Empty toilet paper rolls are among the most versatile, budget-friendly craft supplies hiding in your home. Instead of throwing them into the recycling bin, you can transform these simple cardboard tubes into hours of creative fun. Recycled crafts keep children entertained, develop fine motor skills, encourage imaginative play, and teach valuable lessons about sustainability.
Whether you need a rainy-day activity, quick weekend projects, or classroom craft ideas, these ten easy toilet paper roll crafts require minimal supplies and yield maximum creative results.
Custom toilet paper roll animal figures. Source: The Best Ideas for Kids
Basic Crafting Supplies Needed
Before diving into the creative ideas, gather a basic craft kit so your little artists are ready to go:
- Cardboard tubes (toilet paper rolls or cut-up paper towel rolls)
- Acrylic or tempera paint and paintbrushes
- Construction paper or cardstock
- Googly eyes and pipe cleaners
- Child-safe scissors and glue sticks (or liquid craft glue)
- Washable markers or paint pens
1. Cardboard Tube Binoculars
Best for: Toddlers & Preschoolers
Skills developed: Pretend play, fine motor skills
Cardboard binoculars are a classic project that sparks instant outdoor adventure.
- Take two empty cardboard rolls and paint them in your child’s favorite colors or camouflage patterns.
- Once dry, place the two tubes side by side and secure them together using glue or colorful painter’s tape.
- Punch a small hole on the outer edge of each tube near the top.
- Thread a piece of yarn or ribbon through the holes to create a neck strap.
Your kids are now ready for a backyard safari or a living room bird-watching expedition!
2. Vibrant Toilet Paper Roll Butterflies
Colorful toilet paper roll butterfly. Source: Facebook
Transform a humble cardboard cylinder into a bright, fluttering butterfly.
- Paint the toilet paper roll in a solid bright color to form the butterfly’s body.
- Cut a pair of large wings out of colorful construction paper or cardstock. Let kids decorate the wings with stickers, glitter, or painted dots.
- Glue the wings to the back of the painted tube.
- Attach two googly eyes to the top front, and fold a pipe cleaner in half to make antennas, gluing them inside the top rim.
3. Cute Cardboard Animals (Fox, Owl, and Frog)
Playful toilet paper roll frog craft. Source: the best ideas for kids
Animal crafts offer endless variety because one basic shape becomes almost any creature.
- Owl: Push the top front and back edges of the tube downward toward the center to create curved owl ears. Paint the tube brown or gray, add giant googly eyes, a small paper beak, and painted chest feathers.
- Frog: Paint the tube bright green. Cut out two simple green paper legs and glue them to the base. Add huge eyes sticking out above the top rim and a long red paper tongue rolling out from the middle.
- Fox: Paint the roll orange with a white oval belly. Fold the top edges inward for ears, then glue on a triangular paper snout and googly eyes.
4. Stamped Flower & Heart Prints
Best for: Toddlers
Skills developed: Pattern recognition, stamping, hand-eye coordination
You don’t just have to build with cardboard tubes—you can also use them as unique painting stamps!
- Heart Stamp: Gently press the top half of the cardboard cylinder inward to form a crease, while pinching the bottom half into a point. Dip the end into washable paint and stamp heart shapes onto paper.
- Flower Stamp: Cut 1-inch vertical slits around one end of the roll, bending the strips outward to create flower petals. Dip the fringe into paint and press it onto canvas or paper to create instant botanical prints.
5. Mini Superhero Cuffs
Best for: Ages 4–8
Skills developed: Costume design, self-expression
Turn your kids into custom superheroes with wearable wrist cuffs.
- Cut a cardboard tube straight down one side from top to bottom so it can slip over a child’s wrist.
- Paint the cuffs in metallic colors like gold, silver, or deep blue.
- Once the paint is dry, decorate the cuffs with paper stars, foam shapes, or gem stickers.
Kids can wear them immediately for superhero role-play scenarios!
6. Tabletop Toilet Paper Roll Garden
DIY cardboard tube flower garden. Source: the best ideas for kids
Brighten up windowsills with a colorful indoor flower garden that never needs watering.
- Paint several rolls green to act as flower stems.
- Cut two small vertical slits on opposite sides at the top of each stem.
- Cut flower heads (tulips, daisies, or sunflowers) out of bright cardstock.
- Slide the cardstock flowers directly into the slits on top of the stems.
7. Fire-Breathing Dragon
Best for: Ages 5–10
Skills developed: Controlled breathing, sculptural assembly
This interactive craft actually “breathes fire” when kids blow through the tube!
- Paint a cardboard tube bright green or red.
- Glue two large pom-poms with googly eyes at one end for the dragon’s eyes, and two smaller pom-poms near the front for nostrils.
- Cut long, thin strips of red, orange, and yellow tissue paper.
- Glue the tissue paper strips inside the inner rim of the dragon’s mouth. When your child blows through the opposite end of the roll, the tissue paper flames flutter wildly.
8. Space Rocket Craft
Launch into imaginative play with a homemade cardboard rocket ship.
- Paint the tube silver, white, or navy blue.
- Roll a circle of red or silver paper into a cone shape and glue it onto the top of the tube as the rocket nose cone.
- Cut three small triangular fins out of thick cardstock and glue them around the base of the rocket so it can stand upright.
- Add small circular paper windows with drawings of astronauts inside!
9. DIY Marble Run & Ball Drop
Best for: STEAM learning, problem-solving
Combine art with basic engineering by building a wall-mounted marble race track.
| Step | Action |
| 1. Collect & Decorate | Paint 6–10 cardboard rolls in bright, contrasting colors. |
| 2. Cut Openings | Cut some rolls in half lengthwise to create open tracks; leave others as enclosed tunnels. |
| 3. Mount Track | Use painter’s tape or sticky tack to mount the tubes to a wall or large piece of poster board in a staggered downward zigzag path. |
| 4. Test & Tweak | Drop a marble or pom-pom into the top tube and adjust angles until it successfully rolls all the way to the bottom. |
10. Cute Desktop Pencil Holder
Help kids keep their homework desk organized with a personalized pencil caddy.
- Trim 3–4 toilet paper rolls to varying heights.
- Paint or wrap each roll in decorative pattern paper or patterned duct tape.
- Cut a sturdy piece of cardboard into a flat base (such as a circle or oval) and paint it.
- Glue the bottom of each tube onto the cardboard base to create a cluster of desk organizers for markers, scissors, and pencils.
Tips for Successful Cardboard Tube Crafting
- Sanitize First: If using actual toilet paper tubes, wipe the exterior down or spray them lightly with disinfectant spray before crafting, or purchase clean craft rolls in bulk online.
- Use Heavy Acrylic Paint: Cardboard absorbs moisture quickly. Thick acrylic paint or quick-drying tempera paint offers the best color coverage without making the tube soggy.
- Embrace Low-Temp Glue: While craft glue works well for paper attachments, a low-temperature glue gun (supervised by an adult) helps structural crafts like the marble run or pencil holder set instantly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are toilet paper roll crafts safe for toddlers?
Yes, provided adults supervise any cutting and handle hot glue steps. For toddlers, stick to non-toxic tempera paints, large stickers, and finger-painting techniques.
What glue works best on cardboard tubes?
Standard PVA glue (white craft glue) works fine for lightweight paper attachments. For heavier items like pom-poms or joining tubes together, low-temp hot glue or tacky glue provides a faster, stronger hold.
Upcycling everyday household items into creative art projects is a wonderful way to teach resourcefulness while creating lasting memories. Pick a craft from this list, gather your supplies, and let your children’s imaginations take over!
