39 Cardboard Crafts DIY Ideas for 2025

You can make incredible things out of plain cardboard.

You shouldn’t only think of it as packaging; you should use it for fun projects like toys, storage, or even home decor.

Moreover, it’s cheap and can be used for a lot of different things.

All of these 39 DIY cardboard craft ideas will get your creative juices flowing while still being good for the environment. They show that even simple materials can be turned into works of art.

1. Heart-Shaped Cardboard Organizer

To make a heart-shaped cardboard organizer, you need to cut thick cardboard into heart shapes, place dividers inside for sections, and then use it to store jewelry, craft supplies, or small items.

You may make it both useful and cute for your room by adding colors or patterns that go with your style.

2. Cotton Candy Craft with Cardboard Cone

You can have fun with a cotton candy craft from cutting a cone form out of cardboard, gluing on pink cotton balls for the fluffy look, and finishing it off with heart stickers for extra charm.

You may also change the colors to fit the theme of the party, making this a fun game or a fun piece of decor.

3. Picasso-Inspired Cardboard Faces

You can get innovative with cardboard faces that look like Picasso’s work.

To make these, you need to cut out abstract shapes for the eyes, nose, and mouth, glue them to a cardboard base, and paint them in vivid, strong colors.

You can use this as wall art, a fun assignment for the classroom, or a means to learn about modern art styles that have no limits.

4. Cardboard Sea Creature Art

You can recreate sea creature art out of recycled cardboard.

To do this, you need to cut out shapes for fish and jellyfish, layer them with newspaper for texture, and paint and add glitter for an ocean shimmer.

This is an eco-friendly activity that teaches kids about sea life and gets their creative juices flowing. You can also add huge googly eyes for fun.

5. Abstract Cardboard Face Portrait

You can be creative with an abstract cardboard face picture.

To make one, you need to cut out a round base for the face, add eyes, a nose, and a mouth from smaller forms, and paint them in bright, fun colors.

You can make it look like a cartoon by giving it wide eyes and golden cardboard strips for hair. It’s a fun craft for youngsters that can also be used as wall art or a teaching tool.

6. Colorful Cardboard Hedgehogs

You can make colorful cardboard hedgehogs by cutting out a hedgehog shape from strong cardboard.

Then, glue on bright paper triangles for quills and small paper circles for the nose and cheeks.

This project can help kids learn about nature while also motivating them to recycle and be creative with their hands.

7. Cardboard Fire Station City Scene

You can make a little city by using boxes to create the fire station and other buildings nearby.

To make it look authentic, you should paint the details and add toy characters, vehicles, or felt trees. Let youngsters design and build their own city.

This is a wonderful method to help them be more creative and improve their spatial skills.

8. Glittery Cardboard Bunny Decorations

To create these sparkly cardboard bunny decorations, you need to cut rabbit forms out of cardboard, cover them with glitter, sequins, or dried flowers, and then add colorful paper for more detail.

This is an easy Easter or spring craft that people of all ages can accomplish. You can hang them on walls, doors, or use them as table decorations.

9. Earth-Themed Cardboard Sensory Craft

You may keep youngsters busy with an Earth-themed cardboard sensory activity.

To make it, cut out a circle base for the Earth, glue on colored rice and beads to indicate land and water, and add felt or wooden pieces for trees and animals.

This fun project is a great way to teach kids about nature and how to be more environmentally friendly. It’s great for Earth Day or other classroom activities.

10. Cardboard Lion Toy

Making a cardboard lion toy is a great way to make youngsters happy.

You need to roll a cylinder for the body, add extra pieces for the head, legs, and tail, and paint it in bright, happy colors. Let kids decorate their lion to make it their own.

This is a fun craft and a great adornment for their room.

11. Grass-Haired Cardboard Faces

To make grass-haired cardboard faces, you need to create interesting faces on rectangular pieces of cardboard.

Then, you can glue or plant real or fake grass on top and add flowers for added decoration.

This is a fun method for youngsters to combine crafting with nature, so it’s perfect for school assignments or home decor.

12. Romantic Cardboard Pen Holder

You can make a romantic pen holder out of cardboard by cutting and shaping it into a heart shape, decorating it with beads, flowers, or even a little bird, and using it to hold pens and other desk supplies.

You could even give it as a handcrafted Valentine’s Day present, which would be both useful and sweet.

