You know that pile of kid artwork that’s too cute to toss but too big to keep? Yeah, me too. That’s why I love crafts that pull double duty—bookmarks and magnets keep the fun alive without turning your fridge into a paper avalanche.
These 29 ideas are stupidly easy. Most use stuff you already have hiding in the junk drawer. Let’s get glue on our fingers and make something that actually earns its keep.
1. Popsicle Stick Critter Bookmarks
Grab a handful of popsicle sticks and paint them in bright colors. Add googly eyes and little felt ears to turn each stick into a monster, cat, or fox.
2. Button Magnets That Pop
Dig through your button jar for the funkiest shapes. Glue a small magnet on the back of each button using super glue (you handle that part). Your kid can arrange them into a smiley face on the fridge.
Buttons are slippery little guys, so let the glue dry flat for an hour. I learned that after finding three buttons stuck to the kitchen floor. Use strong craft magnets so they actually hold up that school permission slip.
My daughter made a whole rainbow of button magnets last Tuesday. She now “charges” them on the fridge every morning like tiny robots.
3. Fingerprint Bookmark Animals
Press your child’s thumb onto an ink pad and stamp it onto a strip of cardstock. Turn the thumbprint into a ladybug or bumblebee with a black marker for legs and antennae.
Laminate the strip or cover it with clear packing tape so it survives backpack duty. These make awesome last-minute gifts for grandparents.
4. Cereal Box Monster Magnets
Flatten a cereal box and cut out monster shapes—think sharp teeth, three eyes, and wild hair. Paint them with leftover acrylics and glue a magnet on the back.
Let your kid go nuts with glitter glue for extra personality. One of ours looked like a purple blob with seventeen eyes, and I love it. Slap that magnet on the fridge and watch visitors try to name the creature.
The best part? You recycle a box that was heading for the bin anyway. Cut out a few shapes at once so you have a monster family.
We once made an entire monster army and staged a “fridge takeover” while making dinner. My son still gives them orders like “Guard the cheese!”
5. Washi Tape Corner Bookmarks
Fold a square of cardstock diagonally to make a triangle pocket. Cover the outside with crisscrossing washi tape in stripes or dots. Trim the edges so they’re neat.
These slide right onto the corner of a page. No glue, no drying time—just peel and stick. Perfect for impatient kids who want results in under two minutes.
My nephew made six of these in one sitting and handed them out to his friends like trading cards. Use different tape patterns so each bookmark feels unique. For a magnet version, just glue a tiny magnet inside the pocket before sealing it.
6. Salt Dough Handprint Magnets
Mix 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup salt, and 1/2 cup water into a dough. Press your kid’s hand flat into the dough and cut around it with a butter knife. Bake at 200°F for two hours.
Once cool, paint the handprint and glue a magnet on the back. These are heavy, so use a strong rare-earth magnet. Fair warning: your child will want to make one for every relative.
We still have a green handprint from 2020 that looks vaguely like Shrek’s cousin. Paint it with a clear sealant so the salt doesn’t weep when the fridge gets humid.
7. Paperclip and Bead Bookmark
Slide a colorful paperclip through a few pony beads. The beads stop the paperclip from sliding off the page. That’s it—you’re done.
This takes twelve seconds and works for toddlers who can’t handle scissors. Clip it onto the top corner of a book and it stays put. No glue, no mess, no crying.
8. Bottle Cap Magnets With Photos
Save those metal bottle caps from soda or juice. Glue a small circle photo of your kid inside (trim a printed picture). Fill the cap with clear resin or Mod Podge, then add a magnet on the back.
They look like tiny homemade pins. My fridge now has a row of these showing every silly face my kids have made since preschool. Use waterproof glue if the caps will live near the sink.
Let the Mod Podge dry overnight or you’ll get a cloudy mess. Trust me on that one. Arrange them in a line to make a funny timeline of haircuts and missing teeth.
9. Origami Fox Corner Bookmark
Fold a square of orange paper into a basic origami corner bookmark (it’s just a few folds). Draw on white triangle cheeks and black nose tips to make a fox face.
Slip it onto the page corner and it peeks out like a little friend. There are a zillion YouTube tutorials for this—watch one with your kid. Use thin paper so it doesn’t bulk up your book.
10. Puzzle Piece Magnets
Find that jigsaw puzzle with missing pieces (you know the one). Paint each piece with neon colors or cover them in glitter. Glue a magnet on the back.
These look awesome scattered randomly on the fridge. My kids like to rearrange them into abstract art every few days. Hot glue works best because puzzle plastic can be slippery.
If you don’t have a broken puzzle, ask a neighbor. Everyone has that one thrift-store puzzle missing four pieces. Paint a set of five and give them as a homemade gift.
11. Duct Tape Strip Bookmarks
Cut a 6-inch strip of duct tape and fold it sticky-side to sticky-side, leaving a 1-inch sticky tab at the top. Wrap the tab around the top of a page like a little flag.
Use patterned duct tape—dinosaurs, unicorns, tie-dye. They’re waterproof and nearly indestructible. My son’s duct tape bookmark survived a trip through the washing machine.
Make a matching magnet by folding a tiny strip into a square and sticking a magnet inside the fold. Then you’ve got a set.
12. Egg Carton Caterpillar Magnets
Cut a single cup from an egg carton and paint it green. Glue on two googly eyes and pipe cleaner antennae. Add a magnet to the flat bottom.
Line up several cups to make a whole caterpillar family. Use acrylic paint because tempera will flake off the carton’s waxy surface.
We made a dozen of these during a rainy afternoon. They now live on the fridge door, and my toddler kisses them goodnight. For a bookmark version, glue a small paperclip to the back instead of a magnet.
