Tissue paper has multiple uses. While usually used for gift wrapping, colored tissue paper can be used to make various crafts such as paper flowers or paper mache bowls.
Photo credit: American Greetings
Below are 33 tissue paper crafts kids can do arranged by skill level (easy, moderate, and challenging).
Easy Tissue Paper Crafts for Preschoolers
These 25 tissue paper crafts can be done without any help from a grown-up.
1. Tissue Paper Snail Craft
Photo credit: Fireflies + Mud Pies
In their tutorial, Fireflies + Mud Pies shows us how to make a rainbow tissue paper snail craft with colored tissue paper, glue, markers, pipe cleaners, a pencil, scissors, tape, and googly eyes.
2. Tissue Paper and Paper Plate Turtle Craft
Photo credit: Fireflies + Mud Pies
Here’s another cute tissue paper craft from Fireflies + Mud Pies that requires colored tissue paper, googly eyes, glue, a paper plate, scissors, a green and black marker, a paintbrush, and tape.
This tissue paper turtle tutorial also includes a free printable template for the parts of the turtle!
3. Tissue Paper Rainbow Fish Craft
Photo credit: Arty Crafty Kids
Arty Crafty Kids shows kids how to make another aquatic animal, a vibrant tissue paper rainbow fish craft, with colored tissue paper, cardstock or a recycled cereal box, googly eyes, glue, and scissors.
4. Tissue Paper and Paper Plate Seahorse Craft
Photo credit: Glued to My Crafts
Here’s another tissue paper craft that utilizes a paper plate.
Glued to My Crafts shows kids an easy-to-make tissue paper and paper plate seahorse with colored tissue paper, a paper plate, cardstock, scissors, and glue.
5. Tissue Paper Bird in a Nest Craft
Photo credit: Crafty Morning
Bring not only one but three birds, including their nest, to your kid’s room! Here’s a beautiful tissue paper craft of birds in a nest by Crafty Morning.
All you need is colored tissue paper, colored paper, a paper plate, googly eyes, scissors, glue, and paper shred filler.
If you have a paper shredder at home, you can shred colorful paper for your preschooler to use for the nest instead of paper shred filler.
6. Tissue Paper Jellyfish Craft
Photo credit: Easy Peasy and Fun
Easy Peasy and Fun shows us how to make a cute tissue paper jellyfish craft with colored tissue paper, printer paper, coloring supplies, glue, scissors, and string.
They do provide a template for the jellyfish body, but it’s not free. A free alternative I recommend is to have your kids draw their own unique jellyfish body.
7. Tissue Paper Butterfly Craft
Have kids decorate their room with this easy-to-do tissue paper butterfly from Easy Handcrafts. The tutorial shows us how to make a simple tissue paper butterfly craft with scissors and string – and that’s it!
8. Tissue Paper Polar Bear Art
Photo credit: Arty Crafty Kids
Spice up your winter with this cool polar bear tissue paper art from Arty Crafty Kids.
While they do provide a template for the polar bear silhouette, you have to be a member on their site to download it. I recommend having your kids draw their own polar bear if you don’t want to become a member.
Aside from the silhouette, all you need is tissue paper, glue, scissors, and cardstock!
9. Tissue Paper Fall Tree Art
Photo credit: Free Kids Crafts
Need an activity for autumn? Using fall colored tissue paper, Free Kids Crafts demonstrates how to make this lovely tissue paper fall tree art with glue, pencil, and card stock.
This tutorial also includes a free printable tree template!
10. Tissue Paper 3D Apple Tree Craft
Photo credit: I Heart Crafty Things
If you want to create a 3D tree instead, I Heart Crafty Things has got you covered.
Using green tissue paper, an empty toilet paper roll, red buttons, cardstock, scissors, and glue, your kids can make this wonderful tissue paper 3D apple tree craft!
11. Tissue Paper Fireworks Craft
Photo credit: Hey Let’s Make Stuff!
