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5 Crafts for Kids Using Old Magazines

A holiday Christmas card collage craft saying "Merry Christmas" with tape, scissors, and graphics of magazines against a wooden table. This is one idea for crafts for kids using old magazines.
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Have old magazines or newspapers lying around? That’s a lot of paper you can collect! Build fun collage crafts with different pictures, words, and letters. There are endless possibilities!

First, get inspired with these crafts for kids using old magazines. Then, follow our easy instructions to make your magazine craft.

Ideas

Holiday Card

The holidays are a special time to give your loved ones a card. Instead of buying a greeting card, make your own. A handcrafted card is much more personal and special. Your family and friends will appreciate a card you’ve built!

To get holiday pictures, collect seasonal store catalogs and magazines. They should have the holiday pictures you need!

Birthday Card

Is someone’s birthday coming up? Build a birthday card just for them! Collect pictures of things that they like!

For example, one of my friends likes sea animals. So, I’ll cut out sea animal and ocean pictures.

This idea also works for any event that celebrates your special someone. Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and Grandparents’ Day are good examples. Or simply give a special card to anyone, anytime!

You can try finding the pictures you need in any magazine, newspaper, or advertisement. If not, get a specialty issue. For example, I can find more animal pictures in a science magazine.

Short Poem

Write a cool poem! First, flip through a magazine or newspaper. Find a picture of something fun. Then, cut out words (or letters to spell out words).

One time, I found a fun dolphin image. Then, I found words like “fast” and “swimmer” to cut out.

Collection of Favorite Things

Find and collect your favorite things! You can build a collection of a specific thing. For example, leaf through car magazines and ads for cool cars. Or you can gather everything you like into one collection!

Magazine Cover

Imagine that you run your own magazine! What’s the name of your magazine? What would it be about? What stories and fun stuff should be in your magazine? Once you have ideas, build a magazine cover. Gather pictures and big-sized words!

Instructions to Build Crafts for Kids Using Old Magazines

These instructions work for any of the above craft ideas. Please get a grown-up to help you.

You will need:

  • Old magazines, newspapers, catalogs
  • Old cardboard cereal/snack box
  • Scissors
  • Pencil
  • Tape
On a wooden table, there is tape, a pencil, a snack box, and scissors with a "YOU WILL NEED..." and "Magazines, newspapers, catalogs" text

Instructions:

Step 1

Cut out one side of the snack box. This is your cardboard backing.

A picture of red scissors, tape roll, pencil, and white cardboard on a wooden table. The text says, "STEP 1" and "Cut out the cardboard backing"

Step 2

In the magazine, find an image to use as your background. Use a pencil to trace around the cardboard onto the image. Cut out the image along the pencil lines. Tape the image over the printed side of your cardboard (do not cover the blank side).

A picture of a pencil and white cardboard against a holiday gingerbread image in a magazine. The text says, "STEP 2" and "Trace, cut, tape a background image"

Step 3

Cut out your images, words, and letters from the magazine. Arrange them onto your cardboard background. Feel free to put things above and below each other! Then, tape them onto the background.

A picture of scissors and cutouts of holiday items like a snowman and an ornament, and the cardboard backing with a gingerbread cookie background image against a wooden table. The text says, "STEP 3" and "Cut and tape images and text"

Step 4 (Optional)

On the blank side of the cardboard, you can write anything. If it’s a birthday card, write a special birthday message!

Finished Craft

Here is what the finished craft could look like. Yours is special, the only one in the world!

The completed collage that says "Merry Christmas" from cutout text. Also has assorted holiday cutout images like a Christmas tree brownie and a snowman. It's against a wooden table. The text says "FINISHED!" and "The only Christmas card of its kind!"

See what you can craft on Party Parrot World. Mix and match different items to create cool outfits!

Want to build more crafts? Check out our other indoor activities for kids.

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