13. Foam Shape Bookmarks
Cut a rectangle from craft foam (any color). Let your kid stick on foam stickers—stars, hearts, letters. Punch a hole at the top and tie a ribbon through it.
Foam doesn’t tear, so these last forever. No lamination needed. Slip the ribbon between pages to mark your spot.
My niece made one that says “READ” in wobbly letters. She uses it for her library books and gets compliments from the librarian.
14. Clothespin Animal Magnets
Take a wooden clothespin and paint it like a giraffe, zebra, or ladybug. Glue a small magnet to the back of the clothespin’s flat side.
These clip onto fridge notes or school reminders. The painted face peeks out from the top like a tiny animal watching you cook. Use washable paint so you can redo it when your kid changes their mind.
We have a clothespin dinosaur that holds up the grocery list. He looks grumpy, which fits the mood of Monday mornings.
15. Yarn Tassel Bookmarks
Wrap yarn around a small book (say, 20 times) and tie it at the top. Cut the bottom loops to make a tassel. Thread a bead onto the top string and knot it.
Attach the tassel to a ribbon, then glue the ribbon inside a folded piece of felt. The felt acts as the bookmark anchor while the tassel hangs out.
My daughter made a neon pink one that she calls “The Fluffy Saver.” It’s obnoxious and perfect. You can make a mini tassel for a magnet by gluing it directly onto a flat magnet base.
16. CD Case Magnets
Crack open an old CD case and pop out the clear plastic tray. Cut the tray into small squares with strong scissors (you might need to help). Glue a magnet on the back.
Sandwich a tiny drawing or photo between two plastic squares with a dab of glue. These look like mini picture frames. They’re great for displaying your kid’s stick-figure family portraits.
I saved a case from a scratched Radiohead CD. Now it holds a drawing of our cat riding a unicorn. Art.
17. Paper Straw Bookmarks
Flatten a colorful paper straw and cut it into a 5-inch piece. Tape a small ribbon loop to one end. Slide the straw over the page corner like a sleeve.
Paper straws have fun stripes and dots. No glue needed—just a piece of tape and two seconds. When it gets bent, recycle it and make another.
We made a whole batch during a playdate. The kids called them “reading straws” and pretended to drink the words. Whatever works.
18. Pom-Pom Animal Magnets
Glue two small pom-poms together (one big, one small). Add felt ears and tiny googly eyes to make a bunny or bear. Glue a magnet onto the back pom-pom.
These are fluffy and ridiculous. Use tacky glue because hot glue will melt the pom-pom fibers. Let them dry for an hour before sticking to the fridge.
My son made a pom-pom monster with three mismatched eyes. It looks like a dust bunny that came to life, and I genuinely love it.
19. Index Card Doodle Bookmarks
Give your kid an index card and a set of markers. Let them draw anything—a robot, a flower, a squiggly mess. Laminate it with packing tape on both sides.
That’s the whole craft. Seriously. Cheap and fast. Punch a hole and add a string if you’re feeling fancy.
I have an index card from 2018 that says “MOM IS BEST” in shaky capitals. It still marks my spot in cookbooks.
20. Rock Magnets From The Driveway
Wash a few smooth pebbles and let them dry. Paint them as ladybugs, owls, or just polka dots. Glue a magnet on the flat side.
These feel surprisingly nice to touch. Use outdoor Mod Podge as a sealer so the paint doesn’t chip when kids rearrange them. My fridge now has a small rock garden that defies gravity.
We collected rocks from a park trip, and now every time I open the fridge I remember that afternoon. That’s the secret sauce—crafts with memories attached.
21. Plastic Lid Bookmarks
Save a yogurt or sour cream lid. Cut it into a long rectangle (adult job—those edges can be sharp). Let your kid cover it with stickers or washi tape.
The smooth plastic slides easily between pages. No lamination needed. Punch a hole and add a ribbon if you want to get fancy.
We used a blue lid from a tub of Greek yogurt. Now it’s a “spaceship bookmark” with star stickers. My kid insists it flies through the chapters.
22. Ribbon Scrap Magnets
Grab those leftover ribbon bits from gift wrapping. Cut a 2-inch piece and glue the ends to a flat magnet so it forms a loop. Stack several loops in different colors.
They look like tiny party streamers stuck to the fridge. Use fabric glue so the ribbon doesn’t peel off. Arrange them into a rainbow or just go chaotic.
I made a set of five in about four minutes while waiting for coffee to brew. Instant gratification for impatient crafters.
23. Felt Fruit Bookmarks
Cut a felt circle for a lemon or a strawberry shape. Sew or glue on tiny seeds using beads or small felt dots. Attach a ribbon tail that hangs out of the book.
Felt doesn’t fray, so no hemming needed. Hot glue works fast but watch little fingers. These look adorable peeking out of a novel.
My daughter made a watermelon slice bookmark that’s thicker than the actual book. She doesn’t care—she loves it.
24. Cardboard Tube Monsters
Flatten a toilet paper roll and cut it into 1-inch wide rings. Paint each ring a different color and glue on googly eyes. Add a magnet to the back of each ring.
Stack the rings on the fridge to build a tower monster. They’re also great for counting practice. My son likes to sort them by color before breakfast.
We have a whole army of these living on the dishwasher door. They watch me load plates with judgmental little eyes.
25. Alphabet Bead Bookmarks
String a few alphabet beads onto a piece of elastic cord. Tie the ends together to form a loop. Slip the loop over the page corner.
Spell out “READ” or your kid’s name. Use letter beads from any craft store. This takes sixty seconds and zero drying time.
My niece made one that says “NO.” She uses it to mark the boring parts of her homework. Smart kid.
26. Coffee Filter Tie-Dye Magnets
Flatten a coffee filter and let your kid color it with washable markers. