Make · Occasion
Spring projects
107 things to make for Spring, sorted by who is making them.
19 projects
Toddlers
Nature playdough prints
Leaves, pine cones and bark pressed into flat dough, leaving prints your toddler can peel up and study.
Nature walk bracelet
A tape cuff with the sticky side out, so your toddler can stick every leaf and petal they find on a walk.
Egg hunt color match
A backyard egg hunt where each egg goes in the basket that matches its color.
Backyard mud kitchen
Old pots, pans and spoons plus a patch of dirt and water, for mud pies and soup all afternoon.
Flower petal soup
A tub of water, petals and leaves that your toddler stirs into pretend soup.
Big rock painting
Rocks bigger than a fist painted in bright colors, to line the garden path.
Nature paintbrushes
Sticks with leaves, grass and pine needles tied on, so every brush makes a different mark.
Egg carton caterpillar
A strip of egg carton painted green that turns into a wiggly caterpillar.
Celery rose stamps
The bottom of a celery bunch dipped in paint stamps out prints that look like roses.
Water painting wall
A cup of water and a big brush turn a fence, sidewalk or chalkboard dark, then it dries and they paint it again.
Butterfly fold painting
Paint blobs on 1 side, fold, press, open, and there's a butterfly with matching wings.
Grass head cup
A paper cup with a face that grows green grass hair in about a week.
Dot sticker Easter egg
A big paper egg your toddler decorates with round stickers, one slow and serious press at a time.
Coffee filter Easter eggs
Marker scribbles on coffee filters that bleed into soft rainbow eggs when sprayed with water.
Rain painting
Washable marker drawings set out in a spring shower so the rain paints them.
Torn paper carrot
An orange carrot made of torn paper scraps with a leafy green top, a good bunny snack.
Handprint flower bouquet
Bright handprints that become a bouquet of tulips, ready to frame for Mother's Day.
Toilet roll binoculars
2 painted toilet paper tubes taped together for a backyard bird and bug safari.
Paper plate ladybug
A red plate ladybug with black spots your toddler sticks on.
19 projects
Preschoolers
Nature walk bracelet
A loop of tape sticky side out becomes a bracelet your child fills with petals, leaves and seeds on a walk.
Egg carton caterpillar
A painted strip of egg carton cups becomes a wiggly caterpillar with pipe cleaner antennae.
Paper windsock
A rolled paper windsock with long ribbon tails that dance in the spring breeze on the porch.
Bird nest collage
Twigs, grass and shredded paper become a cozy bird nest on paper, with thumbprint eggs tucked inside.
Coffee filter butterflies
Marker-colored coffee filters bloom into tie-dye wings, pinched in the middle with a pipe cleaner body.
Cupcake liner flowers
Colorful cupcake liners turn into a garden of 3D flowers with paper stems and button centers.
Cardboard tube flower stamps
Snip a paper tube into petals, fan them out, and stamp a whole field of spring flowers.
Paper plate bunny
A fluffy white bunny face with tall pink ears, cotton ball cheeks and pipe cleaner whiskers.
Shaving cream marbled eggs
Swirl paint into shaving cream, press a paper egg on top, and scrape off to reveal a marbled Easter egg.
Hatching chick card
A paper egg that cracks open on a paper fastener hinge to reveal a fluffy yellow chick inside.
Bean in a jar
A dry bean in a clear jar with wet paper towel sprouts roots and a stem your child can watch grow day by day.
Ladybug painted rocks
Smooth rocks painted red with black spots become ladybugs for the garden or a paperweight gift.
Walking water rainbow
Colored water climbs up paper towels between cups and mixes into new colors over a few hours.
Shadow tracing
Line up toy animals in the sun and trace their shadows with chalk, then come back later to see how the shadows moved.
Clothespin dragonflies
A painted clothespin with sparkly pipe cleaner wings that clips onto backpacks, curtains and plant pots.
Thumbprint flower pot
A terracotta pot covered in thumbprint flowers, filled with a real plant, for a Mother's Day gift Mom can keep growing.
Symmetry butterfly painting
Paint blobs on half a paper butterfly, fold it shut, and open it to find matching wings on both sides.
Paper plate rainbow
Half a paper plate painted in rainbow stripes with cotton ball clouds and paper streamers for rain.
Woven berry basket
A plastic berry basket woven with ribbon and paper strips becomes a little Easter basket for egg hunts.
