The tunnel is our Rube Goldberg favorite
Need some craft ideas that aren’t your usual? Raid the recycle bin, bust out any toilet paper rolls lying around, and get crafting! From Star Wars characters to bird feeders and even flying fish, the possibilities are endless when you’ve got a stash of toilet paper rolls on hand!
Animal Puzzles
If you had one of those flip puzzle books that allowed you to create animals with different tops, middles, and bottoms, then you’ll appreciate this adorable idea.
Cactus Toilet Paper Roll Craft
How adorable are these cacti?! These would be fun decorations for a kiddo’s room or party!
Sliced Toilet Paper Roll Design
Swipe through the images in this post to see the spray-painted final products of this toilet paper roll craft! This is one you could make as detailed or as simple as you’d like. You could also hand-paint it for some extra fun.
Toilet Paper Roll Snake
This adorable toilet paper roll craft will have kids creating their own snake out of multiple toilet paper rolls. After your kiddo is done and the paint is dry, it's playtime! Get the tutorial from The Clumsy Crafter.
Birthday Crowns
What a cute idea for a birthday party favor! Kids can make their own crowns and wear them throughout the whole event. Get the tutorial over at Creative Jewish Mom.
Bird Finder Binoculars
Whether you're on an outdoor adventure or peeking at birdies from your window, these adorable Bird Finder Binoculars from Art Bar are perfect for exploring. All you need are some empty toilet paper rolls, string, and colorful masking tape to make your own.
Related: 33 Easy & Fun Paper Crafts for Kids
Star Wars Characters
The gang's all here! This cast of Star Wars characters from Hello, Wonderful is perfect for your young Jedis. Great for an entire afternoon, these mini crafts use up that collection of TP rolls you've been collecting.
Flying Carp
Everyone's day can use a little more color, especially in the form of whimsical and cheery flying carp from Squirrelly Minds! With basic supplies like tissue paper and double-sided tape, your littles will be running around with a few flying fish in no time.
Collage Animal Marionettes
How adorable are these Collage Animal Marionettes from Art Bar?! Make your own with simple supplies, including bright beads and tissue paper.
Happy Birthday Sign
If you have a stack of old TP rolls lying around, why not turn them into a useful sign like this one? Color the tubes, do some specific cutting and you have a truly unique way to say "Happy birthday!" Get all the details over Super Make It.
Super Hero Cuffs
You don't need special powers to make these awesome wristlets with your little hero. After painting the tubes, let your kids decorate them with stars, flowers, lightning bolts, or anything that they think gives them special powers. Find out how to make the slits for little arms just right over at Reading Confetti.
Slinky Snake
Practice dexterity and scissor cutting by whipping up one of these googly-eyed reptiles. Start by painting a toilet paper roll and letting it dry. Next, have your little one use safety scissors to snip a spiral shape into the roll. Decorate the bouncy creature with stripes or dots and a pair of inquisitive eyes. The gals over at Eighteen 25 have the low-down on how to get this toilet paper roll craft just right.
Related: 27 Adorable Toddler Crafts You Can Pull Out Anytime
Shape Stamps
Mama Jen of Mama Papa Bubba wows again! This toilet paper roll craft is the ultimate win-win. While the bambino brushes up on shapes and colors, you get to upcycle all of those saved rolls. On a rainy day, use the shapes to make cards or just let your kiddo go stamp crazy on the poster board.
Confetti Poppers
Speaking of parties... turn your kid's next one into the shindig of the year with these confetti poppers crafted out of a tied balloon wrapped and taped over a toilet tissue roll. Pour confetti into the open end, gently pull the end of the balloon... and POP! Check out our tutorial here.
Bird Feeder
Keep an eye on your feathered friends by whipping up this easy feeder. All you have to do is spread the shortening onto a toilet paper roll and then roll the tube into bird seeds. The seeds will stick to the roll, and you can hang it up porch-side or stick it on a branch. Fireflies and Mud Pies has the details for this awesome toilet paper roll craft.
Cardboard Village
When you need to keep it simple, a mini village made from toilet paper rolls will do the trick. Pull out the markers, ribbon, paper, and whatever else the kids want to use, and get crafting!