Celebrate the Fourth of July or New Year’s Eve without the noise and smoke! With just colored tissue paper, scissors, and a stapler, Hey, Let’s Make Stuff! shows us how to make an easy-to-do tissue paper fireworks craft.
12. Tissue Paper Globe Craft
Photo credit: Gluesticks
Kids will have the whole world in their hands with this tissue paper globe craft! Gluesticks shows us how to make this with blue and green tissue paper, a styrofoam ball, scissors, glue, and a sponge brush.
13. Tissue Paper Popsicle Craft
Photo credit: A Dab of Glue Will Do
Do your kids love ice cream? A Dab of Glue Will Do shows kids how to make a tissue paper popsicle craft using cardstock, popsicle sticks, glue, scissors, and crayons.
14. Tissue Paper Pumpkin Suncatcher Craft
Photo credit: Smashed Peas and Carrots
This Halloween, let your kids decorate your home with this tissue paper pumpkin suncatcher craft from Smashed Peas and Carrots. All kids need are orange tissue paper, contact paper, glue, and black construction paper.
15. Tissue Paper Mini Pumpkin Craft
Photo credit: Stay at Home Educator
Or, if you want to decorate actual pumpkins, Stay at Home Educator shows us how to do that with mini pumpkins, glue, a paintbrush, and colored tissue paper squares.
Of course, the size of the pumpkin you use is entirely up to you and your kids. Go crazy!
16. Balloon Bowl Tissue Paper Craft
Photo credit: Meri Cherry Art Studio
Have kids make these simple tissue paper bowls by Meri Cherry Art Studio with a balloon, colored tissue paper, a paintbrush, Mod Podge, masking tape, and a cup.
17. Rainbow Tissue Paper Craft
Photo credit: Crayons & Cravings
Make your own rainbow for St. Patrick’s Day with this rainbow tissue paper craft tutorial from Crayons & Cravings.
All you need is colored tissue paper, a canvas, cotton balls, scissors, a pencil, and glue. Get really fancy by adding gold coins, too!
18. Tissue Paper Mason Jar Lantern Craft
Photo credit: Design Improvised
If you have an empty jar lying around your house, dazzle them up with this tissue paper mason jar lantern craft from Design Improvised. All you need, aside from the jar, is colored tissue paper, scissors, and Mod Podge.
19. Tissue Paper Coaster Craft
Photo credit: Mod Podge Rocks
Have kids make colorful coasters with this tissue paper coaster craft from Mod Podge Rocks. All you need is colored tissue paper, scissors, dishwasher safe Mod Podge, felt, and ceramic tiles. The result is perfect for sitting your cups on!
20. Tissue Paper Bleeding Color Art
With just one crayon and a couple of bleeding art tissue squares, kids can make this lovely tie dyed work of art.
All they need is a white crayon, bleeding art tissue squares, a watercolor panel, and a spray bottle with water.
21. Tissue Paper Suncatcher Craft (No Contact Paper Required)
Photo credit: Kids Craft Room
The other tissue paper suncatchers on this list require the use of contact paper. Since not everyone has contact paper handy, Kids Craft Room has got you covered.
The tutorial shows us how to make a suncatcher with plastic lids (instead of contact paper), colored tissue paper, glue, a paintbrush, sticky tape, scissors, and ribbons.
22. Tissue Paper Flower Wreath Craft
Photo credit: What Can We Do With Paper and Glue
Flower wreaths can make wonderful spring decorations! What Can We Do With Paper and Glue shows us how kids can make this beautiful tissue paper flower wreath craft.
All you need is a styrofoam wreath, colored tissue paper, crepe paper, and pipe cleaners.
23. DIY Ruffled Tissue Paper Garland Craft
Photo credit: Pretty Providence
Speaking of decorations, Pretty Providence shows us how to make this simple and easy-to-do ruffled tissue paper garland craft. The materials needed are colored tissue paper, scissors, string, needle, and sticky tape.
