Babies are naturally inquisitive. As they develop, they constantly crave more and more things to try out and explore. 

Satisfy your baby’s curiosity and need for stimulation by letting him or her engage in some of these baby craft ideas. 

Tugging Box

Courtesy of Learning Jungle

This interactive craft project is very effective at keeping babies physically and mentally stimulated. Plus, it’s also inexpensive and very easy to make.

What you’ll need:

• 1 Cardboard box
• 3 Ribbons (different designs or colors)
• Cutter or scissors

How to make:

1. Using cutters or scissors, punch 3  holes on one side of the cardboard box and then another 3 on the opposite side of the box.
2. Cut the 3 ribbons in different lengths but make sure the length of each ribbon is much longer than the width of the box. 
3. From the inside of the box, insert one end of the ribbon out through one of the 3 holes on one side of the box. Then, make a knot so that the ribbon won’t end up going in the box again when pulled from the other end. 
4. Insert the other end of the ribbon through one of the holes on the opposite end of the box, then make a knot here as well. 
5. Do the same thing for the other 2 ribbons.

When presented with the tugging box, your baby’s natural instinct is to pull on the knots of the ribbon to draw it closer. Allow him/her to yank the ribbons until they won’t budge anymore. Then, let your baby realize that he/she can do the same thing from the other side of the box as well. 

Watch him/her pull the ribbons and turn the box around over and over again. This craft idea is sure to keep your baby busy while helping develop fine motor skills in the fingers. 

Footprints Painting

This craft idea can get a bit messy, but if you’re totally fine with cleaning up after, then this footprints craft activity can be really fun and enjoyable for you and your baby.

What you’ll need:

• Old newspaper (to catch all those dripping paints)
• Paint (or paints if you want more than 1 color)
• Paper (for painting)

How to make:

1. Lay out some old newspaper on the floor where you plan to paint. 
2. Carefully stick the paper (for painting) at the center of the newspaper-covered area. 
3. Pour some paint on the paper at different spots to create globs of paint.
4. Gently hold your baby upright and let their feet dangle above the paint globs until the soles touch the paint. 
5. Since your baby can’t walk yet, you will be the one to hold him/her so he/she can “walk” all over the paper and leave colorful footprints on it. 

This craft idea will not only give you colorful memorabilia of your earliest times together, but it will also be a good sensory activity and physical exercise for your baby.

Thumbprint Keychain

Courtesy of Rhythms of Play

Another fun and rewarding craft idea to try out with your baby is a thumbprint keychain. It’s another sensory and artistic activity that will leave behind a small memento that you can carry around with you wherever you go. 

What you’ll need:

• Clay
• Keychain

How to make:

1. Take a piece of freshly unpacked clay and give it to your baby to play with. At this point, it is very important to pay attention to the baby while he/she is playing with the clay because babies tend to taste and ingest almost everything they can put their hands on. Keep a close eye on your little one so he/she doesn’t accidentally eat the clay. 
2. Let them squeeze the clay, or if your baby is having difficulty with squeezing, then press their hands gently onto the clay to get an imprint on the clay.
3. Set this clay aside and let it harden. When it dries up and gets hard enough, you can then mount it on a keychain to carry it around with you everywhere. 

Your baby’s hands will never be small again. This should serve as an excellent reminder of how cute your baby’s hands were and hopefully bring back memories of how much he/she enjoyed doing this activity with you. 

Pop-up Puppet

Courtesy of YouTube

How about a little peek-a-boo toy to entertain the little one? This is exactly what the pop-up puppet is.

What you’ll need:

• Paper cup
• Straw
• Finger puppet

How to make:

1. Punch a hole in the bottom of the cup.
2. Insert the straw through the hole.
3. Stick or glue the finger puppet onto the tip of the straw.

Pull the straw down to hide the puppet in the cup. Then, when you want to surprise or catch the attention of your little one, just push the straw up from below. Your little puppet should be able to give your baby a bit of a surprise. 

Frequently Asked Questions on Baby Room Ideas

What are the craft and art activities for babies over 6 months?

For babies that are 6 months old or above, you can give them craft activities or projects that require little structure. Since they won’t be able to follow complicated instructions yet or display enough dexterity, the best craft activities to do with them usually just involve handprints or footprints.

What arts and crafts can a 1-year-old do?

With greater dexterity, comprehension, and a better understanding of rules, 1-year-olds are capable of more intricate craft and art activities such as:

• Stringing of beads
• Chalk art 
• Edible dough and paint designs 

When can babies start doing arts and crafts?

You can let your babies do arts and crafts as early as 6 months old. At this age, their eyesight should be fully developed, and their hands should already be able to grip objects firmly. However, bear in mind that at this age, they also love putting things in their mouth so make sure that you watch your baby closely during these activities. 

What can infants do for art?

You can have your babies do art with you but don’t expect much participation from them. The most you’ll probably get from your babies are footprints and handprints. 

How can I make my baby more creative?

You can encourage creativity in your baby by allowing your baby to experience as many things as possible. Build their confidence every time your baby tries something new so he/she won’t be afraid to do things or think differently. 

What activities are good for newborns?

It is not ideal to do crafts or arts with newborns because of the following reasons:

• Newborns have underdeveloped eyesight.
• They have poor grip or control of their hands.
• It can cause unnecessary exposure to possible allergens.

If you insist on doing activities with your newborn baby, limit them to listening activities instead. They’re safer, easier for the baby, and promote bonding as the baby becomes more and more familiar with your voice.