13. Cardboard Garden Sorting Game

You may keep youngsters busy with a cardboard garden sorting game.

To play, cut out and color veggies like carrots, lettuce, tomatoes, and onions, then put them in a cardboard garden bed and give the kids a reference page to match them.

You can add pom-pom flowers to make it more colorful. This is a wonderful way to teach kids about gardening, food, and counting.

14. Halloween Cardboard Haunted Village

You can make a scary Halloween cardboard haunted village by cutting out house shapes from cardboard, painting them in scary colors like black, orange, or pink, then adding ghosts, pumpkins, and spiderwebs as decorations.

You can put fake spider webs on top to make it look creepy, making it a great Halloween table centerpiece or decoration.

15. Cardboard Box City with Stick Ladders

You may make a busy cardboard box city by turning boxes into buildings with windows and doors, adding colored paper for features, and adding popsicle stick ladders for more excitement.

Let youngsters design the layout is a fun way to recycle and spend time together as a family via imaginative play.

16. Cute Cardboard Fruit Magnets

You can make charming fruit magnets out of cardboard by cutting out shapes like bananas or watermelons, painting them bright colors, and gluing on googly eyes for a fun touch.

You can put a magnetic backing on these fun little crafts to make them both useful and pretty in the kitchen or at work.

17. Googly-Eyed Rainbow Craft

You may make a googly-eyed rainbow craft by painting colorful arcs on a piece of cardboard.

To make it look more interesting, you should add googly eyes with a smile and glue cotton balls to the ends to make fluffy clouds.

This is a great project for youngsters to do at home or in school. It helps them exercise their creativity and fine motor skills.

18. Winter Wonderland Cardboard Scene

You can turn simple things into a winter wonderland cardboard scenario by cutting out a home, trees, and mountains from cardboard, painting them in bright colors, and adding buttons to the sky.

This is a cute holiday craft that works great as seasonal decor or a fun activity for kids. You can add string lights to make it glow.

19. Nature-Inspired Leaf Face Craft

To make a leaf face project, you need a cardboard base, leaves for hair, twigs for features, and other details like seeds or a leaf bowtie.

You can turn this into a fall activity that teaches kids about shapes and textures while making a colorful, eco-friendly face with a lot of character.

20. Cardboard Bunnies

You can make cute cardboard rabbits by cutting out bunny shapes from cardboard, painting them in simple black, white, or brown patterns, and then putting them on a cardboard foundation so they stand up.

You can make each one unique by adding different colors or embellishments. This makes it easy to make an entire bunny family for Easter or animal-themed decorations.

21. Rainbow Paper Fringe Christmas Tree

To make a rainbow paper fringe Christmas tree, you need to cut a robust piece of cardboard into the shape of a tree, glue on layers of fringed paper in rainbow colors, and put a star on top to finish it off.

You can use this as a kid-friendly project that adds bright, textured cheer to any holiday display.

22. Birds on a Branch Cardboard Art

For a joyful birds on a branch cardboard art, you need to cut out two birds and a branch from cardboard.

Then, paint them bright colors and add felt umbrellas and flowers to make it look like spring.

This craft is a wonderful way to teach youngsters about nature and the seasons while also helping them be more creative and improve their motor skills.

23. Cardboard Quilled Floral Art

You can create beautiful floral art out of cardboard by rolling strips of cardboard into shapes for flowers and leaves, gluing them to a backdrop, and then arranging them to make a 3D image.

This relaxing hobby may be used to construct simple wall art that adds a natural and eco-friendly touch to your area.

24. Cardboard Skyscraper City

You can make a dynamic cardboard skyscraper metropolis by cutting and stacking recycled cardboard into tall buildings and small cottages.

You should paint them with vibrant colors and organize them into a lively cityscape.

You may let youngsters add toy automobiles or figures to the project, which makes it a fun and imaginative way to learn about city life.

25. Cardboard Bear with Egg Carton Nose

You can make a cute cardboard bear by cutting out the body, paws, and ears from cardboard.

To make the nose look 3D, you should use a piece of an egg carton. Then, you could paint on simple details like paw prints and a smile.

You can change the colors or expressions on it, which makes it a fun activity for youngsters that also looks cute in their rooms.

26. Wrapped Cardboard Doll

To make a wrapped cardboard doll, you need to cut out a simple human shape from cardboard, wrap it in layers of fabric, yarn, or paper for texture, and then glue on googly eyes with a small heart for detail.

