PAPER BAG CRAFTS FOR KIDS: Ideas for Arts & Crafts Projects & Activities with brown paper bags for children, teens, and preschoolers

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Below you will find paper bag crafts & brown paper bag crafts ideas for children to craft with grocery bags & recycled gift bags. Find out how to recycle and make cool stuff with paper bags & brown paper bags with the following arts and crafts decorations, instructions, patterns, and activities for children

How to Make Kites with Brown Paper Bags

These are the easiest types of kites to make. This is a great way to get younger kids, such as toddlers, preschoolers, Kindergarteners, and other younger kids to build their own kites. Decorate a grocery store brown paper bag...you can do this with crayons, stickers, paint, markers, etc. Then just fold down the top of the brown bag twice to make an inch wide band along the bottom of the bag. Now you can just attach a string through this bottom band. Now you can just run around outside while holding the string and the wind will catch the bag and it will start flying sky high...Have fun.

Making Bunny Rabbit Bags

 

To make this bunny bag, you will need a large paper bag, scissors, paste, cotton, stapler, and crayons, markers, or paint. Firstly, cut center section from top part of folded paper bag, about halfway down bag (see sketch above).Draw a circle for eyes (or like I did 3 circles), triangle for nose, a sideways number 3 for mouth, and lines for whiskers to represent rabbit's face. Faces, may be drawn and photocopied or printed for the younger children.You may glue a piece of cotton on the back part of the bag for a tail. Overlap ears at top of bag and staple or glue together. Color pink ovals in the ears. Children may keep craft materials or treats or other items in this bag.

Brown Paper Bags Costume Masks

A really simple way to make a mask ... especially if you are just playing around the house is to use a brown paper grocery bag. Draw the face on the bag, and then cut out the eyes and mouth with a scissor. You can make it fancy, if you want, by using yarn for the hair, mustache, beard, etc. You can paint it or just color it in with markers. Don't wear These Near Streets because Always be safe by roads.

Make a Prince or Princess Crown with a Paper Bag

Take a brown grocery bag that you got from the store. You will want to smooth it out before working on it...and make sure that it is dry. Take a pencil and draw zig zags half way up the grocery bag. Then half way down in between the zig zags and the bottom of the bag....draw a line and then cut it off.

Paper Bag Totem Pole Craft

This is fun to do, easy to put together, and the finished product will add a decorative touch to your room. You will need an old broom or mop handle, five or six medium-sized paper bags, and crayons or paints. First of all, draw and color a mask on each paper bag. These faces should be of the kind found on totem poles carved by the Indians. Make them as weird and as colorful as possible, using decidedly bright colors. Do both sides of the paper bags. When you have done all the faces, cut a hole in the center of the bottom of each bag. Then stuff the bags with crumpled newspaper to fill it out, wrap a rubber band around the top, and when you have done this with each one, you are ready to put the totem pole together. Slide each stuffed bag on the pole you have ready, making sure that your faces are all in the same direction. Put on as many as you need to fill the pole, and your homemade totem pole is complete. This makes a good group project for Cub Scouting, when your monthly theme is Indian study.

Make Sailor Caps from White Paper Bakery Bags

To make this sailor hat, you will need 1 rubberband, 1 white bakery bag that is 6" wide when folded, scissors, and a pen or pencil. Fold open edge of bag back 2 1/2", then fold it again to make a brim 2 1/2" wide (sketch a). Cut off bottom of bag. Gather cut end together and pull down through folded brim (sketch b). Put a rubber band tightly around gathered end about 6" from last fold. Cut off excess paper below rubber band. Push gathered ends back through folded brim to form top of hat (sketch c). Now you can pretend like you are a Navy or Marine sailor.

Make a Mailman's Carrying Pouch to Play With

To play mailman, you will need a mailman's pouch for carrying letters. The pouch can easily be made. (1) First, poke a hole on either side of a grocery bag. Take a rather long piece of string and tie one of the ends in each hole. You can loop this string over your head so that the bag hangs at your side. You are now ready to deliver the mail! (2) Mother or Dad can probably give you some old letters. As a mailman, you will deliver these letters. You can walk about the room or yard. Pretend that a chair is Mrs. Miller's house and that the garage door is Mr. Carter's house. You can leave letters at many houses. Some houses will get only one letter while others will get two or three. (3) Now, you can go back and pick up all the letters. You can play that they are letters that people want picked up by the mailman.

