Lots of parents are homeschooling this year and are looking for fun activities for kids to do at home in between their school work. But also, many parents have sent their little ones off to school but would love to have activities for them to do when they return home.
If only you could do some awesome projects for your little ones to enjoy.
No worries...you can! I gathered a list of DIY projects that you can make for your kids and fun activities that kids love! You can use some of these free plans to easily build projects at an affordable price so you don’t break the bank. But still, feel proud of yourself for completing an awesome project for your little ones.
If you prefer not to build things, that is okay. There are several arts and crafts activities that your kids can make themselves with your help, so you can create memories and they can have fun.
Here are 10 DIY wood projects and fun activities for kids.
#1 DIY Sandbox Picnic Table Combo
This adorable multipurpose table is easy to build and doesn’t take long to make. It is a cute little picnic table and opens up to be a sandbox underneath. Your little ones will love being able to have a picnic outdoors and play in the sand.
I built this in a couple of hours, and it is beginner-friendly too. My daughters love it! You can check out how I built it here. It is easy to build, so you won’t feel overwhelmed. If you are ready to get started, you can get free plans to build it yourself right here.
You can also watch me make this DIY sandbox picnic table combo here!
#2 Easy-to-Make DIY Playmat
You and your child will love making this next fun project. The sky's the limit for your child’s creativity in this easy-to-make playmat. All you need is a drop cloth, glue gun, felt pads, and your imagination. The DIY Network shows you every step to make this playmat.
Make different playmats with different themes if you want. From dinosaur parks to cities, your child can make their own little world on this playmat.
#3 DIY Cornhole Boards
What child doesn’t love playing cornhole? Now you can make your personalized cornhole boards for your kiddos. Cornhole boards can be pricey, so making them helps you save money and gives you the freedom to personalize them.
You can paint them however you want and personalize the bean bags too. Kimberly from A Wonderful Thought made these cornhole boards that look great. And she teaches you how to make these DIY cornhole boards here.
#4 DIY Easy-to-Make Wood Growth Chart
Children grow up so fast! I am sure I don’t have to tell you that because you have probably spent plenty of money on new clothes, new shoes, and new everything that you need to buy when your child grows out of things.
One thing you don’t have to spend too much money on is a beautiful wooden growth chart. Kids are always wanting to grow up fast, and they love to see their progress. That is why kids love having growth charts so they can see how much they’ve grown.
I made this beautiful easy-to-make wood growth chart for my daughters, and they loved it. And the best part is that it costs way less money than if you bought this same exact growth chart from somewhere.
Learn how to make this adorable wood growth chart here. Or you can watch me make it, and see the joy on my daughters' faces in this video here!
#5 Easy DIY Wooden Baby Play Gym
Now, we can’t forget about the little little ones! What about a beautiful DIY wood project for a baby? You can make this stunning wooden baby play gym in no time. I made this for my friend, whose baby shower I hosted. She absolutely loved it.
You can learn how to make it here. It only takes about an hour or two to make it and will cost you under $10. What a great deal!
You can watch me make it here.
#6 Fun DIY Newspaper Fort
This is one of the easiest fun-at-home kids activities that your kids can do. Kids love to build forts, and this is one they can easily build with old newspapers. Stephanie from Modern Parents Messy Kids teaches you how to make this easy newspaper fort.
You can learn to make it here, and let your little ones enjoy building a newspaper castle, fort, or tent. Their imaginations can go wild with this easy DIY project for them.
#7 DIY Dollhouse IKEA Hack
If you’ve got at least one precious little girl in your life, this next DIY project is a must-do project to make any girl happy! Your little girl will absolutely love this DIY dollhouse IKEA hack. You can build it, and she can enjoy decorating each room.
Today shares Jennifer Kirk’s easy dollhouse IKEA bookshelf hack. It is a cute little dollhouse made from IKEA bookshelves that you can buy and re-design. You can learn to make it here, and make the little girls in your life ecstatic.
#8 Adorable DIY Dinosaur Planter
This next project is a fun activity that you and your child can create together that will bring a dinosaur-loving child’s dream to life.
You can create this adorable DIY dinosaur planter, and add a living plant in it for your little one to enjoy. It costs under $5 to make, and your child will love painting and decorating it however they choose. Asia, from Fun at Home with Kids, shows you how you can easily make this cute Jurassic project with your little ones.
Learn to make your own DIY dinosaur planter here.
#9 DIY Toy Storage Cardboard Train
For your little train lovers, is this a fun project that you can have your kids help you with. I made this for my daughter, Sasha, and it is just so cute. This project is very simple to do! Your child can enjoy decorating their own train that they can use to pull their stuffed animals around in.
I personalized Sasha’s with her name on it, and she loved it. Whether they play with their new train or park it as a toy storage train, this fun DIY project is definitely one kids love.
# 10 DIY Backyard Playground with Climbing Wall
I saved the best for last. This idea came to me after I randomly bought a slide from Facebook Marketplace, and it was a great buy! You can save hundreds of dollars by making your own backyard playground with a climbing wall instead of buying.
I put the slide I bought to use and created this playground for my girls. It is small enough to fit any sized backyard but loaded with lots of fun. You can see how I made it here and learn to make it yourself.
Get plans for this project right here.
Or you can watch me make it here!
10 Things to Bring Countless Smiles
These 10 DIY wood projects and fun activities for kids will bring countless smiles to your kids’ faces. I hope that you enjoyed learning how to make these fun projects.
I am constantly making new projects for my little girls and for my home.
If you are looking for more fun ideas for kids, you might like to see how I made Waldorf-inspired Wooden Building blocks
Also, we thought you might like TREE HOUSE FOR PRETEND PLAY
Follow me on Instagram @ifonlyapril. I try to post in stories my progress with all the projects.
I hope you enjoyed this blog with 10 DIY wood projects and fun activities for kids. Happy making! Are you planning to make any of these fun projects for or with your kids? Let me know which one your kids loved the best! ;D
xoxo, April
Hello, I love your outdoor play structure. I also bought a slide for very little at the Habitat store and I was hoping for a copy of the plans you made. When I click the link it will not send me the plans as it is not allowing new subscribers. Could you share the plans with me another way? I love the blog, thank you!
Hi Julie! Thank you for your feedback! Since I published this post, I started selling my plans. I fixed the link in the blog and it directs you to plans for purchase. Thank you for your support!