The 24 Most Fun Crafts for Tweens

Inspire your tween and young teen to make useful and pretty items that will also build self-confidence when it comes to creating things with few supplies and lots of ingenuity. To whet their appetite for all things DIY, take a look at 24 of the top home crafts that are sure to catch your child's attention. They're trendy, cute, and easy to make, and the result will bring a twinkle back into the eyes of bored tween and teens.

01 of 24

Color Saturated Bath Bombs

The Spruce / Lovely Indeed

Bath bombs make great spa-style gifts. The range of colors using food coloring that's possible with this pretty project will entice your tween or teen to unleash their inner soap-maker. Bath bombs aren't always round; look for fun bath bomb molds in the shape of lips, donuts, fruit, and other novelty shapes.

Fizzy Bath Bombs from The Spruce Crafts
02 of 24

Personalized Flower Pots

DIY Candy

Prep for springtime by making a slew of customized flower pots using simple permanent markers in any color or multiple colors. All that's required is a steady hand to make the dots around sticker letters that are eventually peeled off to reveal the word's outline. Make flower pots with someone's name on it, or names of plants you want to use inside. If your tween or teen doesn't yet have a green thumb, insert DIY faux felt succulents to fool the eye.

Sharpie DIY Dot Flower Pot Craft from DIY Candy
03 of 24

Daily Stress Ball

The Spruce / Lauren Murphy

Get a head-start on holiday gifts and stocking stuffers by having your tweenager make DIY stress busters for the adults in their life. Your child can make a few for themselves, too. Grab the most festive, colorful balloons, fill them with cornstarch, and personalize with a permanent marker if desired.

Stress Balls from The Spruce Crafts
04 of 24

Personalized Alphabet Letter Beach Towel

The Spruce / Mollie Johanson

Personalize a boring beach towel with an embroidered monogram, favorite word, or cute quote using free alphabet letters. A custom towel will brighten up any day by the sea or pool. Use old faded favorites or pick up some new towels with quirky designs from the dollar store and get crafting.

Free Alphabet Letters from The Spruce Crafts

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05 of 24

Marbled Smartphone Case

The Spruce / Lovely Indeed

Marbling is an age-old crafting technique used to create beautiful and effortless design patterns. This swirled phone case will make your tween or teen the envy of their crew. Grab an inexpensive clear plastic smartphone case, a few of your child's favorite colors of nail polish, and watch the magic unfold.

Marbled Nail Polish Phone Case from The Spruce Crafts
06 of 24

Pop Top and Ribbon Bracelets

Destination Decoration

Taking pop tabs from cans and recycling them into a bracelet is a classic craft that looks beautifully at home on the trendiest wrists. The contemporary version of the pop tab bracelet is chunkier and decidedly fashionable. The key to the look is the overlapping and layering of 20 to 30 pop tabs with a satin or velvet ribbon to add that touch of elegance.

Upcycled Pop Tab Bracelets from Destination Decoration
07 of 24

Rainbow Tie-Dye Shoes

A Pumpkin and a Princess

If your tween has a unique personal style that can't be expressed by just any shoe, have them paint on their personality. Plain white sneakers make the best canvas for your child's creation. Grab a tie-dye kit and a lot of masking tape to make these rainbow-colored sneakers. A foam brush will help to control the amount of dye that goes onto the shoe.

Rainbow Tie-Dye Shoes from A Pumpkin and a Princess
08 of 24

Sweet Cupcake Lip Balm

DIY Projects for Teens

Cute as a cupcake, and they smell just as sweet, these DIY lip balms are easy to make and super fun. It's a good way to recycle old egg-shaped lip balm containers, but you can also buy empty containers for this project. Edible sprinkles create that colorful cupcake likeness on top.

DIY Eos Cupcake Lip Balm from DIY Projects for Teens

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09 of 24

Washi Tape Light Switch Plates

Washi Tape Crafts

Washi tape is one of those common, yet magical, durable, and colorful crafting supplies that you can buy just about any place, from craft to grocery stores. Your child may have lots of bits and pieces of leftover washi tape from previous projects that are sitting idle in a drawer. Help your tween make use of those forgotten rolls by designing a light switch plate with washi tape. It's an easy way to brighten a room without making big changes.

Washi Tape Lightswitch Cover from Washi Tape Crafts
10 of 24

DIY Boho Yarn Wall Hanging

A Cultivated Nest

Recreate pricey boho chic wall hangings with yarn that's bedazzled with beads, buttons, and feathers. Create a base of yarns with different colors and thicknesses. Tie the yarn onto the metal frame and trim the yarns to create a bottom shape. Create the design by attaching beads, buttons, or feathers onto separate strands of yarn that are then tied onto the frame.

DIY Boho Yarn Wall Hanging from A Cultivated Nest
11 of 24

Finger Knitted Snakes

Red Ted Art

Get your tween or teen interested in the craft of knitting, but without the needles. Teach them to use their fingers to create a cute finger snake (maybe to prank a younger sibling). Finger knitting is a fun craft that once learned, can lead to other projects, such as creating wreaths and pretty flowers that can be attached to scarves and purses.

Finger Knitted Snakes from Red Ted Art
12 of 24

Retro Cassette Gum Holder

Designs By Miss Mandee

You don't need to decimate your old cassettes to make this trendy retro-style gum holder. All your child needs is the free printable download, some glue, and plenty of gum sticks to hand out to friends.

