It is time to go over the rainbow and discover that pot of gold! Whether you are celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, observing Find a Rainbow Day, or simply welcoming the fresh vibes of Spring, there is nothing quite as cheerful as a spectrum of colors.
Every festival brings with it a great many legends and tales, and St. Patrick’s Day is no different. With shamrocks, leprechauns, and hidden treasures, this holiday offers a variety of magical stories. However, the most visually stunning element of these legends is undoubtedly the rainbow.
Since March signals the arrival of Spring in the northern hemisphere, we often see spring showers mixed with sunshine. The sunlight works its magic through the raindrops, creating beautiful arcs of color in the sky. While I am not sure about the pot of gold waiting at the end, catching sight of a rainbow is a treasure in itself.
To help you celebrate, we have curated a massive list of 20 Fun and Cute Rainbow Crafts for Kids. Gather your paints, paper plates, and glue sticks—we are going to need every color in your supply bin!
Why Rainbow Crafts Are Perfect for Development
Before we dive into the glitter and glue, it is worth noting why rainbow crafts are excellent for early childhood development. Beyond being pretty, they offer:
- Color Recognition: They are the perfect tool to teach the acronym ROYGBIV (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet).
- Sorting Skills: Many of these crafts require toddlers to sort materials by color, which is a foundational math skill.
- Fine Motor Practice: From gripping paintbrushes to pinching small pom-poms, these activities strengthen the hand muscles needed for writing.
- Mood Boosting: Bright colors are scientifically proven to lift spirits—something we all need after a long winter!
The Ultimate List: 20 Rainbow Crafts for Kids
We have broken these down into categories to help you find the perfect activity for your classroom or kitchen table.
Paper & Cardstock Creations
1. The 3D Paper Strip Rainbow This is a fantastic starter craft. Instead of a flat drawing, cut strips of colored construction paper. Glue the ends of the strips to a white base, arching them high to create a 3D tunnel effect. It is visually satisfying and helps preschoolers understand dimension.
2. Mosaic Art Rainbow Do you have scraps of paper left over from other projects? Have your kids cut or tear them into small squares. Draw a large arc on a piece of cardstock and have the children glue the scraps in the correct color order. This is excellent for patience and precision.
3. Paper Chain Rainbow Remember making paper chains for the Christmas tree? Do the same here! Create links of red, orange, yellow, and so on. You can hang this massive rainbow chain across the classroom ceiling or the child’s bedroom door.
4. Handprint Rainbow Keepsake This one is messy but worth it. Paint your child’s hand in stripes of rainbow paint and stamp it onto canvas. It captures the size of their hand forever and makes for a wonderful gift for grandparents.
5. Tissue Paper Scrunch Draw a rainbow outline. Give the kids squares of tissue paper. Have them scrunch the paper around the eraser end of a pencil, dip it in glue, and stick it down. The result is a fluffy, textured masterpiece.
Fine Motor & Sensory Crafts
6. The Pom-Pom Color Match This is a great activity for preschoolers. Draw a rainbow on a piece of cardboard. Provide a bowl of mixed colored pom-poms. The child must match the pom-pom to the correct color band on the rainbow. Pro-Tip: Make it challenging by asking them to use tweezers or a clothespin to move the pom-poms.
7. Pipe Cleaner Beading Give your child rainbow-colored pipe cleaners and a collection of pony beads. Have them thread the beads onto the matching colored pipe cleaner. Once done, bend the pipe cleaners into an arch and stick the ends into white playdough “clouds” to make it stand up.
8. Rainbow Salt Painting Draw a rainbow with white liquid glue. While the glue is wet, sprinkle salt over it. Shake off the excess. Then, dip a paintbrush into liquid watercolors and gently touch the salt. Watch the color spread magically along the salty glue line!
9. Cereal Necklaces Using colorful O-shaped cereal, have kids thread them onto yarn to create a wearable rainbow. This is a “craft” they can snack on later!
10. Rainbow Slime For the brave parents! Make a batch of clear slime and separate it into different bowls. Dye each bowl a different color, then stretch them out and lay them next to each other to form a rainbow. It is a sensory delight.
Hanging & Decor Crafts
11. Paper Plate Rainbow Windsock Cut a paper plate in half and paint it yellow (like the sun) or blue. Glue long streamers of crepe paper in rainbow colors to the bottom straight edge. Punch a hole in the top, add a string, and hang it outside to dance in the wind.
12. Cotton Ball Cloud Rainbow Cut a rainbow shape out of cardboard. Have the kids paint it. Then, the most important part: glue fluffy cotton balls at the bottom of each side to represent the clouds. This adds a lovely textural element.