Let youngsters choose their own materials to make this a fun craft that helps them develop their creativity and motor skills.

27. Button Art on Cardboard

To make button art, you need to arrange bright buttons on a piece of cardboard and glue them down securely.

You may even add more depth by layering buttons of different sizes.

You can use this craft to make brilliant art for any area out of extra buttons. It also helps kids practice their fine motor skills.

28. Cardboard Accordion Folded “Aloha” Card

To make a joyful cardboard accordion “Aloha” card, cut out a strong base and fold it like an accordion.

Then, glue on colorful letters to spell “Aloha” and add paper flowers to give it a tropical look.

You can use this to educate youngsters how to make cards in a fun way while also making a one-of-a-kind present for birthdays or other special occasions.

29. Cardboard Mosaic Rainbows and Hearts

You can make bright cardboard mosaic hearts and rainbows. To do this, you need to cut out the shapes from strong cardboard, fill them with small pieces of colorful paper, and then arrange them into clean mosaic patterns.

You can use this exercise in the school, on rainy days, or to decorate for the holidays. It will help kids improve their creativity and fine motor skills.

30. Fringe Skirt Dancer Silhouette

To make a fringe skirt dancer silhouette, you need to cut out the dancer’s body from black cardboard.

Then, you need to glue colorful paper strips that have fringes on them on top of each other to make the skirt look like fabric.

This activity lets you show movement via painting, so it’s a fun craft for kids who like dancing or fashion.

31. Floral Pressed Bird Art on Cardboard

With floral pressed bird art, you can mix nature and art.

To make it, you create bird silhouettes on cardboard, fill them with dried flowers and leaves, and then glue everything together carefully to preserve the details in place.

You may use this as rustic wall art or give it as a present. Each piece is different because of its natural, organic charm.

32. Pot of Gold Rainbow Craft

You can make a fun pot of gold rainbow craft by shaping a rainbow out of colorful yarn, using painted bottle caps for the gold, and adding bubble wrap for fluffy clouds.

You may use this as a fun St. Patrick’s Day craft or a fun home decoration that gets kids’ imaginations going.

33. Rustic Cardboard Flower Art

To make rustic cardboard flower art, you need to put dried flowers on a cardboard base and wrap twine around the bottom to make it look like a jar or bouquet.

Then, you need to glue everything in place. This eco-friendly project can be used as wall art or a card, and it will add natural charm and earthy colors to your environment.

34. Cardboard Easter Mobile

You can create a colorful cardboard Easter mobile by cutting out eggs, carrots, and bunnies from cardboard, painting them with brilliant patterns, and hanging them from a strong tree with string.

This is a wonderful craft that gets youngsters thinking outside the box and adds to the Easter mood. You can let them watch the shapes spin and cast shadows.

35. Three Little Pigs Story Houses

You can make the Three Little Pigs narrative come to life with a cardboard craft.

You need to make three small houses out of cardboard and cover them with real materials like hay for straw, bark for sticks, and stones for bricks.

You also need to set them up as part of the story. You can let kids use the houses to tell the story again, which is a wonderful way for them to learn and be creative at the same time.

36. Button and Pom-Pom Turtles

To make colorful button and pom-pom turtles, cut out a shell shape from cardboard, glue on buttons and pom-poms to decorate, and then add a green paper body with googly eyes.

This craft is a great way for kids to improve their fine motor skills while having fun constructing colorful turtles.

37. DIY Paper Quilling Sunburst Wreath

You can make a paper quilling sunburst wreath by rolling colored paper strips into flower forms and putting them in concentric circles on a cardboard foundation.

You should use different hues of blue for contrast.

You may give this homemade item for home decor more depth by adding thin paper rods that stick out from the center.

38. DIY Cardboard Tea Set

You may make a cute cardboard tea set by cutting and shaping four matching cups and a teapot with a spout, lid, and handle.

Then, you can paint them with hand-drawn flowers.

This eco-friendly set is great for pretend tea parties, which is a fun method for kids to improve their imagination and fine motor skills.

39. DIY Cardboard Dragon Sculpture

You can make a cardboard dragon sculpture come to life by cutting out a dragon shape from strong cardboard, gluing on red, orange, and green pumpkin seeds for scales, and adding an autumn leaf to make it look like fire.

This easy project lets you mix fantasy with nature, making it a fun craft for people of all ages.