Is your child staring down a mountain of homework with a bored expression? Liven up writing time and spark their creativity with these adorable and easy-to-make pencil toppers! These crafts are perfect for a rainy afternoon, a playdate activity, or even a back-to-school project.
We’ve got a variety of ideas to suit all ages and interests, from cute and cuddly creatures to rockets blasting off to outer space. Most of these crafts require minimal supplies and can be made with everyday household items.
So get ready to unleash your inner artist and transform those plain pencils into something extraordinary!
Easy & Cute Pencil Toppers (Great for Younger Crafters):
Pom-Pom Pals:
Who can resist a fluffy friend perched on top of their pencil? This craft is perfect for even the youngest crafters. Simply wrap yarn around a cardboard cutout until it’s nice and thick, then tie it off and snip the loops to create a pom-pom. Glue googly eyes and a felt mouth for extra personality.
Wobbly Pipe Cleaner Creatures:
Bend pipe cleaners into various shapes to create silly monsters, friendly worms, or even majestic butterflies. Twist the pipe cleaner around the pencil eraser for a secure fit. Add wiggle eyes and details with markers.
Button Bonanza:
Raid your button jar and unleash your creativity! Glue colorful buttons onto the eraser end of your pencil. You can create silly faces, geometric patterns, or even use themed buttons for holidays or seasons.
Feathery Friends:
For a touch of elegance, use colorful feathers to make dazzling pencil toppers. Cut a small slit in the feather and slide it onto the pencil eraser. Secure it with glue if needed. Add a tiny pipecleaner bowtie or a sparkly bead for extra flair.
Flower Power:
For a springtime vibe, create blooming flowers from construction paper or felt. Cut out simple flower shapes and layer them together. Attach a pipe cleaner stem that wraps around the pencil eraser. You can even add a little ladybug made from a red button with black marker dots.
Pencil Toppers with a Little More Craftiness:
Sparkling Stars:
Let your child’s imagination soar with glittery stars! Cut star shapes from cardboard or thick foam sheets. Cover them in glitter glue and let them dry completely. Once dry, glue them securely to the pencil eraser.
Rainbow Rockets:
Blast off to outer space with these cool rocket pencil toppers. Use cardboard tubes from toilet paper rolls or paper towels. Cut out construction paper fins and a pointed nose cone. Glue them onto the tube and decorate with markers and stickers.
Felt Fun:
Felt is a versatile material that’s perfect for creating all sorts of cute pencil toppers. Cut out shapes like hearts, animals, or even mini pizzas! Glue them onto the pencil eraser and add details with embroidery floss or markers.
Paper Plate Pals:
Don’t throw away those leftover paper plates! Cut out circles or animal shapes and decorate them with markers, crayons, and stickers. Attach a pipe cleaner or straw to the back and secure it to the pencil eraser.
Pencil Topper Puppets:
Turn your pencils into a puppet show! Cut out small figures from felt or construction paper. Glue them onto popsicle sticks and decorate them with funny faces and colorful outfits. Slot the popsicle stick end onto the pencil eraser for a fun and interactive craft.
Pencil Toppers for the Older Crafter:
Miniature Masterpieces:
For the more artistically inclined child, provide them with tiny canvases (cut from cardboard or plastic lids) and let them create miniature works of art. Once dry, glue the mini masterpiece onto the pencil eraser.
Friendship Bracelets for Pencils:
Friendship bracelets aren’t just for wrists! Use embroidery floss to create mini friendship bracelets that fit snugly around the pencil eraser. This is a great opportunity to practice braiding techniques and create personalized messages.
Crazy Yarn Creatures:
Take yarn crafting to a new level! Use techniques like crocheting or knitting to create tiny animals, geometric shapes, or even miniature scarves for your pencils.
Perler Bead Power:
If you have Perler beads lying around, put them to good use! Create pixel art designs on a Perler bead board according to size, iron them to fuse the beads together, and then glue the finished design onto the pencil eraser.
Shrink Art Extravaganza:
Draw or trace small designs onto shrink plastic sheets, following the manufacturer’s instructions. Cut out the shapes and bake them in the oven according to package directions. Watch in amazement as the designs shrink into tiny, hard versions of themselves! Attach them to the pencil eraser with glue.
Nature’s Inspiration:
Take a walk in nature and collect interesting finds like small pinecones, acorns, or flat stones. Clean and dry them thoroughly. With a little adult supervision, a small dot of hot glue can be used to secure these natural treasures to the pencil eraser.
Clay Creations:
Air-drying clay is a fantastic option for creating custom pencil toppers. Children can sculpt animals, food items, or even miniature versions of themselves! Once the clay dries completely, it can be painted and decorated for a personalized touch.
Pencil Topper Party Favors:
Planning a birthday party with a craft theme? Pencil toppers are a fun and functional favor idea! Set up a crafting station with various materials like pipe cleaners, felt, and googly eyes. Let the guests create their own unique pencil toppers to take home as a party memento.
Recycled Robots:
Turn trash into treasure! Collect clean and safe recyclables like bottle caps, cardboard scraps, and plastic straws. With a little creativity, these can be transformed into funky robots with wiggly pipe cleaner arms and googly eye details.
Pencil Topper Terrariums:
For the eco-conscious crafter, create a miniature terrarium world on top of their pencil. Use a small, clear plastic container (like those from mini gumballs) and fill it with a tiny layer of pebbles and a touch of damp soil. Add miniature plants (available at some craft stores) and secure the container to the pencil eraser with craft glue.
Important Note: Ensure ventilation by poking a small hole in the lid for air circulation.
Bonus Tip: For added durability, consider coating your finished pencil toppers with a thin layer of clear gloss spray paint. This will help to protect them from wear and tear during everyday use.
With these 20 creative ideas, you and your child are sure to find the perfect pencil topper craft to spark their imagination and make writing time a joyful experience! Remember, the most important thing is to have fun and unleash your inner artist!
