🎨 Fun & Easy Kids' Crafts with Polystyrene Shapes

Article author: Tegan Rixon Article published at: Jan 12, 2026
🎨 Fun & Easy Kids' Crafts with Polystyrene Shapes

Perfect for families, schools & craft clubs

Kids love getting creative — and polystyrene shapes are one of the easiest, safest, and most exciting ways for children to explore colour, texture, and imagination. Lightweight, affordable, and simple to decorate, they’re perfect for after-school activities, classroom projects, rainy-day fun, and weekend crafting at home.

Here are some of our favourite kid-approved ideas!


🟣 1. Polystyrene Balls: Endless Possibilities for Little Creators

Polystyrene balls are a classic kids’ craft material because they can become anything with a splash of paint or a sprinkle of glitter.

Fun ideas for children:

  • Planet models for science projects

  • Snowmen using two different-sized balls

  • Cute animals with felt ears, googly eyes, and pipe cleaners

  • Hanging decorations for bedrooms or school events

They're easy to paint and hold, making them perfect for younger crafters.


2. Stars, Hearts & Shapes for Quick Crafts

Flat or 3D shapes are ideal for fast, mess-free projects that look fantastic.

Kids can:

  • Make decorative stars with metallic paint or glitter

  • Decorate hearts for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, or Valentine’s cards

  • Create theme displays for school topics like space, seasons, or celebrations

These shapes are great for short craft sessions or group activities.


🐣 3. Seasonal Crafts All Year Long

Polystyrene shapes make seasonal crafting simple.

Spring: paint eggs or flowers
Summer: decorate balls as beachballs or suns
Autumn: turn cones into woodland trees
Winter: create snowmen, penguins, and frosty ornaments

Kids love seeing their creations displayed in classrooms or at home.


🎭 4. Build Characters, Animals & Creatures

Give children a few shapes, some felt, pipe cleaners, and paint — and watch their imaginations take off!

Try:

  • Unicorns

  • Monsters

  • Jungle animals

  • Underwater creatures

  • Fairies and robots

Polystyrene is easy to glue, making it perfect for adding arms, tails, hats, wings, and accessories.


🧠 5. Great for Learning and School Projects

Teachers use polystyrene because it's:

  • Lightweight

  • Safe and clean to work with

  • Budget-friendly

  • Perfect for group projects

Kids can build:

  • Model planets

  • Molecule diagrams

  • Geography landscapes

  • Story characters

  • Classroom displays

Crafting makes learning hands-on and memorable.


🎨 Crafting Tips for Kids

  • Use acrylic paints or child-safe craft paints.

  • PVA glue works best for glitter, paper, and decorations.

  • Add googly eyes, felt, sequins, and pom-poms for fun textures.

  • Cover tables with paper — and let kids get messy!


❤️ Why Kids Love Polystyrene Crafts

  • It’s easy to hold and decorate

  • Shapes can become anything they imagine

  • Projects look bright and colourful with little effort

  • Perfect for all skill levels

Whether you're a parent planning weekend crafts, a teacher prepping lesson materials, or a group leader organising activities, polystyrene shapes make creative play simple, fun, and inspiring.

Article author: Tegan Rixon Article published at: Jan 12, 2026