14 Simple Fathers Day Crafts for Kids: Easy, Fun, and Totally Dad-Approved Ideas You’ll Actually Want to Keep
Father’s Day is right around the corner, which is a special day for families . Honestly, we all want to help our kids make something cute for Dad—without turning our living room into a disaster zone.
We’re talking simple, sweet crafts that actually mean something to him, and he’ll appreciate the thoughtful effort often accompanied by a heartfelt message minus the Pinterest-fail stress.
These easy Father’s Day crafts let us celebrate Dad while keeping it totally doable for our little ones (and our sanity).
All families are welcome here, and nobody’s judging if you use glue sticks like it’s an Olympic sport. Let’s do this, mess and all!
1) Handprint Baseball Craft – slam a little paint on those tiny hands and make a cool baseball-themed keepsake.
We’re kind of obsessed with how easy and cute this handprint baseball craft turns out, and it’s one of the best ideas for Father’s Day gifts . Just slap some paint onto those tiny hands, press them onto a baseball, and—boom—Father’s Day magic.
It’s equal parts sporty and sweet, just like our little ones, and it’s a gift he’ll love . For extra inspo, check out this Father’s Day handprint baseball craft, which is an easy gift idea .
2) DIY Pop-Up Yoda Card – geek out with a fun 3D Star Wars card that’s surprisingly easy.
Who says Father’s Day cards can’t use a little Jedi magic for some father’s day fun ? If you’ve got Star Wars fans at home or toddlers (or just want a little fun), this easy 3D Yoda pop-up card is a total win.
Just grab some paper, markers, and your best Yoda voice—no mind tricks needed. Let’s fold, glue, and draw our way to a “Yoda Best Dad” masterpiece.
3) Origami Shirt Card – fold up a sweet little shirt card for dad’s desk or fridge.
Sometimes we just need something quick, cute, and a little bit goofy. Enter the origami shirt card!
Grab a colorful sheet of paper, fold it into a shirt (collars and all!), and then doodle or add a message inside. It comes together so fast—like, five minutes fast.
Dad can prop it up on his desk or fridge and brag about his “designer” shirt, and it can even hold some loose change . For easy step-by-step instructions and ideas for a family photo , check out this origami shirt card guide.
4) Shrink Plastic Keychains – draw, cut, and bake cool mini charms dad can carry everywhere.
Shrinky dinks are a blast, and honestly, they’re easy! Let the kids draw a silly face, a “Best Dad” trophy, or anything wild on shrink plastic for their tool box, then snip, and if you like, add some embroidery floss before popping them in the oven.
Watch the magic as they shrink into adorable keychains Dad can rock on his keys every day. This project is fast and mess-friendly, which is basically our favorite word lately, along with other friendly things .
We found some fun ideas for shrinky dink keychains over at Simply Kinder if you want a peek at Father’s Day Shrinky Dink Keychains.
5) Painted Golf Tees – tiny tees with custom colors and patterns, perfect for golf-loving dads.
Half the fun here is getting paint in our favorite colors all over our hands and not just the tees. Painted golf tees are super easy, crazy cute, and just scream “we made this for you!”
Grab some golf tees, a little paint, and let your wild side run the show—stripes, dots, smiley faces, whatever. Perfect for dads who can’t get enough time on the green.
Want inspo? Check out these adorable ideas for DIY painted golf tees.
6) Paper Dad Joke Book – compile corny dad jokes on cute folded papers for a giggle fest.
There’s nothing like a groan-worthy dad joke to make everyone giggle (and maybe roll their eyes). Grab some colorful paper, fold them into a mini book, and let the kids write down their favorite cheesy punchlines.
Need a little help with jokes? Check out this easy idea for a Father’s Day joke book.
7) Football Toss Game – craft a simple DIY toss game for some backyard fun and bonding.
Dads love a little friendly competition, so why not DIY a football toss game as part of your father’s day crafts ? All you need is a cardboard box, scissors, and some markers.
Cut out a big circle in the middle and decorate it—bonus points for glitter. This backyard game is easy to set up and perfect for getting everyone outside together.
Check some cute ideas for a football toss game here.
8) Tie Template Coloring – printable tie designs kids can color and personalize for dad’s style.
Sometimes we just need something easy and cute that keeps the kids busy for more than five minutes, especially kid friendly things . Printable tie templates are a total win for that!
Print a bunch, then let the kids go wild with crayons, stickers, or whatever’s on the art shelf. It’s fun to see how many goofy patterns and colors they dream up.
You can snag free tie templates right here at Superstar Worksheets and at Artsy Kids Zone.
9) Coupon Book – homemade coupons for hugs, chores, or breakfast in bed, easy wins for dad.
Sometimes we just want an easy win that still feels thoughtful. A homemade coupon book is our go-to!
Fill it with coupons for extra hugs, helping with chores, or making Dad breakfast in bed. If you’re feeling fancy, you can print out templates from sites like The Spruce Crafts, or just make your own.
Dads love redeeming these little treats that their children made !
10) Stamped Clay Bowl – messy, hands-on clay craft that turns into a sweet little catch-all dish.
We love messy crafts, and this one’s perfect for tiny hands—and honestly, even we get into it! Grab some air-dry clay, flatten it out, and let the kids go wild stamping shapes, letters, or whatever their hearts want.
Once it dries, you’ve got a cute little bowl for Dad’s keys or spare coins. If you want a step-by-step, we found a super easy kid-friendly clay bowl DIY that totally works.
