Remember what it was like to be a teen? Thanks to all the hormones racing around, they’re usually miserable, grouchy, always have something to moan about and are super irritable from not getting enough beauty sleep.
Not to mention how much they go on about how bored they are.
As parents, you hate seeing your kids unhappy, and will try anything to get them to be cheerful. Sometimes they just need a new form of entertainment rather than just passively staring at a screen for way too many hours a day.
Thankfully, this article may just have the solution. I’ve put together a shortlist of some of the best creative crafts for teens that I can find on the net.
What’s more, these crafts I’ve chosen are mostly gender-neutral and anyone can have fun making them, including teenage boys.
Now get your teen unplugged to check out these fun crafts!
A sugar skull is even more dope than a regular skull!
And this sugar skull coloring page is a great way of bringing out a teen’s creativity, even if they don’t consider themselves to be particularly creative.
Only the solid lines are in place, and you can give the design all kinds of different, contrasting looks just through selecting different colors for the various parts.
And a single coloring page, that’s available to download for free, is even more budget friendly than an entire adult’s coloring book.
Your teen can use whatever pens or pencils they have to hand. You could even use neon colors, or scented felt tip pens.
Now, this is one of the most fun and colorful origami projects I have ever seen. The finished piece is called a paper hexagon kaleidocycle.
The project design is available to download and print for free. And your teen gets to color in the intricate patterns, however they like to make their very own, personally customized kaleidocycle.
So much more than fun than your standard origami project!
I don’t know about anyone else, but I particularly favor crafts that result in making something that you can actually use, besides merely looking attractive.
And for those who prefer to take a bath rather than a shower, you could always use something in the bath for that smooth, silky feeling.
With these DIY eyeball bath bombs, you get exactly that. What’s more, the finished design certainly isn’t overly feminine, and you get to watch the eyeball fizzle away, and give off a nice, pleasant scent.
Now, this certainly is not your regular pumpkin design! It not only looks amazing, but it’s also super fun and simple to do. Plus, it’s educational to boot!
You start with a black pumpkin, sponge some craft paint on there, spray more craft paint using a toothbrush, drill holes into the pumpkin in actual constellation formations, and place some lighting inside the pumpkin.
And you get an amazing galaxy pumpkin your teen can amaze their guests with!
If your teen has finally been entrusted with their very own house or apartment key, so they can chill at home unsupervised, I’m sure they’d love to be able to personalize and customize their key in their own style and taste.
And it’s easier to do than you may imagine. All you need is nail polish in the teen’s preferred colors.
These are easy to get hold of, and you can get them in all sorts of colors, including emo black, and even glitter and neon colors, which would make the keys easier to spot when your teen is rushing out the door.
As I mentioned earlier, my favorite kind of DIY craft projects are ones that result in something useful, such as in this funky DIY homemade bowl.
It’s super simple to make, and is effectively a papier-mâché bowl that, once made, can be used by your teen to keep their smaller items in.
And it can be really personalized.
The teen simply blows up a balloon, glues their chosen colors of confetti together on the balloon in the size and shape of a bowl, and when the time arrives, they can pop the balloon and have a funky bowl to show off!
A dream catcher is an ornament you are meant to hang above your bed, and is thought by some to protect the sleeper from the likes of bad dreams, nightmares, and evil spirits.
There are all kinds of dream catcher kits available out there, but this particular project is derived from a genuine native Indian design, and looks super authentic when finished as opposed to the usual, often way too girly alternatives.
Now, this is an excellent craft project, where your teen can make their very own, simple Halloween decorations.
It’s super simple, and you don’t need many materials to make it. You just take some candles, and light them to melt crayons over the candles, and have the candles look as though they are dripping with blood or ooze – dope!
Teenagers are not too old to enjoy playing with slime – it’s sticky, it’s stretchy, it’s fun, and you can mold it into any shape you like. And with this guide, your teens can make their very own slime from scratch.
What’s more, this is no ordinary slime, it is highly heat sensitive, and the color of the slime changes as it reacts to any heat. Dope.
Why should your teen settle for a boring looking wallet to store their cash (and possibly library cards) in, when they can make one entirely of their own design?
With these easy-to-follow instructions, your teen can make their own wallet on the cheap with easy to source materials such as duct tape. It can be both fashionable and practical.
Para cord bracelets, as parachute cord wristbands are often called, are particularly strong – the cords with which they’re made of can carry the weight of an entire person, and more in a pinch.
They are a popular survival tool. They can be used for such things as tying up gear, making shelter, fishing for food, and more.
Super dope – and they look good on the wrist too, and are available in a range of colors to suit the individual.
You know what? I feel there’s just too much pressure on teens to have branded shoes. But for families on a tight budget, some teens have to go without such luxurious items.
But, the good news is that this doesn’t mean that they can’t still have dope shoes that make for an excellent conversation starter between your teen and their friends.
Because the guide provided here explains how you can turn ordinary plain white shoes into a tie-dye masterpiece.
If there’s anything teens always have on their person, believe me, it’s a cell phone.
And with this easy-to-follow guide, your teen can really make their cell phone case distinguishable from everyone else’s, making it easy to spot and identify, which is imperative if it were ever to get lost.
Your teen can either use the designs provided, or find (or even make) their own.
Once your teenager has been granted their own house keys, they’re gonna want to have a keychain or two to go with it. It sure makes it easier to find your keys at the bottom of their bag.
And with these handy craft projects, your teen can make not one but two handmade keychains with genuine leather. This way the keychains don’t look cheap, but actually rather classy, and they will last, too.
Many teens these days are concerned about the environment (and rightly so), so they really appreciate concepts like recycling and upcycling. And that’s where craft projects like this one come in handy.
Your teen can make handy boxes for their bits and pieces easily, using cleverly handled pages of old magazines.
There’s nothing better than sitting down after a long, stressful day with a good craft or hobby - right?
Hi, my name is Helena Forsite and I am a self-proclaimed crafter. I love everything to do with DIYs, baking, crafting, and more!
When I was younger, fresh out of college, I developed a pretty strong anxiety disorder. I found it difficult to go to work, socialize with friends, or even get out of the house at all.