Retro Cassette Gum Holder from Designs By Miss Mandee

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13 of 24

Sparkle Tumblers

Sunshine and Hurricanes

Help your tweens get creative with their personal style by making a customized sparkly tumbler to take to school. It takes a handful of sequins, glitter, an optional photo, plus a double-walled acrylic tumbler that accepts an inserted photo. Glitter can be messy, so use the best quality, finest glitter possible for this project.

Sparkle Tumblers from Sunshine and Hurricanes
14 of 24

Summery Glitter Bracelets

A Pumpkin and A Princess

Make a collection of sweet, summery bracelets using glitter and vinyl tubing. Head to your local home improvement store for PVC vinyl tubing in any diameter, funnel glitter through, then hot glue the ends together. How about a trio of red, white, and blue glitter bracelets for the family's Fourth of July holiday outing? Or skip a few months and design festive red and green or sparkly silver and gold holiday bracelets. For larger diameter tubing, funnel in tiny beads leftover from your child's younger days.

DIY Glitter Vinyl Tube Bracelet from A Pumpkin and a Princess
15 of 24

Keys With Bling

A Thrifty Mom

Getting a house key is a rite of passage. Help your child celebrate by making the special key into a tiny work of art. (Bright colors will also help keep the key from getting lost in the shuffle.) Grab colored and sparkly nail polishes and design a house key like no other in the neighborhood.

Blinged Out Keys from A Thrifty Mom
16 of 24

T-Shirt Tote Bag

Mommypotamus

Your tween has likely grown out of some beloved T-shirts, but why not turn them into tote bags for the beach or shopping? This easy no-sew tote bag takes the old and makes it new again in ten minutes. If you've ever made a no-sew fleece tie blanket, this bag is made with roughly the same concept. If you've never done a new-sew fleece tie blanket before, it's another super easy and fun craft to learn.

No-Sew Tee Shirt Tote Bag from Mommypotamus

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17 of 24

Duct Tape Emoji Bookmarks

STEAMsational

Use emojis to get your kids excited about books and away from their phones. Yellow duct tape and some folding magic make these adorable bookmarks come to life. Homework reading may not seem like such a drag after all when emoji bookmarks are on hand.

Duct Tape Emoji Bookmarks from STEAMsational
18 of 24

Marvelous Marble Mug

Surviving a Teacher's Salary

You can't go wrong with using old nail polish to create a DIY project with a "wow" factor like these marbleized mugs. Take a few dingy mugs or jazz up white ceramic dollar store finds to craft these customized beauties. Use mugs on your desktop or bureau to hold pencils, change, or jewelry. They'll make lovely hand-wash only gifts, as well, when filled with small goodies.

DIY Marble Mug from Surviving a Teacher's Salary
19 of 24

Nature's Necklace

MomDot

Get in touch with nature with these fun mini jars filled with elements of nature. Wear them on a necklace or hang them as decor. Tiny necklace jars are sometimes found in craft stores and more often online, but once you have them, you can't help but fill them with gems such as miniature seashells, seeds, granules of sand, a tiny rock, or create teeny worlds within the jar.

DIY "Element Jar" Necklace from MomDot
20 of 24

DIY Watermelon Mason Jars

The Spruce / Caylin Harris

Keep summer alive with a juicy jar. Sip on a smoothie or brighten up a bedroom with watermelon decor all winter long, no warm weather needed. Half the fun is finding the perfect watermelon color paint for your jars. Use spray paint for the pink background, paint on your seeds, and you'll enjoy a taste of summer 24/7.

Watermelon Mason Jar from The Spruce Crafts

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21 of 24

Canvas String Art Graffiti

Canvas String Art Graffiti

If your tweenager is serious about adding color to the bedroom, help out with this canvas string art project. It's an all-day project that you can do with either spray paint or washable paint markers, depending on how messy you and your child are willing to get outdoors. String art between points on the canvas, spray, and remove the string to reveal the patterns. Make a whole set for a room with different designs and coordinating colors.

Canvas String Art Graffiti from Juggling Act Mama
22 of 24

A Dreamy Dreamcatcher

Dear Creatives

Give your child a project that will promote nights of better, deeper sleep. This dreamcatcher is easy to create. Grab an embroidery hoop, a ton of pretty trims and embellishments, and don't forget the feathers. Glue and tie it all on and hang over the headboard of your tweenager's bed to ensure the sweetest of dreams.

Dreamcatcher DIY from Dear Creatives
23 of 24

Moss Ball Aquarium

Soap Deli News

These adorable tiny aquariums that house Marimo moss balls make the perfect project for the budding environmentalist or oceanographer. A Marimo moss ball is a spongy algae plant that can be put in a DIY aquarium. You'll find light bulb shaped jars for this project in hobby and craft shops. They're easy to use with their screw on-and-off tops. Add rocks, pebbles, beads, and cabochon stones, then place your Marimo moss ball inside. Remember to change the water every week or so to keep it alive and healthy.

DIY Recycled Lightbulb Aquarium from Soap Deli News Blog
24 of 24

Beaded Barefoot Sandals

Running With Sisters

Your tween or teen will love these attention-getting summery beaded barefoot sandals. They're best at the beach or in the backyard, without the need to wear any shoes. Glass beads, silk flowers, and stretchy jewelry cord form the base of this design. After making the sandals, extend the fun by indulging in a pedicure.

Summery Beaded Barefoot Sandals from Running With Sisters