19 projects
Kids
Natural dye Easter eggs
Dye hard-boiled eggs blue, yellow and orange with red cabbage, turmeric and onion skins from the kitchen.
Paper bunny ear headband
A paper headband with tall floppy bunny ears to wear to the egg hunt.
Tissue paper egg suncatcher
Stick tissue squares on clear contact paper inside an egg-shaped frame for a window that glows like stained glass.
Egg carton chicks
Cut cups from a cardboard egg carton and turn them into fluffy yellow chicks peeking out of their shells.
Coffee filter butterflies
Color a coffee filter, mist it with water, pinch it with a clothespin, and it turns into a bright butterfly.
Painted flower pot with seeds
A clay pot painted by your kid, planted with a few seeds, and handed over as a gift that keeps growing.
Shaving cream marbled paper eggs
Swirl paint into shaving cream, press in a paper egg, scrape it off, and every egg comes out marbled and one of a kind.
Pressed flower bookmarks
Press real flowers in a heavy book for a week, then seal them into a bookmark that keeps spring all year.
Walking water rainbow
Colored water climbs up paper towels and walks into empty cups, mixing into new colors over a few hours.
Wooden birdhouse from a kit
Hammer together a real wooden birdhouse from a kit, paint it, and hang it where birds can move in.
Bean in a jar
Sprout a bean against the side of a glass jar so you can watch roots and a shoot grow day by day.
Origami jumping frog
Fold an index card into a little frog that hops across the table when you press its back.
Clothespin dragonflies
Painted clothespin bodies with sparkly wings that clip onto plants, backpacks and curtains.
Tissue paper flower bouquet
Big fluffy tissue paper flowers on pipe cleaner stems, a bouquet that never wilts.
Pine cone bird feeders
Roll a pine cone in nut butter and birdseed, hang it outside, and watch who comes to lunch.
Paper plate frogs
A green paper plate frog with a long curly red tongue that pops out of its mouth.
Painted ladybug rocks
Round garden stones painted into ladybugs to tuck into flower beds or give away.
Homemade sidewalk chalk paint
Mix cornstarch, water and food coloring into a paint that dries chalky on the driveway and washes off with the hose.
Trash bag sled kite
A real flying kite made from a trash bag, 2 straws and tape that catches the wind on any breezy day.
11 projects
Teens and students
Jar succulent terrarium
A tiny desert garden layered in a glass jar, low care and perfect for a sunny dorm windowsill.
Test tube propagation station
A wood stand holding glass tubes where pothos and plant cuttings grow roots right on your desk.
Painted terracotta pots
Cheap clay pots painted in checkers, faces or color blocks, ready for plants, pens or makeup brushes.
Pressed flower frame
Real flowers flattened and floated in a glass frame, a little piece of outside you can keep.
Pressed flower bookmarks
Slim bookmarks with real pressed flowers sealed under clear laminate, a gift for every reader you know.
Paper butterfly wall cluster
A swarm of folded paper butterflies that look like they're about to fly off your wall.
Resin pressed flower keychains
Real flowers sealed in clear resin shapes, glassy little keychains that sell fast at craft fairs.
Silk tie dyed Easter eggs
Eggs wrapped in old silk ties and boiled so the patterns print right onto the shells, totally unlike regular dyed eggs.
Crepe paper flower bouquet
A bouquet of peonies and tulips made from stretchy crepe paper that never wilts.
Hand tool birdhouse
A classic wooden birdhouse built with a hand saw, hammer and nails, sized for real backyard birds.
Mason jar herb garden
Basil, mint and parsley growing in jars on your windowsill, for snacks that taste a lot fancier.
18 projects
Grown-ups
Cedar birdhouse
A classic cedar birdhouse sized for wrens and chickadees, with a side door that swings open for cleaning.
Cedar raised garden bed
A 4 x 8 ft cedar raised bed, 11 in deep, that keeps weeds down, warms up early in spring and saves your back.
Mason jar herb garden
A row of fresh basil, parsley and chives on the windowsill in glass jars, set up so the roots never drown.
Envelope pillow covers
Zipper-free throw pillow covers with an overlapping back, so you can swap your couch look every season for a few dollars.
Cast concrete planters
Modern, chunky concrete pots cast in plastic food containers, with a real drain hole for healthy plants.
