The Fourth of July is just around the corner and while we know most years,…
Back to school season brings excitement and new beginnings for young children. For toddlers heading into preschool, simple crafts can ease the transition while sparking creativity. At Primary Beginnings, our early childhood programs in Raleigh focus on developmental activities that make the new school year fun and educational.
These back to school crafts for toddlers are ideal for home or in the classroom, helping little ones build skills through play. Whether you're a parent preparing for the first day back or a teacher planning ideas for the classroom, these activities promote fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and imagination, all while celebrating the theme of going back to school.
Table of Contents
Most-Loved Back to School Preschool Crafts
Prioritizing hands-on fun, here are 10 easy back to school crafts for preschoolers and toddlers. Each one is designed to be simple, engaging, and perfect for the first week of school.
1) Apple Stamping
The first back to school crafts for toddlers we're sharing is called apple stamping. Slice an apple in half and dip it into paint for a fun apple craft. Toddlers can stamp patterns on paper, exploring colors and shapes. This back to school art idea for preschool introduces a classic school symbol while boosting creativity.
What You’ll Need:
- An apple
- Paint
- Paper
- Optional: Googly eyes or stickers for decoration
2) Pasta Necklaces
The next back to school crafts for toddlers we're sharing is the making of pasta necklaces. String colorful pasta onto yarn for personalized necklaces. This craft activity lets toddlers practice patterns and colors within the preschool classroom, making it a great back to school craft for toddlers that doubles as a non-toy gift.
What You’ll Need:
- Uncooked pasta (penne or macaroni)
- Yarn
- Optional: Pom poms or beads
3) School Bus Collage
Fittingly, a beloved back to school crafts for toddlers is creating a school bus collage. Cut a school bus shape from cardboard and decorate with school supplies like colored paper, buttons, and glitter. This school bus craft encourages toddlers to create their own vibrant vehicle, ideal for back to school arts and crafts in a preschool setting.
What You’ll Need:
- Cardboard
- Construction paper
- Buttons, fabric, glue
- Glitter or pompoms
4) Crayon Melt Art
One of the most loved back to school crafts for toddlers is crayon melt art. Arrange crayons on canvas and melt them with a hairdryer (adult supervision required). Toddlers can choose colors and watch the transformation, learning basic science in this back to school art project for preschoolers that can be displayed on a bulletin board in the classroom.
What You’ll Need:
- Canvas
- Crayons
- Hairdryer
5) Suncatcher
An easy craft where you use paper plates and tissue paper on contact paper to make a colorful suncatcher. Hang it in a window to catch the light, turning a simple craft into a classroom decoration for the school season.
What You’ll Need:
- Paper plates
- Contact paper
- Tissue paper
- Tape
6) Finger Painting
Finger painting, a classic back to school crafts for toddlers, is loved by all! Dip fingers into washable paint and create free-form designs. This classic back to school activity for toddlers enhances sensory exploration and is a fantastic way to build communication skills through describing their art.
What You’ll Need:
- Finger paints
- Paper or canvas
7) Number Caterpillar
Another traditional back to school crafts for toddlers, number caterpillar, is great for teaching counting. Cut circles from colored construction paper, add numbers, and glue them into a caterpillar shape. This introduces counting and sequencing, making it a preschool back to school craft that supports cognitive growth.
What You’ll Need:
- Construction paper
- Glue
- Markers
8) Popsicle Stick Butterflies
Glue popsicle sticks together and add wings from felt or paper. Decorate with pipe cleaners and googly eyes for crafts with popsicle sticks for kids that fly with imagination.
What You’ll Need:
- Popsicle sticks
- Felt or paper
- Pipe cleaners
- Googly eyes
9) Sticker Name Poster
Write your toddler's name on poster board and trace with stickers. This back to school craft idea develops literacy and motor skills, perfect for welcoming preschoolers to the new school year.
What You’ll Need:
- Poster board
- Stickers
- Marker
10) Egg Carton Flowers
Last but not least, this back to school crafts for toddlers is great for spring or summer. Paint egg carton cups and glue them into flower shapes on paper. Add a pom-pom center for a textured craft that uses recycled materials like toilet paper rolls for stems if desired.
