CircleBumpCheckedFilledMedicalBookmarkBookmarkTickBookmarkAddCheckBoxCheckBoxFilled

Best Kids’ Craft Kits for Rainy Day Activities

Nifty craft kits for kids and parents (that aren’t so crafty!)
save article
profile picture of Megan Cahn
Updated July 21, 2023
toddler finger painting
Image: SmLyubov | Shutterstock
We have included third party products to help you navigate and enjoy life’s biggest moments. Purchases made through links on this page may earn us a commission.

Keeping the littles occupied when you’re stuck inside can be challenging—to say the least. Luckily, fun craft kits for kids offer hours of screen-free play and entertainment. The best DIY kits come with simple instructions and all the supplies you need, making it a stress-free process for parents that lack the artistic skills to DIY projects, and a streamlined effort for those that don’t have time to peruse the aisles of a hobby shop (we got you!). In addition to keeping kiddos engaged, arts and crafts offer a great way to introduce children to new shapes, colors and textures with the extra bonus of boosting creativity and fostering fine motor skills.

Ready to take your indoor activities to the next level? Check out our picks for the best craft kits for toddlers and preschoolers below, including some awesome mess-free paint sets and age-appropriate DIY projects.

Where to Find Craft Subscription Boxes

While purchasing your child an art kit for kids is always a great idea, getting a new one delivered in the mail as a part of a craft subscription box really ups the ante. Kids will not only enjoy doing the art project, but opening up their own mail and seeing what’s in the box each month takes the excitement to a whole new level. Plus, you’ll never be scrambling for something to do when you’re stuck indoors on a rainy day.

  • KiwiCo. The Koala subscription box from KiwiCo offers monthly craft kits for kids for 2 to 4 year olds, filled with art and science projects that will spark your child’s creativity and help them learn in different ways.
  • Craft + Boogie. With options for one or two little crafters, Craft + Boogie provides children with a monthly, seasonally themed activity kit full of crafts, games and even recipes! Plus, every purchase helps fund craft kits for children in foster care and families in need through their nonprofit organization.
  • Pipsticks. This monthly service is the ideal option for the sticker junkie in your household; a subscription offers endless hours of sticky fun!

Best Toddler Craft Kits

Ready to look for the best kids’ craft kits out there? Check out these options for smaller crafters. They’re full of chunky, graspable pieces and less prone to messes.

Water painting pad

Floss & Rock Jungle Water Easel Pad & Pen
Image: Maisonette
Buying Options
Maisonette|$18.00
What We Love
  • This kit allows for a fun painting experience without the mess
  • It’s easy to take with you wherever you may need some entertainment
Things To Consider
  • You have to fill up the water pen every time you use it

Painting with your kids has never been easier thanks to this cool craft set by Floss & Rock. Simply fill up the pen with water, and color in the jungle designs to see them magically appear, then disappear once dry. The reusable pad even has a built-in easel so your kid can exercise their creativity like a proper artist.

Age recommendation: 18+ months

Buy Now

Crafts for little hands

Roylco 2+ Toddler Art Kit
Image: Fat Brain Toys
Buying Options
Fat Brain Toys|$34.99
What We Love
  • Suitable for little hands
  • Good for multiple projects
Things To Consider
  • More expensive than some other craft kits

Many craft kits for kids come with a ton of little pieces that end up everywhere and are just not safe for small children. But this kit is designed specifically for toddlers with chunky craft materials (think: buttons, felt and pom-poms) that are easy for them to handle and that come in different textures and shapes. Your kiddo can spend their rainy days decorating a leaf or a colorful fish, building their own teddy bear or one of the many other activities in this 100+ piece kit that encourages sensory learning and creativity. It includes peel-and-stick felt shapes, buttons, pom-poms, cardstock shapes, double-sided rainbow paper and more.

Age recommendation: 2+ years

Buy Now

Fun character coloring set

Crayola Color Wonder Mess Free Coloring (Baby Shark)
Image: Walmart
What We Love
  • Affordable
  • Mess-free
Things To Consider
  • There can be a short delay for the color showing up on the paper

It’s not always easy to find a toddler craft kit for your little ones who are just learning how to play on their own and develop their motor skills. But if there is one thing that remains true about this age group, it’s that they love Baby Shark. With 18 Baby Shark coloring pages and five non-toxic and easily washable markers, this set from Crayola will keep your child occupied for as long as their attention span will allow it. The best part? These special markers only appear on the Color Wonder paper, so you don’t have to worry about your toddler drawing all over the table or themselves.

