30 Easy Back to School Crafts for Preschoolers

This pencil name activity helps preschoolers practice name recognition in a hands-on way. Each editable pencil can be customized with a child’s name, then cut into pieces so kids can build their name one letter at a time. It is especially helpful for preschool, pre-K, and kindergarten classrooms because they can use the pencil tip as a guide or try building the name independently for an extra challenge.

This is an easy and inexpensive back to school activity made with a paper plate, paint, sponge strips, and construction paper. Instead of using regular paintbrushes, kids dab red or green paint onto the plate with sponge “paintbrushes,” then add a brown stem and green leaf. Preschoolers will have fun with the bouncy painting technique.

These free back-to-school coloring pages are an easy, no-prep activity. The collection includes school-themed designs with supplies, buses, backpacks, classrooms, books, chalkboards, apples, crayons, and more, with options for different ages (including preschoolers).

This is a fun way for preschoolers to practice shapes while making a classic back-to-school project. Kids trace rectangles and triangles onto construction paper, cut out the pieces, and glue them together to create a pencil with an eraser, metal band, wood tip, and lead. It is a great first-week craft for developing fine motor skills, following directions, and creating a cute bulletin board display.

This project allows kids to decorate with crayons, markers, paint, and printable school-themed artwork. Children color or paint the plate, cut out the center to make a wreath shape, then color, cut, and glue the printable pieces around it. It is a cute option for the first day of school or helping toddlers and preschoolers get excited about the new school year.

This paper plate lacing craft is an interactive fine motor activity for toddlers and preschoolers. Kids cut and paint a paper plate apple, add holes, and make a cute yarn-connected worm that can weave in and out of the apple. It is a thrifty, classroom-friendly craft. Preschoolers will love playing with the little worm after the craft is finished.

This is a colorful back to school handprint keepsake made with cardstock, markers, scissors, and glue. Kids trace and cut out their handprint, color each finger to look like a different crayon, then glue it behind a yellow or gold paper crayon box. It is an easy, budget-friendly craft that lets preschoolers practice coloring, cutting, and gluing while making something personalized for the new school year.

This apple stamping craft is a fun fall art project that uses real apple halves as stamps. Kids paint the cut apples with red and green paint, stamp them onto white construction paper, and add a woven brown paper basket underneath. It is a simple, inexpensive activity for preschoolers.

This name craft helps preschoolers practice spelling and recognizing their names. Kids use colored cardstock or construction paper, glue, scissors, markers, and a printable template to make a smiling crayon box with colorful crayons tucked inside. Each crayon can hold one letter of the child’s name, making it a fun fine motor craft and a cute classroom display for the first week of school.

This is a fun project for toddlers and preschoolers. Kids trace around their hand and arm to create the tree shape, then use a cut apple, either dipped in paint or brushed with paint, to stamp apples onto the tree.

These stained-glass apple window decorations are a mess-free craft made with clear contact paper, construction paper, and tissue paper squares. Kids fill the inside of an apple frame with red, yellow, and green tissue paper, then seal it with another sheet of contact paper and trim the edges. It is a wonderful preschool classroom craft because it strengthens fine motor skills, requires no glue, and looks so pretty hanging in a window.

These toilet paper roll crayons are a colorful, recycled craft that is perfect for back to school. Kids cover a cardboard tube with cardstock, add a crayon label, make a paper cone tip, and finish it with googly eyes and a marker smile. The free printable template makes it easier to put together, and kids can choose their favorite color or make a whole rainbow set for back-to-school classroom or home decorations.

This is a fun back-to-school activity that mixes painting, cutting, shape matching, and gluing. Kids paint half of a paper plate yellow, cut out the printable school bus shapes, then match and glue the wheels and windows onto the bus. It is a great preschool craft because it uses simple supplies and helps young kids practice shapes while getting excited about the school year.

This is an easy fall craft for kids made with small popsicle sticks, paint, wood glue, and foam sheets. Kids glue four popsicle sticks together, add foam apple pieces to the top and bottom, then finish it with a stem, leaf, and little black seeds. It is a budget-friendly craft for preschoolers and toddlers, with some adult help for the cutting, and it works well for apple themes, fall lessons, or “A is for apple” activities.

This craft can double as a handmade teacher gift. Kids draw, paint, or print a tree trunk template, then glue green and apple-shaped buttons above it to create a full apple tree. It is especially nice for preschoolers because arranging and gluing the buttons helps strengthen fine motor skills, and the finished art can be framed, hung up, or gifted.

This printable craft lets kids practice “packing” a backpack before the real first day of school. The craft uses a backpack template, cardstock, scissors, glue, and a black marker, along with printable school supplies for kids to cut out and tuck into the backpack pocket. It is a cute back-to-school craft for preschoolers and kindergarteners because it combines coloring, cutting, and gluing in one simple activity.

This is a cute fall-inspired project with a cute little worm that slides through the apple. Kids cut a paper plate into an apple shape, paint it red, add a cardstock stem and leaf, then decorate a green paper plate worm with googly eyes and a marker smile. The movable worm makes this extra fun for preschoolers, turning a simple painting craft into something they can play with afterward.

This is an easy printable activity that works well at home or in the classroom to start the school year. Kids write their name on the pencil, color the pencil pieces, cut them out, and glue the eraser, metal band, and pencil tip onto the base. It is a sweet way to practice coloring, scissor skills, name writing, and following directions, and the finished pencils can be used on desks, in cubbies, on classroom doors, or for wall displays.

These dot marker pages are a super simple activity for the first day of school or easing little ones into the classroom routine. The set includes six black-and-white pages with school-themed designs, including a marker and notebook, glue and crayon, a journal, a book, an apple, and a backpack. Preschoolers can fill the dots with dot markers or dot stickers, making this a low-mess fine-motor activity that is easy to print and set up.

This is a fun paper plate project that looks like a little hand is holding a juicy apple. Kids cut an apple shape and “bite” marks from a paper plate, paint the apple pieces, then add a paper stem, leaf, and handprint cutout.

This is made with yellow paint, four popsicle sticks, a paintbrush, a black marker, and pink and tan paper. Kids cut the paper into a pencil and eraser shape, glue the popsicle sticks onto the paper, paint them yellow, then add the black pencil tip and pink eraser. It is a budget-friendly craft that gives preschoolers a chance to paint, glue, and cut.

This puffy paint craft is a fun sensory art project for the start of the school year. Kids draw a bus on paper, mix shaving cream, glue, and yellow or black paint, then paint inside the bus shape and add wheels and windows. The puffy texture makes this extra exciting for preschoolers, and the simple supply list keeps it easy and inexpensive for a classroom or at-home back-to-school activity.

This pencil craft is a cute back to school project made with cardboard strips, yellow yarn, construction paper, glue, tape, scissors, and number stickers. Kids cut the cardboard into a pencil shape, add pink paper for the eraser and black paper for the pencil tip, then wrap the cardboard with yellow yarn until it looks like a pencil. It is a great fine motor activity for preschoolers.

This is a fun way to build excitement before the first day of school. Kids use a printable school bus template, construction paper, scissors, and a glue stick to make a yellow school bus, then attach a paper chain with one loop for each day until school starts. The original craft is designed for elementary-aged kids, but preschoolers could enjoy helping with the gluing and paper chain pieces with adult help for cutting and tracing.