How to Make a Brown Paper Bag Royal Crown

To make this paper bag crown, you will need the following: 1 paper bag large enough to fit around child's head, scissors, paint, markers, or crayons, and optionally other decorative items. To make this, cut off closed end of bag, leaving a 6" band. Fold band in half three times and cut points as illustrated. You can color the crown with crayons, markers, or paint. You could also use stickers, etc.

More Crafts Below

Paper Bag Clowns Craft - Learn how to turn a paper bag into a clown doll.

Paper Bag Volleyball Game - Learn how to play this game with 2 chairs, a rope and a brown paper bag ball.

How to Make a Brown Bag Scarecrow Decoration - Here I will show you how to make a brown bag Scarecrow decoration perfect to display this Halloween season…. and why not even the entire fall season!!

How to Make a Frankenstein Paper Bag Flashlight Cover - Learn how to make this very easy Frankenstein, flashlight cover with a simple paper bag.

Making Skull Flashlight Covers - Learn how to make this very easy skull, flashlight cover with a simple paper bag.

Making Scarecrow Flashlight Covers - You can make this awesome flashlight cover that looks like a scarecrow with just a simple paper bag.

Make a Jack-o-Lantern Paper Bag Flashlight Cover - You can make this awesome flashlight cover that looks like a Pumpkin Jack-O-Lantern with just a simple paper bag.

How to Make a Scary Ghost Paper Bag Flashlight Cover - You can make this awesome flashlight cover that looks like a Goo Ghost with just a simple paper bag.

Paper Bag Hand Puppets - These paper bags are dressed up real nice to look just like a princess....how will you decorate your paper bag...will it be a cowboy or a bear....make anything that you want to.

Paper Bag Animals for Preschoolers - This is a perfect crafts project for younger children and preschoolers. These are easy to make and even easier to play with. Have fun.

Angelic Puppet - Transform your paper bag into an angel which soars above in the heavens!

Bark Paintings : Ideas for Cinco de Mayo for Kids - - Celebrate Cinco de Mayo by making a version of a Mexican papel amate (bark paper) painting. The "canvas" used in this folk art is made by boiling bark and pounding it flat; for our no-sweat substitute, we used a section of a brown paper bag.

Brown Paper Bag Album - Valentine Themed Activities - This unique scrapbook is created out of brown paper lunch bag sand enclosed as a book cover. What a creative way to say, "I love you!"

Brown Paper Bag Card - Make a beautiful card from a brown paper bag and some ribbon.

Brown Paper Christmas Stocking - Make a great Christmas stocking from a brown paper grocery bag. You can hang it from your mantle and stuff it with Christmas goodies.

Brown Bag Kites - You can create a paper bag kite using recycled materials.

Christmas Tote Bag - Find out how to make a Christmas tote bag using a paper bag

Christmas Tree gift Bag - Want a special way to deliver a holiday present? Here's a cute Christmas Treegift bag that will make anyone jolly.

Cow Puppet - Instructions for making a cow puppet using a paper lunch bag.

Easy Brown Paper Rheindeer - This is a fun Christmas project for kids, very easy to do, and a good way to recycle those old brown paper bags.

Giant Paper Bag Christmas Tree - how your environmental support when you and your kids recycle paper to create this fabulous Giant Paper Christmas Tree.

Grocery Bag Costume and Mask - Here is a great craft idea for your childrens Halloween party. Have them make their own costume and mask. Sure to be a hit.

Gravestone Treat Bags - Homemade Halloween goodie bags! Kids will gladly help you make these easy gravestone stone shaped treat bags to share with friends at school, deliver sweet treats to a scout meeting, or include a batch when decorating your Halloween party table.

Golden Trophy Goody Bags - We filled these fun bags with bike-related loot, such as mini reflectors and a small water bottle.

Got You Covered Bookcovers : Have Your Kid Make Cool Book Covers for Her Schoolbooks - Invite your kid to express her individuality with these easy homemade book covers fashioned from paper bags or wrapping paper. Your kid stands out in a crowd; her textbooks should too! This is a great arts and crafts projects for girls, boys, kids, and teens. Your kids will love the activity itself as well as the results.

Grocery Bag Gingerbread Folk - Last Christmas, FamilyFun reader Jacquie Fisher of Olathe, Kansas, and her daughter found a sweet way to recycle brown paper bags: they made a decorative garland depicting their extended family.

Hoppy Bunny Bags - These Bunny Bags will bring smiles to little faces at Easter.

Halloween Pumpkin Patch - This Halloween pumpkin patch is in the bag for kids! It's a quick, easy craft for holiday fun.

Haunted House Treat Bag - Take home treats from your class party in a haunted house bag you make from a paper bag.