Age recommendation: 2+ years

Buy Now

Best Preschool Craft Kits

The craft kits in this section are great for children 3 and up, who are ready to get their hands a little dirtier as they dig in for some creative and open-ended play.

Finger-painting fun

J MARK Washable Finger Paint Set for Kids
Image: Amazon
What We Love
  • Parents love the wide-mouth bottles and easy clean-up
Things To Consider
  • Some parents had a hard time getting the paint out of clothes

Introduce your child to the world of painting and help them develop their fine motor skills with this finger paint sent from J MARK. Of course, it’s a given that the six non-toxic tempera colors will get on their skin, and yes, your home, but the paint is easily washed off with soap and water. Plus, the kids' craft kit comes with an easy-to-put-on smock to protect their clothes. It also includes a large paint pad that is conveniently bound at the top so your child can paint in the pad or easily remove a piece of paper to put on the table or hang on the refrigerator.

Age recommendation: 3+ years

Buy Now

Engaging puppet set

WATINC Hand Puppet Making Kit
Image: Walmart
What We Love
  • Felt is colorful and high-quality
Things To Consider
  • Younger children may need to help to glue the puppets together
  • It comes with glue, but some reviewers suggest using a stronger glue to make sure the decorations stay on

This is the kids' craft kit that keeps on giving—your children will not only spend an afternoon designing and gluing their hand puppets, they can continue to play with them for months after their DIY project is done. The set comes with six felt hand puppets in different colors that your kids can decorate with googly eyes, pom-poms and a plethora of different felt shapes to create their own silly dinosaur, owl and chicken characters. Anyone ready for a puppet show?

Age recommendation: 3+ years

Buy Now

Open-ended felt set

Faber Castell Creativity for Kids Fun Felt Shapes Kit
Image: Michaels
What We Love
  • Large board for elaborate scenes
  • Comes with a storage bag
Things To Consider
  • Some reviewers say the stickers are hard to get off

Open-ended play offers a wonderful way for tots to develop creative thinking and problem-solving skills. That’s why this felt craft kit for kids is one of the best we’ve seen. With over 100 felt pieces that can be arranged on the board to create animals, monsters and shapes, this set provides endless play possibilities. Plus, it’s easy to tidy up thanks to an included storage bag.

Age recommendation: 3+ years

Buy Now

Homemade play dough

The Dough Project Make Your Own Playdough Kit
Image: Maisonette
What We Love
  • Female-founded company
  • Product handmade in NYC
Things To Consider
  • Requires an adult to use the stove

Searching for children’s craft kits that adults can enjoy together? Look no further than this DIY play dough set. This kit comes with easy step-by-step instructions and three boxes of dry mix to whip up a fresh batch of play dough at home. Better yet, it’s made from natural, food-grade ingredients colored with plant dyes. It’s fun to make and fun to play with—what more could you ask for?

Age recommendation: 3+ years

Buy Now

DIY night light

Box CanDIY Totally Twilight Night Light Jars Set
Image: Maisonette
What We Love
  • Made of high-quality materials
  • It comes packaged in a keepsake storage box your kids can use after
Things To Consider
  • Glitter can get messy

If your child has trouble falling asleep at night sometimes (whose doesn’t?) or is scared of the dark, this kids' craft kit will allow you to kill two birds with one stone. Your preschooler can spend their rainy afternoon DIYing their very own jar night light, and then they can set it up in their room and take pride in something they made helping them feel safe when they drift off to sleep. The kit includes two jars and two LED flameless candles that they can transform into whimsical night lights decorated with glitter, stickers, ribbons, and charms. Plus, uplifting messages that will make your kiddo feel inspired.