Faux stained glass panel
A thrifted picture frame turned into a glowing stained glass panel with liquid leading and glass paint.
Moss ball kokedama
A houseplant wrapped in a ball of soil and moss, tied with string, to hang in a window or sit on a dish.
Painted terracotta pots
Plain clay pots painted with color blocks or simple patterns, sealed so the paint doesn't peel, with a little plant tucked inside.
Pallet vertical planter
An upright pallet lined with landscape fabric and packed with flowers or succulents, a living wall for a fence or patio.
Crepe paper flower bouquet
A bouquet of paper tulips and ranunculus that look real from across the room and never wilt.
Natural-dyed Easter eggs
Soft blue, golden yellow and rusty orange eggs dyed with red cabbage, turmeric and onion skins from your kitchen.
Closed jar terrarium
A tiny green world in a lidded jar that waters itself, built in layers with ferns and moss.
Teacup bird feeder
A thrifted teacup and saucer turned into a charming garden bird feeder on a stake or a hanging chain.
Cedar mason bee house
A small cedar box filled with paper nesting tubes for gentle mason bees, the hard-working early pollinators of fruit trees.
Embroidery hoop wildflowers
A small hoop of stitched wildflowers using 3 beginner stitches, ready to hang the moment you finish.
Pressed flower floating frame
Garden flowers pressed flat and arranged between 2 panes of glass, a frame that looks like a botanical print.
Cedar potting bench
A 36 in tall cedar potting bench with a solid slatted work surface and a full lower shelf for bags of soil and stacked pots.
Cedar garden arbor
A freestanding cedar arbor with a 4 ft wide walkway and slatted sides, ready for climbing roses or clematis.
21 projects
Seniors and grandkids
Plantable seed paper hearts
Handmade paper hearts full of wildflower seeds that someone can plant and watch bloom.
Onion skin dyed Easter eggs
Old-fashioned eggs dyed deep amber with leaf prints on them, using onion skins you'd otherwise throw away.
Coffee filter butterflies
Tie-dyed paper butterflies made with markers and a spray of water, bright enough to fill a whole window.
Mason jar spring centerpiece
A trio of painted and twine-wrapped jars holding fresh or faux flowers for the middle of the table.
Sponge painted flowers
Bright flower prints stamped with cut sponges, a failure-free painting activity that looks cheerful every time.
Group flower arranging
Fresh grocery-store flowers trimmed and arranged in small jars, a calm, sensory group activity with a beautiful result.
Napkin decoupage Easter eggs
Wooden eggs covered in pretty printed paper napkins that look hand painted and last for years.
Egg carton flower wreath
A spring door wreath of painted cardboard flowers cut from egg cartons, so pretty nobody guesses what it's made from.
Pressed flower bookmarks
Flat garden flowers sealed onto cardstock bookmarks that keep a little bit of spring in every book you read.
Sun print nature art
Leaves and flowers laid on special paper in the sun, leaving white shadow prints on deep blue in minutes.
Kitchen scrap regrow garden
Green onions, celery and lettuce growing back from the ends you'd normally toss, right on a sunny table.
Succulent teacup planter
A small succulent planted in a vintage teacup and saucer, a sweet, low-care gift for anyone's windowsill.
Painted birdhouse kit
A ready-made wooden birdhouse painted in your own colors, a satisfying project from a kit that ends up in the garden.
Tissue paper flower bouquet
A big, bright bunch of fluffy paper flowers that never wilts and fills a table with color in an afternoon.
Tabletop fairy garden
A tiny garden in a shallow bowl with moss, little plants, a path and a miniature house, built together at the table.
Backyard nature journal
A homemade sketchbook for pressing leaves, drawing birds and writing down what you and the grandkids spot outside.
Tissue paper stained glass
Colored tissue squares pressed onto clear contact paper to make glowing window suncatchers with no glue at all.
Garden stepping stones
Concrete stepping stones pressed with handprints, pebbles and initials to mark the garden spot you share with the grandkids.
Painted terracotta herb pots
Small clay pots painted in your own colors and planted with basil, mint or parsley for a kitchen windowsill.
No-sew sock bunny
A soft, plump bunny made from one fuzzy sock and a cup of rice, with no needle and thread anywhere.
Paper diamond kite
A simple diamond kite made from paper, 2 sticks and string that really flies on a breezy spring day.