What You’ll Need:
- Egg carton
- Paint
- Glue
- Construction paper
- Pom-poms or buttons
Benefits of Back to School Arts and Crafts for Preschoolers
Back to school crafts offer more than entertainment—they support key developmental areas for toddlers and preschoolers.
Builds Fine Motor Skills
Tearing tissue paper, peeling stickers, and squeezing glue strengthen the small hand muscles needed for handwriting and self-care. Using safety scissors to cut colored construction paper develops hand–eye coordination and control. Try an apple craft or pencil craft with short, straight cuts before moving to curves. Repeating these motions across the school season builds endurance and confidence.
Boosts Language and Early Literacy
Back to school crafts for toddlers is a natural way to name colors, shapes, and letters they’ll see in the preschool classroom. Narrate each step—“first we glue, then we press”—to model rich vocabulary and sequencing words. Label a school bus craft with each child’s name to build recognition and print awareness. You can also match letter stickers to pictures (B for bus) to spark early sound connections.
Encourages Focus and Following Directions
Short, step-by-step projects teach toddlers to listen, sequence, and finish tasks. Give simple directions like “Glue four wheels, then add two windows,” and let them repeat the steps. Visual cues—pointing, showing one piece at a time—help them stay on track. Praising effort for finishing boosts stamina for circle time and future routines.
Sparks Creativity and Problem-Solving
Open-ended materials—paper plates, construction paper, and toilet paper rolls—invite imagination and flexible thinking. When pieces don’t fit, toddlers learn to adjust, rotate, or try another approach. Ask prompts like “What else could this be?” to encourage divergent ideas for toddler problem solving. Displaying varied results shows there’s more than one “right” answer.
Eases First-Day Jitters
Back to school crafts for toddlers makes new routines feel safe and predictable. A simple school bus craft lets kids talk about drop-off, who’s riding with them, and where they’ll sit. Create a “goodbye bracelet” or backpack tag to practice separation rituals. These concrete tools help toddlers express feelings and look forward to the day.
Teaches Pre-Math Skills
Counting pom-poms, sorting buttons by color, and making sticker patterns build number sense and classification. Measuring paper strips for a pencil craft introduces size, order, and comparison words like longer/shorter. Gluing one item per square practices one-to-one correspondence. Repeating patterns on a bulletin board reinforces early algebraic thinking.
Builds Social Skills and Cooperation
Sharing glue, taking turns with scissors, and asking for tape model everyday cooperation to enhance toddler social skills. Group murals give each child a small job that contributes to a bigger whole. Use simple scripts—“my turn, your turn, our turn”—to guide interactions. Celebrating the finished display builds pride in a class community.
Promotes Independence and Confidence
Choosing materials, deciding on colors, and cleaning up encourage self-help and decision-making. Provide low trays of supplies so toddlers can gather what they need. A quick photo or hallway display says, “Your work matters here.” Each “I did it myself!” moment grows resilience for the back to school season.
Strengthens Sensory Integration
Bubble wrap printing, sandpaper letters, and crinkly tissue paper offer safe, varied tactile input. Pressing, rubbing, and stamping help toddlers regulate and stay engaged. Keep a damp cloth nearby and frame mess as part of learning to reduce stress. Offering a quiet corner for slow, repetitive printing supports different sensory needs.
Connects School and Home
Send home a quick apple or pencil craft with a note about the day’s skill focus. Families can talk through routines—packing a backpack, lining up, greeting teachers—using the craft as a prompt. Repeating classroom vocabulary at home strengthens understanding. These small bridges help the new school year feel consistent and supportive.
Celebrate Back-to-School Time at Our Raleigh Preschool
These kindergarten easy back to school crafts blend learning with play. At Primary Beginnings, we integrate such activities into our 5-star curriculum to nurture young minds. Explore our toddler care programs or preschool curriculum for more ideas and visit one of our three locations in Raleigh by scheduling a tour.
To get in touch with our team of educators, including our Spring Forest location at 919-790-6888, Falls Of Neuse location at 919-615-0752, North Hills location at 919-785-0303 or fill out our contact form to get started.