30+ Super Creative Cereal Box Crafts and Projects for Kids

It’s time to gather up all those empty cereal boxes! I’ve pulled together a mega list of 30+ Super Creative Cereal Box Crafts and Cereal Box Projects for Kids. Inside this really fun list, you’ll find cereal box cars, flowers, pretend play props, art projects and tools, cereal box animals, and more. I have even thrown in a few life hacks for fun, too :)

30+ DIY Cereal Box Crafts and Cereal Box Projects

Cereal box crafts and cereal box projects can make you feel good about yourself. Sounds weird, right? But by upcycling one of the most common things thrown in the trash, you’re giving it another life as a craft. You’ll love this mega list of cereal box projects… animals, cereal box vehicles, ceral box home hacks, cereal box flowers, and more! Please note, I have provided links for supplies to help make these projects easier and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This is at no cost to you.

Car and Boat Cereal Box Crafts

Who knew you could make things that move with a cereal box? And they make the best props for wheel play too.

• Recycled Balloon Car || Left Brain Craft Brain
• Back To School Bus Craft With Box Tops || iheartcraftythings.com
• Cereal Box Sailboat || First Palette

And you’ll need some garages, roads, and bridges for these vehicles too!

• DIY Recycled Suspension Bridge || Left Brain Craft Brain
• Cereal Box Parking Garage || Frugal Fun For Boys and Girls

Animal Cereal Box Crafts

Awww, so cute! That’s what they’ll say about these adorable cereal box animal crafts. Except for the dragon, and that one will make them go whoa!!

• Recycled Bunny Cardboard Craft || Hello, Wonderful
• Crafty Cardboard Cereal Box Elephant || Pink Stripey Socks
• Dragon Hobby Horse || Kids Craft Room
• Cereal Box Pig || I Heart Crafty Things
• Cereal Box Monster Jaws || It’s Always Autumn

How to Easily Cut Cardboard (even lots of it!)

With all this cardboard, you might want some special cardboard cutters to make the job faster and easier. Here are two of my favorites, one for adult use and one for kids. We survived cutting parts of 70 cardboard gingbread houses last year for the first grade at my daughter’s school because of these tools. The ZipSnip makes quick work of bulk cutting cardboard into smaller pieces (it’s a motorized tool). Then there’s Klever Kutter, a kid-safe tool that makes cardboard projects easier for young hands. Both are super-valuable additions to any makerspace. Or home.

And did you know that the Cricut Maker can cut cardboard? It’s a crafting dream for parents and makerspaces… I’m working on some more STEAM learning templates for it now. Cereal box projects, here I come!

Pretend Play Cereal Box Crafts

You don’t need expensive costumes and playspaces when you’ve got cardboard! Check out these fun pretend play props made with cereal boxes.

• Cereal Box Puppet Theater || Red Ted Art
• Cereal Box Pizza Craft || Pink Stripey Socks
• Cereal Box Winter Diorama || Crafts By Amanda
• Cereal Box Fireman’s Hat || Pink Stripey Socks
• Cereal Box Aquarium || The Best Ideas for Kids

By the way, you might have noticed a bunch of box crafts from Pink Stripey Socks. She has an amazing upcycled craft book called Epic Carboard Adventures!

Plant and Flower Cereal Box Crafts

Plants made out of cereal boxes is kind of like taking the cardboard, full circle, right? And better than putting it in the garbage can. And one of these even can be used to grow real plants!

• DIY Giant Kraft Paper Flowers || themerrythought.com
• Adorable DIY Cereal Box Pineapples || tinselandwheat.com
• Twig And Cereal Craft For Kids || nontoygifts.com
• Giant Leaf Masks || Brainy Beginnings Network
• Cereal Box Cactus || Crafting in the Rain
• Cereal Box Seed Starters || Whimsy Love

Cereal Box Art and Art Tools

Empty cereal boxes are one of my favorite art supplies and it’s extra cool that you can make art tools like looms from them, too.

• Easy Aluminum Foil Butterflies || I Heart Arts and Crafts
• Cereal Box Round Braid Loom || Art Projects for Kids
• Cereal Box Loom || Modern Parents Messy Kids
• Foil Leaf Prints || The Blue Barn
• Cereal Box Spinners || Handy With Scissors

Gifts and Cereal Box Crafts for the Home

No one will know that you got their gift out of the recycling bin!! It outs a whole new spin on regifting. Plus empty cereal boxes are great for adding some organization to your office or home, too.

• Washi Tape Cereal Box Organizer || cherishedbliss.com
• Recycled Cereal Box Backpack For Kids || hellowonderful.co
• DIY Cereal Box Gem Piñatas || lovelyindeed.com
• 5 Simple Bookbinding Methods for Handmade Journals || Babble Dabble Do
• Cereal Box Drawer Organizer || The Stonybrook House

More Budget Friendly Projects for Kids

Here are some more ideas for when your crafting and learning budget is tight.

20+ Amazing Rock Projects for Kids – Kids love collecting rocks. Might as well put them to good use 🤣

STEM on a Budget– STEM activities don’t have to be expensive! Try these for some inexpensive science, technology, engineering, art, and math fun.