching effect. Keep punched holes away from the glued edges so the paper stays sturdy.
Paper bag stars are easy to customize, and the basic materials are simple to store for a future project.
Supplies for Paper Bag Stars
- Brown or white lunch bags
- Glue sticks
- Scissors
- Fluorescent tempera cakes
- White chalk markers
- Hole punch
Garland and Paper Chain Crafts
6. Paint Chip Name Garland
Use paint chips to assemble a colorful name garland. Arrange the pieces before attaching them so the colors and letters are in the desired order. This is a useful way to turn small, leftover samples into personalized room decor.
7. Heart Paper Chain
Connect paper hearts to make a chain for a bedroom or party decoration. Paint the paper first for a handmade look, or start with colored paper to save time. Once the folding and linking steps are understood, the chain can be extended as long as desired.
Painting and Drawing Ideas
8. XOXO Watercolor Painting
Create an XOXO design with watercolor to explore how colors blend and contrast. Let the painting dry fully before framing it, and test color combinations on scrap paper first.
9. Cereal Box Heart Paintings
Reuse cereal-box cardboard as a surface for heart-shaped paintings. Mix acrylic paints to create custom colors, then paint the shapes and let them dry flat. This project makes lightweight pieces that can be displayed on a wall or shelf.
10. Chalk Marker Leaves
Collect leaves and decorate them with a white chalk marker. Leaves vary in shape and surface, so try a few before settling on a design. Handle the finished leaves gently, as natural leaves can be delicate.
11. Kandinsky-Inspired Circle Paintings
Paint circles in layers of watercolor to explore abstract art and color combinations. Each person can choose a different palette or repeat a pattern across several circles. Use watercolor paper when available to help it hold moisture better than ordinary paper.
Slime and Soap Projects
12. Fluffy Bubblegum Slime
This fluffy slime project adds a special ingredient for a soft, airy texture. Follow the recipe’s measurements carefully and use a clean work area. Keep slime away from mouths, eyes, and fabrics, and wash hands after handling it.
13. Scented Rainbow Soap
Make colorful, scented soap in rainbow shades, then slice it into smaller pieces once it has set. Adult supervision is appropriate when handling any hot or sharp tools required by the chosen soap-making method. Follow the product instructions and avoid contact with eyes.
Jewelry Crafts for Teens and Tweens
14. Washer Necklaces
Use inexpensive hardware-store washers as the base for “boho chic” necklaces. Decorate the washers with nail polish and let them dry completely before assembling or wearing them. Check that the washer edges are smooth, and choose a cord or chain that feels comfortable.
15. Friendship Bracelets
Embroidery floss and a few basic tools are enough to make friendship bracelets in a range of patterns and color combinations. Secure the threads to cardboard with tape or use a safety pin to keep the work steady. Trim the ends with sharp scissors, taking care when cutting.
Supplies for friendship bracelets:
- Embroidery floss
- A safety pin or tape
- Good scissors
Getting Started with Crafts for Teens and Tweens
This collection of crafts for teens and tweens includes projects for different interests, from painting and paper art to jewelry and slime. Try one project at a time, gather supplies before starting, and adapt the colors or decorations to suit each maker. Many ideas use recycled materials, so keeping a small box of clean cardboard and paper can make it easier to start crafting whenever inspiration strikes.
— Bar
More Craft Ideas for Older Kids
11 Crafts for Teens & Tweens
