Craft on a budget with our 16 free craft supplies that you can easily find in your house! Why pay for everything when you can have some things for free!
Crafting is a fairly inexpensive means of entertainment. The little bit it does cost in supplies is well worth it for the value it adds with the learning experiences.
We’ve found a way to make crafting cost even less! A scavenger hunt for supplies around the house.
We’ve even created a simple printable list to take with you as you hunt around the house for these supplies. Print our Free Craft Supplies List and go find all these supplies!
Great List of Other Supplies:
Pop over and see our comprehensive list of crafting supplies that are a must have.
Simple Kids Craft Supplies List
#1: Paper Rolls
Paper rolls are a supply that is plentiful in any house. The can be found in the kitchen with your paper towel rolls or the bathroom as the toilet paper rolls.
We always make sure to throw some of the empty ones into the bathroom cabinet. When the crafting calls for a paper roll we have a stash handy.
I have an awesome list of Toilet Paper Roll Crafts for Kids that features everything I have ever done with paper rolls!!
These can be used for a variety of things:
- Make little animals and critters; or trees and people.
- Use them as pencil holders and decorate them as you wish.
- Make treat holders by bend in each side.
- Cut them into pieces for napkin rings.
Bookworm Pencilholder
Father’s Day Treatholder
Mini Paper Roll Palm Tree
Little Crabs & Other Animals
#2: Tin Cans
Tin cans can make for fun crafting as well. Be sure when you open the can you use a can opener that leaves the blunt end on the can. This will alleviate the risk for cuts or uh-oh’s.
You can also use the lids for crafts too. In this case you want to make sure the blunt end stays on the lid and not on the can.
We find it handy to have a can opener that opens each way – so we can have a variety of cans and lids on hand.
#3: Jars
Jars are great for crafts, as well as craft supply storage. You can make tons of different things like candle holders or lanterns.
As for storage, we use these to hold our pom poms, and other small supplies that would otherwise be all over the place! Visually it is so easy to spot the supply you need and get back to crafts.
#4: Cotton Balls
Cotton balls are versatile as free craft supplies. They can be pulled apart, cut in half or left in one piece.
They make a great fuzzy result to any craft they are used in!
Easter Bunny Costume
Cotton Ball Igloo
#5: Paper Plates
Paper plates can be decorated and used as actual plates. Or you can use them for many, many other craft ideas.
- Paper plates make great masks – cut them in half and you have the base for two masks.
- Fold the plates in half and make animals with the inside of the fold being their mouth.
- Use that same folding technique to make baskets or holders.
More Uses of these Free Craft Supplies:
Decorated Paper Plates
Butterflies and Animals
Paper Plate Masks
Frog Crafts
#6: Coffee Filters
Coffee filters are just for coffee – save a few for crafting too!
They are super easy to color with markers, crayons or add a bit of water and they will make a tie dye pattern!
#7: Paper Cups
Paper cups can be fun right side up or up side down! Decorate them for all occasions! One of my favorite free craft supplies.
Lucky Cup
Cup Duckling
Easter Cup
Halloween Party Cups
#8: Paper Bags
Keep a few of those lunch paper bags and use them at the crafting table. They work great for puppets, treat bags or table centerpieces!
Pumpkin Treat Bag
Turkey Appetizer
Animal Puppets
Paper Bag Princess
#9: Q-Tips
Most bathrooms will have some Q-tips (cotton swabs) hanging around. They are good for crafting too! Grab a handful and make some beautiful ornaments and so much more.
#10: Containers
There are a bunch of different containers around the house.
- Empty pill bottles, Hot chocolate or coffee tins, Shampoo bottles
You can use these for a variety of crafts like flower pots, pencil holders, mailboxes, treat holders or just decorations!
CD Mosaic Pot
Home-made Flower Pot
Teddy Bear Mailbox
#11: Newspaper
Although not a supply you usually see when the craft is done, newspaper is a staple in making crafts like paper mache. We’ve made some home-made pinatas, mini clouds and treat holders with newspaper.
Baseball Pinata
Sun Pinata
Home-made Clouds
Santa Treat Bag
#12: Water Bottles
Water bottles are another fun supply you can easily find around the house. You can use the bottle itself, or just the lids to make some great crafts.
We’ve taken bottle lids and made magnets; also used the bottles as a whole for some cute piggy banks!
#13: Egg Cartons
Make sure you buy the cardboard egg cartons so they can be re-used for crafting. You can make little treat holders, as well as cute animals and other decorations.
If you buy the plastic egg cartons you can use them as paint holders when crafting or divide out your smaller supplies (like pom poms, googley eyes, etc).
Pumpkin Treat Holders
Spiders
Apple Treat Holders
Spooky Ghosts
#14: Kleenex
Kleenex doesn’t always mean the sniffles or a cold. It’s great for crafting too!
Make some cute ghosts out of simply a few pieces of tissue and a string!
#15: Yarn
Yarn isn’t just for blankets anymore! Keep a bit for crafting too. Crafts that turn to stuffed animals or toys!
We can make home-made pom poms. Once we have the pom poms made we can make a ton of other great crafts too!
Home-made Pom Poms
Shaggy Dog
Yarn Octopus
Yarn Critters
#16: Cardboard
Most houses have plenty of this!! We can use the thicker cardboard or even things like cereal boxes and things too.
Cardboard Castle
Medieval Figurines
Sheriff Badge
Trusty Sidekick
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Hi there, I’m Laura an avid kids crafter with two little ones of my own to keep entertained! I have been doing kids crafts since 2018! Here at Easy Crafts for Kids you can find seasonal crafts for all age groups, as well as drawing tutorials, coloring pages and some other fun printables!