24. Tissue Paper Pom Pom Craft
Photo credit: Two Twenty One
Another decoration kids can make are pom poms! This tutorial from Two Twenty One shows us how to make tissue paper pom pom crafts. All you need is colored tissue paper, a floral wire, a ruler, and scissors.
25. Tissue Paper Landscape Art
Photo credit: Kids Artists
Kids Artists shows us how kids can make simple tissue paper landscape art without using scissors by tearing the tissue paper into shapes.
All you need is colored tissue paper, an A4 sheet of paper, a glue brush, and glue – it’s that easy!
Moderate Level Tissue Paper Crafts for Preschoolers
The next five crafts are a bit more complicated and require more precision, but still doable by preschoolers with a little help from a grown-up.
26. DIY Tissue Paper Honeycomb Ball Craft
This wonderful DIY tissue paper craft tutorial by Creative Crafting Ideas turns colored tissue paper and an A4 sheet of paper (with the use of scissors, glue, and a pen) into a lovely honeycomb ball.
27. Tissue Paper Wide-Petalled Flower Craft
Photo credit: Wonderful DIY
Since tissue paper holds its shape quite well, Wonderful DIY shows us how to make this lovely tissue paper wide-petalled flower craft with a golf ball, floral tape, a wire, pearl stems, and scissors.
28. DIY Tissue Paper Pinata Craft
Photo credit: Little Dove
Little Dove shows kids how to make their very own tissue paper pinata craft! All they need are colored tissue paper (she uses pastel colors), cardboard, Mod Podge, scissors, and duct tape.
Don’t forget to stuff it with candies for your kids when it’s ready to be smashed!
29. Tissue Paper Mache Toy Craft
Why stop with paper mache bowls (see #16 on this list)? Here’s a tissue paper mache toy craft from Geethurider.
All you need is white or colored tissue paper, glue, paint, a paintbrush, and the object you want as a base for the mold (aka, what the shape of your toy will be).
30. Tissue Paper Painting
Because of how tissue paper is made, painting on it using watercolors produces interesting effects.
Jay Lee Painting shows us a watercolor painting technique using facial tissue paper, watercolors, and a paintbrush to paint a flower.
Challenging Tissue Paper Crafts for Older Kids
These last three tissue paper crafts might be too challenging for preschoolers since a significant part of the process requires precision and patience, so they’re more suitable for older kids.
31. Tissue Paper Roses Craft
World Of Art And Craft shows us how to make these lovely roses by folding facial tissue paper. Additional materials to use are colored paper and a stick to serve as the stem.
As this requires folding the tissue in a certain way, I recommend a grown-up help with this step.
32. DIY Stained Glass Suncatcher Tissue Paper Craft
Photo credit: By Amber’s Hands
Stained glass can easily be made with colored tissue paper!
This stained glass suncatcher tissue paper craft from By Amber’s Hands requires colored tissue paper, black cardstock, contact paper, a printer, and a craft knife and cutting mat (or a silhouette paper cutting machine if you have one).
The preparation of the materials requires a grown-up as the design of the silhouette has to be carefully cut. After preparing the silhouette, kids can then help add the colored tissue paper to make the stained glass effect!
33. DIY Paper Towel Moon Lamp Craft
Okay so this isn’t tissue paper, but I’ve saved the best for last! This tutorial will have kids craft the moon with just paper towels!
Crafts Junction uses paper towels, a plastic ball, craft glue and a hot glue gun, a paintbrush, a lightbulb, a bulb holder, wires, a disposable food container, and paint to make this DIY paper moon lamp craft.
Since this involves electrical work and using a hot glue gun, a grown-up should be the one handling those steps.
Take a Trip to Tissue Paper Town
From animals to bowls to the moon itself,let your kids’ creativity run wild with these tissue paper crafts!
Using tissue paper is wonderful as it holds shape well, is translucent, and some variants can bleed out color for a cool effect.
Start crafting with tissue paper today!