Rainy days don’t have to be gloomy! Umbrella crafts are a fun and versatile way to keep kids entertained indoors, sparking their imagination and fostering creativity.
These crafts are perfect for all ages and skill levels, using readily available materials found around the house.
So, grab your crafting supplies and get ready to let the fun – and maybe a little sprinkle of learning – begin!
Paper Plate Delights (Ages 3-5):
Cheerful Classic:
This is a great first craft for young children. Paint a paper plate a bright color, letting your little one unleash their inner artist. Once dry, cut out a handle from construction paper and glue it to the center of the plate. Add colorful streamers or yarn for raindrops!
Rainy Day Friends:
Turn those paper plates into adorable umbrellas for your child’s favorite toys! Cut out a wedge from the plate to create the umbrella shape. Decorate with markers, crayons, or stickers. Punch a small hole at the top and tie a piece of yarn for a string. Now your tiny friends can stay dry!
Sensory Splash:
Tape a piece of clear plastic wrap to the underside of a painted paper plate umbrella. Fill it with colorful pom poms or buttons – it’s a tactile treat for little hands!
Construction Paper Creations (Ages 4-7):
Simple Elegance:
This is a quick and easy craft that yields adorable results. Cut out a large circle from construction paper. Fold it in half, then cut another curved line from the fold outwards to create the umbrella shape. Decorate the inside and outside with markers, crayons, or stickers. Punch a hole at the top and add a yarn string.
Layered Look:
Cut out different sized circles from construction paper in various colors. Layer them together, largest on the bottom, and staple them in the center. Cut out a handle from a contrasting color and glue it on. This creates a fun, dimensional umbrella.
Rainy Day Mobile:
Cut out a variety of umbrella shapes and sizes from construction paper. Decorate them with patterns, raindrops, or even little faces. Punch a hole at the top of each umbrella and thread them onto yarn or string. Hang it up for a delightful (and mobile!) rainy day scene.
For the Budding Artists (Ages 6-8):
Watercolor Wonders:
Cut out umbrella shapes from watercolor paper. Let your child create a beautiful wash of colors using watercolors or watered-down paint. Once dry, add details like a handle and raindrops with markers or pens.
Tissue Paper Magic:
Cut out umbrella shapes from construction paper. Rip colorful tissue paper into small squares and use glue sticks to adhere them to the umbrella base, creating a vibrant mosaic effect.
Fingerprint Fun:
Use different colored stamp pads to create a fun and colorful umbrella with fingerprint raindrops! Cut out the umbrella shape and decorate the canopy with fingerprints in various colors.
Taking it Up a Notch (Ages 8 and Up):
Button Bonanza:
This is a great way to use up those leftover buttons! Cut out an umbrella shape from sturdy cardboard. Glue buttons of all shapes and sizes onto the umbrella canopy, creating a unique and textured design.
Pipe Cleaner Paradise:
Twist colorful pipe cleaners to create the framework of an umbrella. Attach them to a cardboard handle or a straw. Weave additional pipe cleaners in different colors across the frame to create the umbrella canopy.
Felt Fancy:
Cut out umbrella shapes from felt in different colors. Decorate them with embroidery stitches, sequins, or buttons. This craft allows for more detailed and intricate designs.
Beyond the Paper:
Recycled Delight:
Repurpose an old plastic bottle! Cut off the top and bottom thirds, leaving the middle section for the umbrella body. Cut out a circle from fabric or felt and glue it over the opening to create the canopy. Decorate with paint, markers, or fabric scraps. Add a handle made from a straw or pipe cleaner.
Leaf Umbrellas (Adult Supervision Required):
On a dry day, collect large leaves with your child. Carefully poke a hole through the center of the leaf (with adult supervision) and thread a piece of yarn or string through it. Decorate the leaf with paint markers or glitter. Tie the other end of the yarn to a stick for a handle.
Dimensional Crafts (Ages 6 and Up):
Pop-Up Parade:
This craft adds a fun interactive element. Cut out two umbrella shapes from construction paper. Decorate them as desired. On one umbrella, cut out a small rectangle near the edge. Fold a small tab inwards on the other umbrella and glue it inside the rectangle you cut on the first umbrella. This creates a simple pop-up effect when you open the umbrella.
Umbrella Diorama:
Cut a large rectangle from cardboard to create the base of your diorama. Decorate it to represent a rainy day scene, with grass, puddles, and maybe even a little house. Create small paper umbrellas using construction paper or other techniques mentioned above. Stick them into the base of your diorama for a charming rainy day snapshot.
Umbrella Puppet Show:
Get ready for a performance! Cut out large umbrella shapes from cardboard or felt. Decorate them with character faces or animal features. Attach a craft stick or popsicle stick to the handle for easy manipulation. Put on a puppet show for the whole family!
Geared Up for Learning (All Ages):
Counting Canopies:
Cut out several umbrella shapes from construction paper in different colors. Write numbers on each umbrella. Have your child count the umbrellas or sort them by color.
Shape Scavenger Hunt:
This craft doubles as a learning activity! Cut out different shapes (circles, squares, triangles) from construction paper. Decorate an umbrella shape and have your child search for the different shapes to “stick” onto the umbrella with glue or tape.
Letter Umbrellas:
Cut out umbrella shapes from construction paper. Write a different letter of the alphabet on each umbrella. Decorate them and hang them up on a string to create a colorful alphabet mobile.
Festive Fun:
Party Parasols:
Planning a birthday party? Cut out large umbrella shapes from colorful fabric or felt. Attach them to dowel rods for easy holding. These festive parasols will add a touch of whimsy to any celebration.
Holiday Cheer:
Get ready for the holidays! Cut out snowflake shapes from white paper and glue them onto a blue construction paper umbrella base to create a winter wonderland scene. For a festive fall theme, use red, orange, and yellow construction paper to create a colorful autumn umbrella with leaves glued on.
