Nothing sparks the imagination quite like fantasy play and mythical construction. There’s just something about fables, legends, and fairytales that lights up those little storytelling neurons and encourages creative discovery as nothing else can.
Maybe it’s the freedom of being able to cut loose from reality and choose your own adventure. Or the delight in the idea that those fantastical creatures might be out there…somewhere. This collection of mythical crafts, storybook art projects, and fantasy play ideas aims to capture all of that mystery, magic, and fairy-tale fun.
Use the jump links below to quickly navigate to the specific kids’ mythical crafts, fairy-tale art projects, and fantasy play activities you’re looking for…
Fairy Play Projects for Kids
- A charming set of woodland peg doll fairies is an absolute MUST for small world fairy play.
- These play dough fairy forests are a great way to combine imaginative art and play with found items from nature.
- Kids will love planting the seeds in their recycled fairy greenhouses for a tabletop starter garden that will grow in any season.
- Make pixie dust for a bit of calming fairy-themed sensory play (with an illusion to help surfaces stay glitter-free!).
- Imagine running across these mini outdoor play fairy houses while on a forest walk. It just doesn’t get more magical than that…!
- Rainy days call for this imaginative fairy village for indoor play – with so many enchanting details.
- Grab some art supplies and our free printable leaf templates to make your own paper leaf fairy wands for fanciful fairy spell-casting.
- Use small bits and bobs to put together these little magic poppy fairies that can be played with as puppets or enchanted garden decorations.
Gnome Art, Crafts, and Play
- Our bean bag gnomes are simple enough for kids to sew on their own (and make a delightfully unique set of soft toys).
- For a Northern twist on elfish play, try these scandi-style felt gnomes kid-made with felt, yarn, and a lot of mischief!
- Good grief, these pocket trolls (or tomte) are one of the cutest repurposes of scrap wood I’ve ever seen! Make your own hairy little pals for pocket shenanigans.
- This oatmeal carton toadstool gnome home isn’t just an invitation to recycle junk drawer items into miniature play accessories…it doubles as a flickering fairytale night light.
Kids Dragon Crafts and DIYs
- This drowsy DIY dragon stuffed animal is a soft cuddle and a heavy sleeper who loves curling up with kiddos for the dreamiest naptimes.
- Ribbon or paper strips come to fiery life with this clever cardboard tube fire-breathing dragon!
- Explore color-mixing, tell a story, or investigate the tactile environment in a legendary tabletop land of your own making – with this magical foam fantasy sensory play.
- Every knight (or dame!) in shining armor needs their dragon counterpart. Turn recyclables into a fanastical fire-breathing friend or foe with this amazing milk carton dragon hobby horse.
Mythical Place Projects for Kids
- Invite your kids to plan a route through the Bermuda Triangle or hunt for Atlantis with their own scrap fabric treasure maps – fantasy play and an art invitation all rolled into one great adventure!
- Take a trip to Arendelle with sugar cube castles. Or build stacking cardboard castles fit for a mini-Camelot.
- What would Mt. Olympus, Pandora, or Asguard look like…? These fantasy landscape magazine collages combine real images to create surreal fantasy locations.
- Explore color and texture to create your own foldout enchanted secret garden.
Legendary Creature Crafts for Kids
- Got bags? Turn those pesky plastic grocery bags into a group of soft sculpture aliens for an art project that encourages imaginative storytelling, creative processes, and out-there art exploration.
- Explore expression and the magic of simple sewing with this tutorial to help you make a Zenkidu (…a Zenki who?? You’ll love them too!).
- Legend has it, a new baby Bigfoot is born at the bottom of a new child’s rag bag every day. Sew a yeti and see for yourself…!
- Put plastic packaging to frighteningly good use with a kid-made monster treat pail. Old canisters, paper, scissors, and a glue stick are all you need for this fun (and useful) invitation to design a monster.
Mermaid Crafts and Activities for Kids
- This painted shell project kicks up the salty sea whimsy a few notches to turn household supplies into magic mermaid seashell necklaces.
- Speaking of whimsy….get a load of these meow-tastic meow-maids!
- Make a mythical craft for the ages with this enchanting cardboard tube mermaid.
- This incredibly fun process is an invitation to create a life-sized self-portrait and mermaid (or mer-man) yourself!
- Send some mini mail by Seahorse Express with this cute mermail project that helps kids turn any little cardboard box into a deep sea mail drop-off.
- This squishy circuits mermaid is a bit of seaside playdough STEM fun.
- When an Instagram friend shared the quick tutorial for a cardboard tube mermaid scale roller a couple of years ago it blew my mind – follow the simple steps for easy and endlessly entertaining mermaid texture-making!
- Check out this sparkling, iridescent mermaid slime – pure mer-magic!
Kids Unicorn Art and Craft Projects
- A wild mane of color and cool striped horn make this cardboard tube unicorn a fun paper puppet prop!
- Try a unique but classic art process and make your own unicorn scratch art.
- Do you know what happens when you sprinkle (eco-friendly) glitter in a pot of dirt? You can grow your unicorn garden!
- For sweet kid-made charms or pins, try a set of these cookie-cutter clay unicorns.
- I would have gone crazy for these paper unicorn pencil toppers back in my elementary school days!
- Go ahead, let your kiddos play with your food, because these unicorn pancakes are too cute to skip. A magical kid-made brunch much.
- Just look at the rainbow of colors in this squishy unicorn slime! Great for sensory play and absolutely perfect for homemade party favors.
- Meet Pegasus, a sweet recycled cardboard tube unicorn marionette your kids can make on their own for spectacular puppet plays.
For more fun art, craft, and play collections to get your kids’ creative juices flowing visit our favorite ocean crafts, top 100 ideas for recycled dollhouses, and 40 functional art projects for kids.
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I love seeing all the ways people make these ideas their own! If you're sharing the results of one of our projects, mention or tag me with @barleyandbirch, or share it in the comments of one of our Pinterest project pins.