Age recommendation: 3+ years

Buy Now

Adorable paper project

LC Crafts Paper Plate Craft Kit
Image: Amazon
Buying Options
Amazon|$14.49
What We Love
  • Each animal kit comes individually wrapped
Things To Consider
  • Needs assistance from an adult
  • Reviewers recommend using your own glue
  • Some parents say the directions are a little complicated

If you are looking for a simple preschool craft kit to keep your artsy kid busy while being stuck indoors, this paper plate kit will do the trick—and there are nine different animals to choose from, so it will definitely last more than one rainy afternoon. Your child will be able to create a butterfly, ladybug, chicken, fish, spider, turkey, polar bear, fish or a whale by following the simple instructions made easy for kids to follow. The set comes with plates, paint and brush, cotton balls, a glue stick, a marker and of course, googly eyes, for all the indoor fun.

Age recommendation: 3+ years

Buy Now

Best Bigger Kids’ Craft Kits

As your child’s fine motor skills improve and their ability to take on bigger projects increases, you’ll want kits that continue to challenge and engage them. These kits, suitable for ages 4 and up, are perfect for growing hands and minds.

Popular character stamps

Melissa & Doug PAW Patrol Wooden Stamps Activity Set
Image: Melissa & Doug
What We Love
  • Stamps are big and easy to grip
  • Ink is washable and doesn’t smell
Things To Consider
  • Only comes with red and blue stamp pads

Instead of letting your child just sit in front of the TV on a rainy day, why not entice them to get off the couch using the characters from one of their favorite shows? This wooden stamps activity set from Melissa & Doug—which includes 16 wooden stamps, an activity pad and markers—will allow them to go on a Paw Patrol adventure without the screen. They can mix and match the pup and vehicle stamps while coloring and learning about teamwork and using their imagination along the way. And unlike some DIY projects, this kids' craft kit has a simple wooden tray for easy clean up.

Age recommendation: 4+ years

Buy Now

Crafty tea party set

Mondo Llama Paint-Your-Own Wood Tea Set Kit
Image: Target
Buying Options
Target|$15.00
What We Love
  • Non-toxic paint
  • Creates a lasting make-believe toy
Things To Consider
  • The tea set is smaller than some parents expected
  • The stickers don’t always stay on

What preschooler doesn’t love to play tea party? Well, now they can combine one of their favorite imaginary activities with a fun DIY art project. This wooden tea set comes with a teapot, two cups and two plates that your child can decorate with brightly colored acrylic paint and stickers. And after a day of DIY fun, they can continue to throw tea parties for their family and stuffies, serving everyone tea while also showing off their artistic skills.

Age recommendation: 4+ years

Buy Now

Bath bomb creation kit

Nailmatic Bath Bomb Maker DIY Kit
Image: Maisonette
Buying Options
Maisonette|$38.00
What We Love
  • Vegan, cruelty free and eco-conscious
  • Made with a soothing formula of chamomile, sweet almond oil, sunflower oil and vitamin E
Things To Consider
  • Must be done under parent supervision

Are your kids getting bored of bathtime? This DIY bath bomb kit will entertain you and your child on a rainy afternoon and up the excitement of their evening bath. The easy instructions will guide them in making a boat, cloud, alien, frog, owl or ghost bath bomb using colored baking soda, citric acid, and water. When they drop it in the bath, it will not only change the color of the water, but will also moisturize their skin. This may be an especially fun activity for those little ones who love science, or may help spark an interest in others who don’t yet know how fun it can be!

Age recommendation: 4+ years

Buy Now

How We Chose the Best Kids’ Craft Kit

Keeping your kids entertained is not always easy, especially on a rainy day when they are stuck indoors. This is where kids’ craft kits come in handy, but how do you know which one will be the best for your child? With the sea of options out there, we thought we’d make it a little easier for you to narrow it down by searching for the best art kits for kids from brands and retailers that we trust.

When selecting the craft kits we considered several factors, including quality of the product, style, size, material, and extra features. We also made sure to read user reviews to see what real consumers have experienced when using these kits with their kids, and didn’t consider anything with less than an average four-star rating. Lastly, to ensure we’re highlighting products that are safe and effective, we looked for approval from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the ASTM International, where applicable.

Interested in learning more about our editorial process? Read about how our team develops and reviews all articles here.

save article
ADVERTISEMENT

Next on Your Reading List

Article removed.
Article removed.
Name added. View Your List