When you think about arts and crafts for kids, animal figurines are probably the last thing that comes to mind. However, engaging your child by building creative crafts with animal figurines will open up an entirely new world of crafting. The best part is that you and your little one get to let your imaginations run wild! From creating themed sensory bins to building realistic small-world habits, there is practically no limit to the amount of fun your kid can have.
1. Frozen World
You can choose several themes for your frozen world, including extinct animals or today’s arctic critters. Of course, extinct animals will probably engage your young one more! All you have to do is grab the following:
- Plastic tub
- Smaller plastic container
- Something to hold your container down (heavier food works great!)
- Freezer
- Figurines
Now, begin filling your plastic tub (but don’t fill it all the way! Half or even ¼ of the way will work). Place your second smaller container in the bin and weigh it down. Place the entire thing in the freezer until well frozen.
Next, remove the smaller container. Pour lukewarm water where the container was. Place your plastic tub near ground level and fill it with animals. For an extinct theme, choose figurines such as a Woolly Mammoth, Smilodon, and even an Allosaurus. You can explore the effects of climate change together, too!
2. Small World Habitats
The next option is an easy craft for kids! Plus, it’ll engage their senses as they look for real-world objects to fit into their small world habitat. For example, choose some sticks, rocks, and moss to make a realistic-looking habitat, and then pair it with animal figurines.
This particular arts and crafts for kids project will also work great with toy photography. Once you and your child have gathered real-world objects, you can set up a habitat with Australian Animal Toys TOOB®. Alternatively, go back in time with the Dino Toys TOOB®. You can also choose lots of rocks and sand to create another world with our Space TOOB® set!
3. Sorting Games
You can check your child’s knowledge of animals by having them conduct a sorting game. Similar to arts and crafts for kids, this idea is completely wide open. In other words, they can sort by size, color, type, or habitat.
As an example, let’s say you decide to have them sort their dinosaurs into herbivores and carnivores. This educational option is great fun, and it also enables them to show off their knowledge. To give you a few toy ideas, we present the following options:
Herbivores
Carnivores
4. Customize Their Creatures
Are you open to the idea of your child customizing their creatures? Great! Have them select a favorite toy or two that they’re open to customizing, too. Then have them add glitter, pipe cleaners, paint/markers, etc. For instance, have you ever seen a hammerhead shark covered in glitter and with their head painted a different color? Now you can!
One of the best things about having them do this is that the fun never has to end. You can even give them mystical creatures to customize. When was the last time you saw Bigfoot with purple fur? Or how about giving Cerberus hot pink fur? The sky is the limit!
5. Build Sensory Bins
Sensory bins have become extremely popular lately, especially because they give your child a chance to interact with things like sand, rice, or water. At the same time, they also contain toys! These bins encourage their language development, stimulate their senses, and provide stress relief.
A prime example is to take a container, fill it part way with water, and let them go wild with our Whale & Dolphin Toys TOOB®. Alternatively, fill the bin up with sand, and let them play with our sand drill and sand sifter. You could even use dried pasta to fill your bin, so you can turn it into a playground for Construction Vehicles TOOB®.
6. Animal Dioramas
It’s important to create an educational 3D environment by using materials like glue, acrylic paint, foam, and mixed media.
There are a number of different types of dioramas, too. Below, we’ll look at four different settings:
Fantasy/Storytelling
Create a scene inspired by fantasy, books, or movies. To pull this off, you can use figurines such as our Space Bulk Bag or the Mini Knights & Dragons TOOB®. Alternatively, bring their favorite movie scene to life with our Dinosaur Collection.
Military/Historical
Military toys become more educational when you display them as part of a diorama. We’ve got three different sets that kids are drawn to:
- Army Men Toys TOOB®
- Revolutionary War British Army Figurines TOOB®
- Revolutionary War Continental Army Toys TOOB®
Unlike the war toys you likely grew up with, these figurines have more realistic faces (no more completely green Army men!). If you introduce these toys to them thoughtfully, they’ll be more interested in learning than in pretending to be a soldier.
Miniature Scenes
Miniature scenes represent things including streetscapes or buildings in a mini form. For instance, if you and your child are working on learning iconic landmarks throughout America, use the USA Super TOOB® to bring them to life.
Natural History
Finally, consider building a diorama together that looks at natural history. This means putting together an animal habitat in a rainforest, tundra, or desert. A great option is to build an African Animals diorama. Use creatures such as:
Easy Crafts for Kids
Each of the above listed crafts for kids will engage their minds and their senses. By building them together, you’ll also create a challenging but doable project that will help your child learn and enhance their skills. Whether you create a frozen world or they customize their creatures, they’ll have a lot more fun spending the day using their imagination, rather than watching TV. In fact, we bet they’ll ask to create arts and crafts for kids on a regular basis!
