If you’re looking for boredom busters to keep your little ones busy when you’re cooped at up home, but don’t want to spend a small fortune at Michaels or Hobby Lobby, this collection of dollar store crafts and activities is exactly what you need!
We are currently under an extreme cold weather warning here in Toronto, and while there’s tons of snow on the ground for the kids to play with, it’s simply too cold to spend prolonged periods of time outside. This is both a blessing and a curse for parents – it saves us from freezing our bums off, but also leaves our little ones climbing the walls on Saturdays and Sundays.
And that’s where this list of dollar store crafts and activities comes in.
I learned many years ago how much kids LOVE the dollar store, and I love that we can stock up on craft supplies for a fraction of what I would pay at the bigger box stores. So whenever the weather is bad, my daughter and I head on over to Pinterest to find the latest and greatest dollar store crafts and activities.
We go through the crafts we want to try in detail to determine what supplies we already have on hand, and which ones we need to buy, and once our shopping list is complete, we bundle up and head to our local dollar store. I admit that I’m not really a fan of spending my Saturday afternoons at the dollar store, but my daughter loves it and it gives us an opportunity to go for a drive so we can listen to some tunes and reset our moods on days we’re stuck indoors.
Keep reading for some of our favorite dollar store crafts and activities!
24 Dollar Store Craft Supplies to Invest In
I thought it would be helpful to include a master list of all of the supplies needed to make the activities I’ve included below. I realize not everyone likes to make multiple trips to the dollar store like us – LOL – and it can be really helpful to have a stash of dollar store craft supplies on hand for days you’re stuck inside and desperate for activities to keep your kids occupied!
I was careful to curate multiple crafts that use the same supplies to maximize the use you get out of each, and for those who don’t live close to a dollar store and/or prefer to do their shopping online (no judgement here!), I included links to each product on Amazon so you can order everything from the comfort of your living room.
- Pom poms
- Elmer’s glue
- Pony beads
- Googly eyes
- Pool noodles
- Pipe cleaners
- Fun foam
- Glitter glue
- Popsicle sticks
- Glue gun
- Tissue paper
- Ribbon
- Construction paper
- Washable paint
- Buttons
- Yarn
- Balloons
- Paint brushes
- Small jars
- Battery operated candles
- Rubber bands
- Cotton swabs
- Plastic straws
- Tape
26 Easy Dollar Store Crafts and Activities for Kids
And now for the fun part! The list above covers every single one of the dollar store crafts and activities below, providing you and your children hours of fun when you’re cooped up inside.
Pool Noodle Monsters | Clumsy Crafter
Craft Stick Launchers | STEAM Powered Family
Pipe Cleaner and Button Bracelets | Meaningful Mama
Popsicle Stick Monsters | I Heart Arts N Crafts
Button Rings | Pink Stripey Socks
Craft Stick Flower Pots | Typically Simple
Button Caterpillar | Parents
Beaded Pipe Cleaner People | One Little Project
Rain Stick Craft | Happy Hooligans
Baby Jar Heart Luminaries | Learning and Exploring Through Play
Craft Stick Harmonica | Frugal Fun for Girls and Boys
Pipe Cleaner Flowers | My Crafts
Easy Handmade DIY Sun Catchers | The Jersey Momma
Soda Straw Weaving Bracelets | There’s Just One Mommy
Pom Pom Flower Craft | The Best Ideas for Kids
Popsicle Stick Catapult | Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls
Melted Bead Sun Catchers | The Artful Parent
Button Gumball Machine Craft | The Pinterested Parent
Popsicle Stick Dolls | Happy Hooligans
Button Bowl | Ideas 2 Live 4
Easy Pipe Cleaner Finger Puppets | One Little Project
Balloon Straw Rockets for Kids | 10 Minutes of Quality Time
Popsicle Stick Treasure Boxes | Powerful Mothering
Pom Pom Monsters Pencil Toppers | Mass Hole Mommy
DIY Melted Pony Bead Bracelet Craft | An Inspired Mess
Straw Windpipe Music Craft | Green Kid Crafts
I hope this collection of dollar store crafts and activities keeps you and your kids occupied on bad weather days, and that they inspire you to find more ways to have fun at home throughout the year. Remember that you don’t have to spend a fortune on toys and games to spend quality time with your kids – you just need to find fun and meaningful ways to connect with them.
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