Halloween gift Bags - Fill them with treats to hand out at your class party. Economical and easy to make.

Halloween Paper Bag Mask - Put your mask on and let your friends try to guess who or what you are.

Halloween Loot Bags - Turn ordinary lunch bags into terrific favor bags for your Halloween party or give them out to trick-or-treaters.

Haunted House Treat Bag - Take home treats from your class party in a haunted house bag you make from a paper bag.

If I were a Kangaroo... - This is a paper bag puppet craft. It has been made especially for the song (it has a banner with "You know I'd hop right up to you.").

Jumbo Treasure Sack - Instructions to make a large sack for carrying special treasures.

Kids Whale Craft Ideas - This kids whale craft was created for two reasons. The first being that our daughter got frustrated with the paper bag whale craft that we tried with her initially and the second being that she laughs hysterically everytime I decide to craft something out of a sock! The sock actually is the perfect material to make a whale out of because it's easy to form and work with and it gives you a ready-made tail so you don't have to worry about getting it to stay on. This whale craft is a fantastic preschool craft and is good even for older children who could most likely go through the whole craft with minimal help. We love the way this ocean animal craft turned out and we hope you will too!

How to Make a Duct Tape Book Cover - In school, do you have to cover your books with boring brown paper bags, or spend money on fabric ones that rip all the time? You can create a duct tape cover for your own textbooks, or any other books, in your own unique style! Here's how...

Make your own Kitty Condo - You and you cat will have hours of fun in this home built just for him!

US Postal Service Mail Bag - Instructions to make a Mail Bag Craft using a paper bag

Make Your Own Gift Bag - This is a simple way to have the right size gift bag for a gift. Keep a collection of different sized boxes on hand.

Native American Headband - Make a Native American headband using a paper bag.

Net Bags - These little bags can be co-ordinated to suit almost any colour scheme and dressed up or down depending on how you and the children are feeling!

Nifty rabbits - Hippity hop! These nifty rabbits jump right into the hearts of everyone they meet! Best of all, they’re easy enough for very young children to make.

Native American Doll Costume - Turn ordinary lunch bags into an extraordinary Native American outfit for your 18" doll.

Old Bags, New Look - The Burtons of Granger, Indiana, save sturdy store bags throughout the year. As the holidays approach, the family personalizes the bags (and covers any store names or logos) by gluing on old holiday cards.

Outerspace Costume Craft with Paper Bags- Make a fun outer space costume using paper bags and straws

Paper Bag Book Cover Craft for Children- Once you have finished assembling your paper bag book cover you should take a few minutes to personalize it!

Paper-Bag Turkeys - Round up a flock of these paper-bag gobblers, and young holiday guests can take home more than leftovers.

Paper Bag & Magazine Dolls - This couture-inspired project lets kids give a paper bag and old magazines a model makeover.

Paper Bag Book Cover Instructions for Children - Find out how to make a book cover using a brown paper bag. This is great for covering school text books, notebooks, or any other books you have.

Paper Bag Octopus Activities - Make a fun octopus from a paper bag.

Paper Bag Octopus Making Instructions - The best part of this cute paper bag octopus craft is watching it all come together. It starts out so simply, by just filling a small paper bag with some newspaper. Then with a little string and some cutting you have an adorable ocean animal craft! This is a fantastic preschool craft as it uses simple materials and steps. Enjoy!

Paper Bag Pumpkin Directions - These cute paper bag pumpkins are perfect for table decorations or, if filled with candy, a great party treat bag. They are easy to make with simple supplies.

Paper Bag Turkey for Fall & Autumn Projects - - Tis the season to gobble, gobble and have fun with this adorable Paper Bag Turkey. It's easy and fun.

Paper Bag Whale Craft Making Ideas - This paper bag whale craft is our second attempt at a paper bag craft. This ocean craft does take a little bit of effort to get the pieces put together so it may not be the ideal craft for a very young child or for one that gets frustrated easily (we have a great sock whale craft if you need an alternative).

Pikachu Piñata - No Pokemon party would be complete without a Pikachu Piñata.

Paper Bag Puppets - Very simple puppets made from small paper lunch bags. You can make a raccoon, dog, cat, rabbit, bunny, mouse, pig, panda, or frog.

Pilgrim Hat - It's the season for Thanksgiving pagents and plays. Here's the perfect answer for your pilgrim fathers. 

Paper Bag or Fabric Poncho for Cinco de Mayo Projects - - For Cinco de Mayo on May 5th (or any day of the year), have yourself a special day complete with Mexican food and Mexican clothes like brightly colored ponchos. Cinco de Mayo is a Mexican national holiday. It marks the victory of the Mexican Army over the French at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.