11) Puzzle Piece Photo Frame – glue painted puzzle pieces around a pic for extra love and flair.
Let’s be honest, there’s probably a half-finished puzzle with missing pieces in your closet right now. This is its comeback story!
Grab those leftover pieces and give them a glow-up with paint. Just glue the colorful puzzle pieces around a picture frame—pop in a cute photo, and you’ve got a heartfelt, super fun gift.
It’s a simple way to say “we love you to pieces!” More inspo for this sweet project over at A Night Owl Blog’s Father’s Day craft ideas.
12) Bubble Wrap Card – poppin’ fun card with textured bubble wrap for silly sensory vibes.
Okay, grab that leftover bubble wrap (don’t pretend you didn’t save it for this exact moment). We’re making a Father’s Day card that’s as fun to squeeze as it is to give.
Let the kids paint the bubble wrap. Press it onto cardstock for a messy, colorful print.
It’s art and stress relief in one! Dad gets to pop a few bubbles too—who wouldn’t love that?
Want more ideas? Check out See Vanessa Craft’s bubble wrap card tutorial.
13) Toolbox Q&A Craft – fill out questions about dad on cutout tools and build a cute paper toolbox.
This one is all about the fun questions! We grab printable tool shapes, write silly or sweet things about Dad on each tool, and tuck them into our homemade toolbox.
The personal answers make it a total win. If you need templates, check out the free ones at Simple Everyday Mom and Teachers Pay Teachers.
14) Activity Sheets – fun printable pages about dad that kids can color, complete, and gift.
Let’s be real—we all need a quick win sometimes. Printable Father’s Day activity sheets are lifesavers!
Kids just grab crayons and get creative. Some pages are about Dad, like fill-in-the-blank stories or drawing Dad’s favorite things.
Coloring pages are easy to download and print. We say hand over those markers and let the masterpieces begin!
Why DIY Crafts with Kids Rock for Father’s Day
Making handmade gifts with our kids can turn an ordinary Father’s Day into an extra special, memory-filled celebration. It’s the perfect chance to connect, get creative, and show Dad just how much he means—with a little paint on our fingers and maybe some glue on the table, too.
Building Memories, Not Just Crafts
When we sit down with our littles to craft for Dad, we’re doing way more than just making a cute gift. We’re actually creating memories we’ll all treasure.
There’s something about messy paintbrushes and gluey hands that makes the whole thing feel special. We remember the giggles when someone drops a googly eye or the sweet “oops” faces when something goes sideways.
These are the moments that stick with us way after the glue dries. Plus, Dad gets a keepsake that’s bursting with personality—it won’t look like anything from the store, and that’s the point!
Need ideas? Try making fun projects like a “My Dad Rocks” paperweight or personalized photo letters. Both are easy for younger kiddos and give that warm, homemade vibe Dad will love.
Want more on these projects? Check out Father’s Day crafts kids can do themselves.
Encouraging Creativity Without the Stress
Let’s be honest: not all of us are Pinterest moms, and that’s totally okay. These DIY crafts don’t have to be fancy to be fun.
Our goal is creative chaos—not picture-perfect masterpieces. With simple projects, kids get to explore their imagination without rules.
We don’t sweat the crooked lines or mix-matched colors. Sometimes those little “mistakes” are what makes the craft extra adorable.
If we need help keeping it low-key, try setting up a craft tray or using butcher paper to catch spills. The real win is seeing our kids’ pride when they hand Dad their homemade gift.
Not sure where to start? “Our Dad Rocks” crafts are a total hit and don’t break the bank. Check out this fun rock craft for Father’s Day for an easy win.
Tips for Totally Fun and Mess-Minimized Craft Time
Crafting with kids is always an adventure—there might be a little glitter explosion here or a runaway glue stick there, and it’s always a fun craft . We can set ourselves up for crafty success (and less mess) if we plan ahead with the right supplies and a few tricks up our sleeves.
Choosing Kid-Friendly Materials
Let’s be real—some supplies are just made for little hands, and others make us want to scream into a pillow. We always aim for the easy stuff: chunky crayons, washable markers, school glue that comes out in a snap, and kid-safe scissors.
Construction paper is a superhero in our craft box. We avoid anything precious, sharp, or impossible to clean up (looking at you, permanent markers and glitter).
If it says “washable” or “nontoxic,” into our cart it goes! For younger kids, foam shapes, felt stickers, and pre-cut pieces mean less prep for us and more power to our mini-artists.
Need ideas? Projects using bottlecap keychains, washi tape, and paint keep things simple and safe.
Pro Tip: Old shirts make great painting smocks, and using plastic tablecloths can save us from cleaning up sticky disasters.
Keeping the Chaos Contained (As Much as Possible!)
Mess is pretty much guaranteed, but that doesn’t mean our whole house needs to look like a tornado just tore through the craft aisle. We always set up a “zone”—sometimes it’s the table, sometimes the floor, and if the weather’s cooperating, we’ll head outside.
Before anything starts, we grab wipes, paper towels, and usually a trash bag for those sneaky scraps that somehow end up everywhere.
Quick organization hacks:
- Use muffin tins or ice cube trays to keep tiny supplies separated.
- Hand everyone their own plastic cup for glue and a paper plate for cutting.
- Put on a “clean-up” playlist and see how much tidying you can get done in five minutes at the end.
If someone winds up with googly eyes on their shirt or glue in their hair, well, that’s just another story for the Parenting Hall of Fame. Want more kid-tested, low-prep craft ideas and setup tips? Check out these Father’s Day crafts for every age.
