Get creative with your kids using toilet rolls! Check out Regina’s 5 fun and easy toilet paper roll crafts that will keep your little ones entertained.

Empty toilet rolls bring a whole world of opportunity to their beholder. For a family feeling a little inventive, these cardboard wonders can become a new toy, game, piece of art, or even a jewellery stand if you’re feeling particularly adventurous.

Keeping hold of your used cardboard toilet roll reels for a rainy day brings the benefit of craft and creativity for your children, but it’s also a great way to get kids involved in sustainability from an early age.

If you’ve thought about the idea of toilet roll crafts for kids but got stuck on what to make, you’re in the right place. Let’s get crafty!

Gathering your materials and preparing your workspace

First things first, you’re going to need to set up a functional and organised workspace. Toilet roll craft ideas can get a little chaotic as the fun goes on, but setting up with the best intentions is definitely a recipe for success.

Give yourself enough space for you and your crafty co-workers to let your creativity flow, but also a close proximity so you can keep an eye on what your children are up to. Their talent of mess-creation knows no bounds and the supervision of an adult is going to be necessary throughout construction.

Once you’ve found a spot, here’s what you’ll need:

Scissors
Glue
Tape
Paint (or colouring pens)
And of course, your stack of used toilet or kitchen roll tubes!

Depending on what your toilet roll tube crafts become – you’re going to need varying materials for finishing touches, but these can be as simple as googly eyes, feathers, string, or paper fasteners to make things move.

And while we’re here, it’d be remiss of us not to remind you of our own toilet paper product range that’s soft, strong and sizeable so you can wipe the way you want before creating to your heart’s content!

Toilet paper roll animals

Step 1: Choose your animal.

Crafts with toilet paper rolls can go as whacky as you wish or kept traditional with recognizable, distinct animals. Traditional favourites of ours include the polar bear, penguin or fox.

Step 2: Colour or paint your toilet roll tube.

Choose the base colour of your animal. If it’s a polar bear, paint it white. If it’s a penguin, go black. If it’s a fox, choose orange.

Step 3: Create and attach features.

Cut out and stick on materials that help shape your creation. This might be the tummy of a penguin, its arms, or feet.

Step 4: Add facial features.

Combine your animal’s body with features that bring its character and facial appearance to life. Toilet paper roll crafts sometimes rely on added items like googly eyes. Or a folded triangular piece of card for a 3D beak. Trim the top of your tube to create the shape of your chosen animal’s head.

Step 5: Finishing Touches.

Add any finishing touches to your creation that might give it a bit of personality. Cut out items of clothing or accessories. Give it a hat, gold chain, bow tie or pair of trainers.

Step 6: Display, then play.

Wait for your creation to become fully dry and stuck, then display them on your mantel for the world to see – or get playing.

#2 Toilet paper roll puppets

Step 7: Turn your creation into a puppet.

Once you’ve created your toilet paper roll animal, you can turn it into more than a showpiece by making it into a puppet. Simply cut two small holes in the animal’s back, big enough for your index and middle fingers to fit through. Then let the drama of kids’ craft unfold!

#3 Toilet paper roll race cars

Step 1: Choose your car design.

This works best if everybody taking part in the race keeps their toilet roll tube intact. Rather than making the car bigger by adding elements, customising each roll only by decoration is the way to go.

Step 2: Make space for your driver.

The only tube alteration you’ll want to make is a seat that’s big enough for your driver. Pick your Lego figure or small toy, then cut a square-shaped hole or similar in the top side of your tube to fit them in.

Step 3: Colour or paint your toilet roll tube.

Choose the body colour of your car and wait for it to dry. Toilet roll craft involves quite a bit of waiting for things to dry, but you’ll get used to it.

Step 4: Cut your wheels.

Draw evenly matched circles on a piece of cardboard. Then cut them out. These will become your wheels, so you’ll need at least 4 for each car. Draw one additional smaller circle for each vehicle, this will become your steering wheel.

Step 5: Add details.

While you’re waiting for your car body to dry, colour in or paint your wheels and steering wheel. Glue the steering wheel on. Once your car body is dry, add some personalisation to its base colour. Think of things like a flash of contrasting colour, numbers, names, or symbols.

Step 6: Attach and race.

Grab some paper fasteners and punch a hole through each wheel. Punch another hole where you want it to sit on the car. Pull it through and fasten. Buckle your driver in, then head to the start line. It’s race time.

#4 Toilet paper roll fairy houses

Step 1: Choose your design. Colour or paint your toilet roll tube.

Choose the base colour of your fairy house. Crafts for kids usually get played with a little longer if they stand out, so we recommend using a vibrant tone.

Step 2: Create your doors and windows.

Cut around the shape of a door at the bottom of your toilet roll but leave enough card to act as a hinge at the entry point. Then draw several rectangles onto a piece of cardboard and cut them out, these will become your windows. To place where you choose.

Step 3: Roll your roof.

To create your roof, you’ll need to make a piece of card into a cone shape by rolling it gently a few times. Then secure its tip using tape or glue from the inside.

Step 4: Stick together.

Stick your windows and roof onto your toilet roll tube using glue and wait for it to dry.

Step 5: Masterpiece.

Apply any decorations you’d like. Artificial flowers, stickers or eco-friendly glitter – then admire your creation.

#5 Toilet paper roll binoculars

Step 1: Colour or paint your toilet roll tubes.

For some safari fun, you’re going to need two toilet roll tubes. And first things first… Yep, you guessed it. Paint or colour your toilet roll tubes, then leave them aside to dry.

Step 2: Add some detailing.

Once dry, it’s time to add some decoration to your specs. You could go camo or animal themed with stripes and spots.

Step 3: Stick together.

Using glue, stick both of your tubes together and press until stuck and dry.

Step 4: String up.

Grab some string and cut to your desired length. This piece of string will be attached to your binoculars to allow them to rest on your chest when you’re not using them.

Step 5: Take in the view.

Glue the ends of the string onto your binoculars or punch a hole through the ends to attach. You’re ready to safari. Who said craft with toilet rolls couldn’t be wild?

By entertaining through upcycling, you’re preventing waste and giving you and your children an opportunity to create new and exciting projects together while learning about sustainability.

You’ll never be short of things to make with toilet rolls. And when you buy from Regina, you’ll never be short of toilet rolls either. That sounds like a win-win to us!

Regina advice

5 Fun & Easy Toilet Roll Crafts for Kids

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