Fairy tales hold a special place in a child’s heart. They whisk us away to fantastical worlds, introduce us to brave heroes and cunning villains, and teach valuable life lessons.
But the magic of fairy tales goes beyond just reading. Crafts inspired by these beloved stories allow children to engage with their favorite characters and narratives in a whole new way.
Here, we’ve curated 20 enchanting fairy tale crafts that are perfect for kids of all ages.
From classic tales like Cinderella and The Three Little Pigs to lesser-known gems, these crafts will spark creativity, encourage storytelling, and provide hours of fun.
Easy Crafts for Little Hands (Ages 3-5):
Three Little Pigs Straw House:
- Materials: Construction paper (yellow, brown), glue, straw (optional: pipe cleaners)
- Let your little one tear or cut yellow paper into strips to represent straw. Glue them onto a brown paper rectangle to create a charming little straw house. Add pipe cleaners for extra texture!
Goldilocks and the Three Bears Masks:
- Materials: Paper plates, brown, yellow, and pink paint, markers or crayons, string or elastic
- Paint three paper plates – one brown for the papa bear, one yellow for the mama bear, and one pink for the baby bear. Once dry, decorate them with bear faces using markers or crayons. Punch holes on the sides and tie string or elastic to create wearable masks.
Enchanted Beanstalk:
- Materials: Green construction paper, brown construction paper, cotton balls, glue
- Cut out a long strip of green construction paper to represent the beanstalk. Glue brown construction paper cutouts at the base for the soil. Help your child attach cotton balls all over the green strip for fluffy beanstalk leaves.
Let’s Get Crafty (Ages 5-8):
Rapunzel’s Tower:
- Materials: Toilet paper roll, cardboard (optional: paint), yarn, construction paper
- Paint the toilet paper roll if desired. Cut small windows and a door on the roll. Help your child wind yarn around the roll from top to bottom, creating Rapunzel’s long hair. Cut out construction paper flowers and glue them around the windows for decoration.
Cinderella’s Carriage:
- Materials: Paper plate, yellow construction paper, glitter glue, markers or crayons, pipe cleaners
- Cut a paper plate in half. Decorate one half with yellow construction paper and glitter glue to resemble a carriage. Use markers or crayons to draw windows and wheels. Attach pipe cleaners for axles and bend the ends upwards to hold the other half of the paper plate (decorated as the carriage roof).
The Three Billy Goats Gruff Bridge:
- Materials: Cardboard box, brown paint, markers or crayons, construction paper scraps
- Cut a large rectangle from a cardboard box to create the base of the bridge. Paint it brown and let it dry. Decorate the sides with markers or crayons to add rocks and grass. Use construction paper scraps to build small bridges on top of the base, representing the wobbly bridges the billy goats had to cross.
Creative Crafts for Older Kids (Ages 8 and above):
Gingerbread House:
- Materials: Graham crackers, royal icing (or store-bought frosting), candy decorations
- This classic craft requires adult supervision when using a stovetop to make royal icing. However, the decorating part is a delightful activity for older kids. Help them construct the house using graham crackers held together with icing. Let their creativity run wild as they decorate with candy pieces for windows, doors, and a roof.
Paper Bag Puppets:
- Materials: Brown paper bags, construction paper scraps, markers or crayons, glue, yarn or string
- Decorate brown paper bags with construction paper scraps, markers, and crayons to create your favorite fairy tale characters. Use yarn or string attached to the bottom of the bag to make your puppets come alive!
Fairy Wand:
- Materials: Cardboard tube (from paper towels or toilet paper), paint, glitter, ribbon, beads, hot glue gun (adult supervision required)
- Paint the cardboard tube and decorate it with glitter. Use a hot glue gun (with adult supervision) to attach ribbons, beads, and other embellishments to create a magical fairy wand.
Beyond the Paper Plate:
Cardboard Castle:
- Materials: Large cardboard boxes, paint, markers or crayons, construction paper scraps, cardboard tubes (optional: aluminum foil)
- Cardboard boxes transform into magnificent castles with a little imagination! Paint the boxes and decorate them with markers, crayons, construction paper scraps, and even aluminum foil for a shiny roof. Use cardboard tubes for towers and decorate them with flags made from construction paper.
Salt Dough Decorations:
- Materials: Flour, salt, water, cookie cutters (fairy tale themed if possible), paint, glitter (optional)
- Create a magical world with homemade salt dough decorations. Mix flour, salt, and water to form a dough. Roll it out and use fairy tale themed cookie cutters (or regular shapes) to create figures and objects. Bake the dough following recipe instructions and let it cool. Once cool, children can paint their creations and add glitter for extra sparkle.