Paper Bag Whale Activity - This paper bag whale craft is our second attempt at a paper bag craft. This ocean craft does take a little bit of effort to get the pieces put together so it may not be the ideal craft for a very young child or for one that gets frustrated easily (we have a great sock whale craft if you need an alternative).

Paper Bag Octopus Making Directions - The best part of this cute paper bag octopus craft is watching it all come together. It starts out so simply, by just filling a small paper bag with some newspaper. Then with a little string and some cutting you have an adorable ocean animal craft! This is a fantastic preschool craft as it uses simple materials and steps. Enjoy!

Paper Bag Hats - Here's one of our favorite ways to turn around a dull day: make silly hats for no reason at all. Our design, made out of paper bags and basic art supplies, allows plenty of room for kids' creative touches.

Paper Bag Gargoyles - Create your own gang of simple but undeniably spooky lunch bag faces to set along your window ledge and welcome -- or ward off! -- your trick-or-treaters.

Paperbag Scarecrow - A fun thing to make!

Paper Bag Trees - These gnarled, freestanding trees create a fitting backdrop for Halloween decorations, such as Salt Dough Ghosts - or other tabletop ornaments. You can even turn the trees into goody bags by filling them with candy (in lieu of the pebble weights).

Paper Bag Trees - Grab a brown paper lunch bag and some Autumn colored tissue paper to make this easy and fun tree that appears to be blowing in the wind. A fun craft to make with your children this Fall season.

Paper Bag Pumpkin - These cute paper bag pumpkins are perfect for table decorations -  or, if filled with candy, a great party treat bag - . They are easy to make with simple supplies.

Paper Bag Bald Eagle Making Directions - The bald eagle is a great craft to make for a forest or American theme (it is the national bird of the USA).

Paper Bag Bat to Make - This is a fun craft to make around Halloween or when doing a "mammals" thematic unit.

Paper Bag Bear Puppet to Make - This is a fun craft to make!

Paper Bag Bunny Projects - This is a fun and cute craft to make!

Paper Bag Cat Projects - You can make a grey cat like the one in the picture or use different colors for an orange, brown, tan or black cat.

Paper Bag Puppet Clown Projects - Sometimes when I go to put together a new craft my brain goes into overdrive and I can think of a million different combinations for doing it.  This was one of those times.  I've tried to give just a few of the alternatives I thought of.

Paper Bag Cow to Make with Easy Directions - You can make a brown cow like the one in the picture or use different colors for an dairy, white, tan or black cow. 

Paper Bag Dog to Make - You can make a Dalmatian type dog like the one in the picture or use different colors for a grey, brown, tan or black dog.  Or even a red (Clifford type) or blue (Blue's Clues type) version.

Paper Bag Donkey Activity- t You can either make a grey donkey or a brown donkey.

Paper Bag Dove Activity - The dove is a great symbol for many bible stories and for a peace theme. You can turn the dove craft into nearly any bird simply by coloring in the template.  Try making a bluebird or a robin!

Paper Bag Elephant Puppet - This is a fun and easy cut and paste paper craft that uses a paper bag as a base to make a puppet.

Paper Bag Frog Puppet - We had loads of fun playing with this frog puppet.  I must admit that I hogged him quite a bit.  You'd be amazed at how much better children listen when the frog tells them to clean up a mess than when mommy asks them to.

Paper Bag Giraffe Activities for Preschoolers - Cool bag craft to make!

Paper Bag Hippopotamus Puppet - This is a fun and easy cut and paste paper craft that uses a paper bag as a base to make a puppet.

Paper Bag Lion Puppet - This is a fun and easy cut and paste paper craft that uses a paper bag as a base to make a puppet.  You can omit template 3 (the mane) for a female lion.

Paper Bag Owl Craft Activities for Toddlers - The owl is found in many stories and songs and is also great for a Halloween or forests theme.

Paper Bag Pig Puppet - They call me MISTER Pig! This is a fun and easy cut and paste paper craft that uses a paper bag as a base to make a puppet.

Paper Bag Crow or Raven Craft - The raven is a great symbol for many bible stories.  The crow is great for an Autumn theme.

Paper Bag Monster Pinata Ideas - - A simple-to-make pinata made from a paper bag and tissue paper. Pinatas are great at children's parties.

Paper Bag Princess Puppet - This is a fun cut and paste craft for making a princess paper bag puppet.

Paper Bag Tiger Guide - This is a fun bag craft to make!

