These Easy and Fun Paper Cup Crafts for Kids show us how versatile paper cups are when it comes to crafting! Great projects for kids of all ages.

What do you do when you have to serve drinks to a large number of people at an informal gathering? Most of us can’t deal with the washing up, or we simply don’t have enough glasses to pass around. The solution? Paper cups!

Of course, COVID-19 means we haven’t had large gatherings for a while now, which means your stock of paper cups is getting old and dusty sitting in that cupboard. But don’t worry, we’ve got a way to use them up, which doesn’t involve spreading viruses!

Yes, we are talking about using them for crafts! Being paper, these cups can be painted on, stuck on and decorated in various ways. You get them in all colors too, which makes them perfect for a variety of holiday projects and themes. So let’s not waste any more time – here are 20 easy and fun paper cup crafts for kids of all ages to try!

20 Easy and Fun Paper Cup Crafts for Kids

1. Paper Cup Peacock Craft

School Time Snippets has a gorgeous peacock craft made using paper cups. If you have blue paper cups, this craft will be done in 10 minutes, else you can just go ahead and paint a white one! You can also stick colored feathers for the peacock’s tail.

2. Paper Cup Miniature Village

Need a little village for your elves or peg dolls? No problem, this paper cup village should take of all their residential needs! We love how easy this craft is, and that you can customize it any way you like. A white paper cup acts as a blank canvas for you to decorate the house of your dreams.

3. Preschool Bumble Bee Craft

How cute is this bumble bee from The Inspiration Edit? This is an easy peasy craft for preschoolers and early school goers. You can either use masking tape to mark off stripes on the cup and paint in between. Make it funkier by adding jumbo googly eyes on the face!

4. Paper Cup Yarn Wrapped Owl

If you want a project that includes multiple textures and materials, try out this yarn wrapped owl from Kids Craft Room. You can use cups of any color, and a variety of yarns. The feathers add a nice touch and make the owl a little more realistic!

5. Paper Cup Octopus

One would wonder how you could make an octopus out of a paper cup, considering you need eight arms and all that. But this project proves how easy it is, especially if you have those short kind of paper cups. Don’t forget to add googly eyes and draw patterns!

6. Paper Cup Santa

The holiday season will be here shortly, and when it is, this craft from Fireflies and Mudpies will come in handy! Red paper cups are easily available, and they’re perfect for this. If you can’t find a red one, no problem – just paint a white one!

7. Paper Cup Baby Shark

Yes, Baby Shark is still very much a part of our lives, which is why it’s a part of this list of paper cup crafts for kids. One Little Project celebrates this modern childhood icon with a fun craft. We love the expressions on these sharks – they’re so delightfully weird!

8. Paper Cup Flower Craft

This is a pretty craft that can be made with a paper cup of any color. All you need along with the cup is a paper straw, craft paper as well as colors. You can also place one paper cup inside the other to create a layered petal effect.

9. Paper Cup Frog Goodie Box

Halloween is just around the corner, and if you’re planning to hide your stash, Krokotak has just the idea for you! Placing your candy in an open paper cup is too revealing, so go ahead and make a frog prince who’ll guard your treasure!

10. Colorful Paper Cup Parrots

A list of paper cup crafts for kids wouldn’t be complete without some colorful birds, and I Heart Crafty Things has got the craft for us! Go crazy with the colors here, that’s one good thing about making parrots! Use colored yarn and feathers to create a custom bird of your liking.

11. Paper Cup Snowman Craft

Yes, it isn’t time for it to snow yet, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun with snowmen! You can very well make your own snowmen – with paper cups instead of snow! Don’t forget to dress them up in trendy hats and accessories!

12. Paper Cup Spiders

What better time than Halloween to make paper cup spiders? And Non Toy Gifts has kept the color theme on point with black, orange and purple! Add multiple eyes to make these spiders as creepy as you like and place it in a spot everyone will see!

13. Paper Cup Crab Craft

Crabs aren’t what most people would consider cute, especially if they’ve ever been bitten by one! Easy Peasy and Fun however has an adorable crab, and this one won’t bite or claw at you!

14. Paper Cup Flying Ghosts

It’s all very well to have something white and call it a ghost, but can it fly? Kids Craft Room answers to this question in the affirmative, and the result is that we have flying ghosts made from paper cups!

15. Paper Cup Angel Luminaries

Molly Moo Crafts has a paper cup craft that doubles as holiday decoration. These little angels look so peaceful as they shine with the light within, and it can trigger some deep conversations with kids during the holidays.

16. Paper Cup Flower Heads

We’ve seen grass heads, and Pink Stripey Socks takes this up a notch by creating flower heads with paper cups. The best part is that now that you have a head, you can draw on features of your choice – glasses, moustache or even a pirate patch!

17. Paper Cup Easter Baskets

This idea from Oh Happy Day is so cute and obvious, I wonder why I didn’t think of it earlier! Paper cups make the perfect Easter baskets to hold mini eggs, and they’re pretty sturdy too. Just make the handle strongly secured and your treats are safe.

18. Paper Cup Elf

If your paper cup Santa is feeling a little lonely on the mantlepiece, check out this elf craft from Fireflies and Mudpies – also made with paper cups. We love all the little details here – the gold buckle, the pink cheeks, the little mistletoe on the hat – it’s all so perfect!

19. Paper Cup Penguin Poppers

How about making your own time to have fun this season? School Time Snippets shows us how easy it is to do with a bunch of paper cups! Turn plain black paper cups into cute little penguins, complete with those fun hats!

20. Paper Cup Fox Craft

This project from Kids Craft Room reminds us of the Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl! This fox is pretty easy to make too, and he looks like he’s a little confused about what he’s doing on that patch of grass!

As you can see most of these paper cup crafts for kids are super easy to make, and you barely need more than basic craft supplies. Some googly eyes, pipe cleaners, craft paper and of course, lots of glue! Many of these are appropriate for preschoolers, while others can be attempted by primary school kids. Whoever you decide to share it with, we assure you that you’ll have a good time!