Recycled Milk Carton Houses:
- Materials: Empty milk cartons, paint, markers or crayons, construction paper scraps, bottle caps (optional)
- Upcycle empty milk cartons into charming houses for your favorite fairy tale characters. Wash and dry the cartons. Paint them in bright colors and decorate them with markers, crayons, and construction paper scraps for doors, windows, and details. Glue bottle caps on for a whimsical touch.
Enchanted Storytelling Crafts:
Story Stones:
- Materials: Smooth pebbles, acrylic paint, paint pens or markers, clear gloss varnish (optional)
- Paint smooth pebbles with scenes or characters from your favorite fairy tale. Use paint pens or markers for details. Apply a coat of clear gloss varnish (optional) to protect the paint. Use these story stones to prompt storytelling or recreate the fairy tale scene by scene.
Felt Board Fairy Tales:
- Materials: Felt fabric (various colors), craft foam (optional), scissors, glue, magnets (optional)
- Cut out characters, objects, and scenery from felt fabric. You can also use craft foam for sturdier pieces. Glue small magnets to the felt pieces (optional) to create a magnetic felt board. Let your child use the felt pieces to retell their favorite fairy tale or create their own stories.
Pop-Up Book:
- Materials: Cardstock paper, construction paper scraps, markers or crayons, scissors, glue
- Fold cardstock paper in half to create a base for your pop-up book. On separate sheets of cardstock, draw and cut out scenes from your chosen fairy tale. Decorate them with construction paper scraps and markers. Glue these pop-up scenes onto corresponding pages in your base book, creating a delightful interactive story experience.
Extraordinary Materials:
Pinecone Fairies:
- Materials: Pinecones, paint, glitter, small buttons, pipe cleaners, glue
- Paint pinecones and add glitter for sparkle. Glue small buttons on for eyes and a tiny pipe cleaner for a magical wand. These enchanting pinecone fairies can be displayed or used in imaginative play.
Egg Carton Creatures:
- Materials: Empty egg cartons, paint, markers or crayons, pipe cleaners, googly eyes (optional), yarn or string (optional)
- Wash and dry empty egg cartons. Cut out individual egg cups and paint them to resemble your favorite fairy tale creatures – frogs, dragons, or even friendly gnomes. Add details with markers or crayons, pipe cleaners for tails or whiskers, and googly eyes for a whimsical touch. Poke holes in the top and thread yarn or string to create hanging decorations or finger puppets.
Dress Up and Play:
Animal Masks (The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe):
- Materials: Cardboard, felt fabric (various colors), scissors, glue, elastic or ribbon
- Cut out animal shapes (lion, witch, and wardrobe) from cardboard. Use felt fabric to create details like a lion’s mane, a witch’s hat, or the wardrobe door. Glue the felt onto the cardboard masks. Punch holes on the sides and tie elastic or ribbon for secure wear.
Knight’s Armor (Jack and the Beanstalk):
- Materials: Cardboard box (cut to create a chestplate and shoulder pads), aluminum foil, duct tape, markers (optional)
- Recycle a cardboard box to create a knight’s chestplate and shoulder pads. Cover them in aluminum foil using duct tape for a secure hold. Older children can decorate the armor with markers to add personal touches.
Fairy Wings:
- Materials: Wire clothes hanger, nylon tights (optional: tulle or other sheer fabric), glitter glue, ribbon, scissors
- Bend a wire clothes hanger to form wing shapes. Stretch nylon tights (or cut sheer fabric) over the wire frame. Use glitter glue to decorate the wings and add sparkle. Tie colorful ribbons to the ends of the hanger for easy wear.
Bonus Tip: Many of these crafts can be adapted to different fairy tales. For example, use the paper bag puppet idea to create characters from “The Three Little Pigs” or “Little Red Riding Hood.” With a little creativity, the possibilities are endless!
Remember:
- Gather all materials before you begin.
- Lay down newspaper or a tablecloth to protect your crafting area.
- For younger children, pre-cut some of the materials or provide templates to make the process easier.
- Most importantly, have fun and let your child’s imagination soar!
These enchanting fairy tale crafts are a wonderful way to spend quality time with your children.
They’ll not only create keepsakes they’ll cherish, but they’ll also develop their creativity, fine motor skills, and love for storytelling.
So grab your craft supplies, choose your favorite fairy tale, and get ready to embark on a magical crafting adventure!