Paper Bag Wolf Puppet - This is a very interesting craft to make!

Paper Bag Zebra Craft - A cool zebra craft made from paper bag.

Paper Bag Mouse Puppet - Paper bag Mouse is a cool thing to make!

Paper Bag or Fabric Poncho - For Cinco de Mayo on May 5th (or any day of the year), have yourself a special day complete with Mexican food and Mexican clothes like brightly colored ponchos. Cinco de Mayo is a Mexican national holiday.

Paper Bag Monster Pinata Guide - A simple-to-make pinata made from a paper bag and tissue paper. Pinatas are great at children's parties.

Paper Bag Bunny - What color will your bunny be? You can use brown lunch bags or colored party bags to make a bunny to hold treats or decorate your tables. 

Paper Bag Valentine Card Holder - This is one of my favorite crafts. Cards slide inside pockets created by using bags to make the booklet. Take a look at how clever it is. 

Paper Bag Animals - Just a few pennies worth of supplies and you can make a whole litter of puppies or kittens.

Paper Bag Elephant Puppet - This is a fun and easy cut and paste paper craft that uses a paper bag as a base to make a puppet.

Paper Bag Gingerbread House - Use it to wrap up a small present or fill with Christmas cookies for your friends and family to bring home.

Printable Gingerbread Treat Bag - Take home treats or stuff it with newspaper for a lasting decoration.

Paper Apron Project with Brown Paper Bags - Make yourself a paper apron just like the kind real chefs wear.

Paper Bag Picnic Basket - This craft can be done with children as young as 2 years old. Adult assistance will be needed for young children when using a scissor.

Paper Bag Pig Puppet - They call me Mister Pig! This is a fun and easy cut and paste paper craft that uses a paper bag as a base to make a puppet.

Paper Bag Pirate Felt Puppet Craft - Arrgggh, swab the deck matey, and hoist the anchor! It’s time to make some cute paper bag pirates and create your very own puppet show. Make this ornery little sailor for Halloween, and create a few more seamen (or even a parrot) to round out the crew!

Pull String Pinata : Mexican Projects - - Make a paper bag pinata for your next fiesta party. It's easy and of course lots of fun to play at your party. This version uses a "pull string" to get the candy and treats from the bag so nobody gets whacked with a stick trying to break open the pinata.

Recycled Grocery Bag Vest - Who doesn't enjoy dressing up and acting out their favorite role. Decorate this easy to make vest for a western sheriff, or frilly girly fun or maybe even a knight and let the games begin!

Reindeer Paper Bag Puppet - Fun paper bag puppets kids will love.

Reindeer gift Bag - This friendly bag is the perfect way to send someone a specialgift.

Stuffed Paper Bag Whale - This is a classic craft that we've likely all made when we were young.  It continues to be loads of fun for the kids!

Spooky Garbage Bag Cats - Make your own spooky cat from garbage bag.

Snowman gift Bag - Warm your spirits and enjoy thegift of giving with this perfect Snowmangift Bag.

Scarecrow Treat Bag - If you'll be handing out goodies this season -- at your child's school party or to visitors on Halloween -- fun and festive treat bags like the one below will surely do the trick.with this easy-to-make -- and easy-to-wash -- lunch bag.

Simple Paper Bag Pinatas with Fun Activities for Birthdays - - This is a very simple version of a Pinata making it a suitable craft to do with large groups of children.

Snack Bag Chain Bracelet - A classic chain-folding technique lets you reuse and recycle with real style -- by turning a colorful bag into bangles.

Stuffed Baseball to Make - Find out how you can make a baseball, softball, or both using a paper bag and a few other basic supplies.

Super Simple Squirrel - Do you like woodland creatures? Are you captivated by squirrels, chipmunks, and the like. If you do you are sure to enjoy this simple animal craft project. You can make a super simple squirrel from a paper bag and a pinecone.

Santa Paper Bag Puppet - Instructions to make a Christmas Santa Claus puppet using a paper lunch bag.

Stuffed Gingerbread Man Guide - Instructions to make a stuffed gingerbread man decoration out of a paper bag and newspaper.

Stuffed Football- Instructions for making paper footballs out of paper bags. Great for decorations.

Tepee - You can make a wonderful model tepee using a brown paper grocery bag and twigs. This is a simple, inexpensive craft and one that looks quite good!

Thanksgiving Crafts: Paper Bag Turkey - Here’s a Thanksgiving craft you can make with items you likely have around the house already . . . the paper bag turkey.

Yucky Bag Heads - A cool craft to make.