To start, be sure to pick a craft that aligns with your child’s interests, advises lifestyle writer and craft blogger Jennifer Perkins. Longevity plays a part, too. “It’s nice to look for kits that kids can circle back to again and again like stitching, beading, knitting, pottery wheel, wood working, or weaving,” says Rachel Withers, editorial manager for The Artful Parent. “These are skills that your child can build and expand upon each time you pull the kit out again, and the activity is newly exciting.” Here are the best craft kits for kids available online. Medium: Art supplies | Pieces: 140 | Recommended Age: Ages 5 and up Medium: Science | Recommended Age: Ages 5 and up Medium: Painting | Pieces: 27 Medium: Origami | Pieces: 108 | Recommended Age: Ages 5 and up Medium: Knitting/Design | Recommended Age: Ages 8 and up It comes with a melting tray that plugs into a USB port and four packs of chocolate. When you need refills, pick up any type of melting chocolate. (Adult supervision is recommended for the melting process depending on the age of your child.) The candies harden in minutes so they can enjoy their tasty treats almost immediately. The auto-fill pen runs on two AA batteries. Medium: Baking | | Recommended Age: Ages 6 and up Worried about sticky fingers? Each kit includes 5 percent more stickers than you’ll need to finish, just in case. We like the USA map since it offers opportunities to learn geography and history, but they offer a range of fun options including a unicorn and 100th day of school countdown. Medium: Stickers | Pieces: 3,996 | Recommended Age: Ages 5 and up They’ll learn to roll and mold various shapes, create a variety of textures, and fashion different facial features. The clay dries in 24 hours, no baking required—once it’s set they can play with their new dinosaur toys. Kits are also available for bugs, birds, aliens, and animals. Medium: Clay kit | Recommended Age: Ages 3 and up
Amount of Projects
Some kits come with enough supplies for just one project, while others will have enough to keep the crafting going for at least a few rounds. If there’s only enough for one project, check the kit carefully to make sure you buy the right refills or replacements—some kits are only compatible with supplies from a certain brand. Also be conscious of a craft kit that has too many projects and may take up too much time. “Take your kids patience and attention span into consideration when choosing a craft kit,” says Perkins. “Even tweens with craft experience can get burned out if a project has too many steps and takes too long. Adults are not the only ones guilty of having a pile of unfinished works in progress.” If your kit is only one project that will be completed in a short amount of time, Withers suggests saving it for a special occasion. “I tend to save them for special times like birthdays, snow days or long stretches of winter to have something that’s easy and fun to do,” she shares. “It’s wonderful to have a ready-made activity on hand for just the right moment. They’re great for quiet time activities, while parents prepare a meal or for after school decompressing.”
Materials
The great thing about craft kits is they often include everything you need to create something new. Go over the list of materials in your craft kit before purchasing to ensure any supplemental supplies are available to you. This will avoid any tantrums or frustration if the craft cannot be completed due to not have scissors, paper, etc. “Most craft kits for kids are made with those two thoughts in mind: low mess and a hands off approach from parents,” says Perkins. She adds that everything an older child will need to complete the kit will be inside the package with kid-friendly instructions.
Interests
Pick a project based around you subject that your kids love. The options for different craft kits are limitless, so finding one based on a hobby or interest of your child is definitely possible. Perkins suggests browsing the web before heading to your local craft store. “Nail painting, rock collecting, tie-dye, soap making, punch needle—if it’s on Pinterest for adults, you can almost guarantee there is a child’s version in all supplies included kit form waiting for you at the craft store,” she shares. Or introduce your child to one of your crafty interests from when you were their age. “It’s fun as a parent to return to an activity you remember so well from your own childhood, says Withers. “I recently had this experience with my kids when we tried rolling our own beeswax candles. The kids absolutely loved it and I appreciate how the joy of handicraft connects them to generations past.”
Why Trust The Spruce Crafts?
This article was written by Anne Fritz, a lifestyle writer and the founding editor of Create For Me, a magazine for women in their 20s. As someone with kids of her own, she knows the role that activities like crafting play in childhood development. She considered both the affordability and fun factor of craft kits when researching picks for this round-up, consulting customer reviews and third-party articles. Additional reporting was done by Julia Fields a lifestyle writer for The Spruce brands covering all things surrounding toys, gifts, and the holidays since October 2021. Before that, she covered similar topics including toy reviews, product round-ups, expert-focused articles, and more. Expert advice was provided by lifestyle writer and craft blogger Jennifer Perkins and Rachel Withers, editorial manager for The Artful Parent.