13. Stained Glass Suncatcher Cut a rainbow outline on black paper and stick it to clear contact paper (sticky side up). Let the kids stick pieces of colored tissue paper onto the sticky part. Seal it with another sheet of contact paper and cut it out. When you put this on the window, the sun shines through beautifully.
14. Rainbow Wreath Cut the center out of a paper plate to create a ring. Glue crumpled tissue paper or colored buttons all around the ring in rainbow order. Add a shamrock at the bottom if it is for St. Patrick’s Day!
15. The “Pot of Gold” Mobile Create a rainbow using cardstock. At one end, attach a paper cloud. At the other end, attach a black paper pot. Use gold glitter or yellow circle cutouts to fill the pot. Hang it as a mobile.
Unique & Creative Materials
16. Popsicle Stick Puzzle Line up 7 jumbo popsicle sticks. Paint them to look like a rainbow (you can paint a scene across all of them). Once dry, mix them up. The child has to put the sticks back in the correct order to reveal the image.
17. Rainbow Binoculars Tape two toilet paper rolls together. Wrap them in rainbow paper. Punch holes for a neck strap. Now your little explorers can go outside and look for leprechauns!
18. Cupcake Liner Flowers Flatten out colorful cupcake liners. Layer them from largest to smallest (if you have different sizes) or cut them to create a concentric rainbow flower.
19. Yarn Wrapped Rainbow Cut a rainbow shape from thick cardboard. Tape the start of a ball of red yarn to the back and have the child wrap the yarn around the cardboard arc. Switch colors as you move down. This takes time but produces a very sturdy, cozy-looking craft.
20. Rainbow Sponge Painting Cut a kitchen sponge into a rainbow shape. Dip the edge into stripes of paint. Let the child drag the sponge across the paper to create an instant rainbow arc.
Featured Tutorial: The 3D Pom-Pom Rainbow
Since we love crafts that build skills, here is a detailed guide on how to make one of our favorites from the list above.
Materials Needed:
- A piece of thick cardboard (a recycled cereal box works great).
- Pom-poms in Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, and Purple.
- Liquid school glue (Tacky glue is best).
- Cotton balls.
- Scissors.
Instructions:
- Prepare the Base: Cut the cardboard into a large arch shape. It doesn’t need to be perfect!
- Sort the Colors: Pour all the pom-poms onto the table. Ask your child to separate them into color piles. This is the first step of learning!
- The Glue Strategy: Apply a generous line of glue along the outer top edge of the cardboard arch.
- Red First: Have the child place the red pom-poms along the glue line. Press them down firmly.
- Repeat: Continue moving inward with Orange, Yellow, and so on, applying one line of glue at a time so it doesn’t dry out.
- The Clouds: Once the rainbow colors are done, apply a large dollop of glue at the bottom of both ends of the arch. Stick a cluster of white cotton balls there.
- Dry: Let it dry flat overnight.
Why this works: The texture of the soft pom-poms combined with the bright colors makes this a sensory delight for toddlers.
Featured Tutorial: The Rainbow Cloud Windsock
This is perfect for a breezy spring day.
Materials Needed:
- Blue cardstock or a paper plate.
- Crepe paper streamers (in rainbow colors).
- Black marker.
- Googly eyes.
- Glue stick and Stapler.
- String.
Instructions:
- The Cloud: Draw a large, fluffy cloud shape on the blue cardstock (or use a white paper plate cut in half).
- The Face: Give your cloud personality! Stick on googly eyes and draw a happy smile. You can even add pink cheeks with a crayon.
- The Streamers: Cut long strips of crepe paper. You will need one for each color of the rainbow.
- Attach: Flip the cloud over. Glue or staple the streamers to the bottom edge of the cloud. Make sure the order is correct (Red on the left, Violet on the right, or vice versa).
- Hang it: Punch a hole at the top of the cloud, tie a string, and hang it up. Watch the colors twirl in the wind!
Learning About Light: A Mini Science Lesson
While you are crafting, you can explain the science of rainbows to older kids.
Explain that light looks white, but it is actually made up of all colors. Raindrops act like tiny prisms (or mirrors). When sunlight hits a raindrop, it bends and reflects, splitting that white light into the beautiful colors we see.
Fun Fact: Did you know that no two people see the exact same rainbow? Because it depends on how the light bounces to your specific eye, everyone sees their own personal version of the rainbow!
Conclusion
Whether you are trying to trap a leprechaun for St. Patrick’s Day or just trying to brighten up a rainy Tuesday afternoon, these 20 Cute Rainbow Crafts are sure to bring joy to your home.
Crafting with your kids is about more than just the final product; it is about the time spent together, the conversations you have while the glue dries, and the pride they feel when they hang their creation on the fridge.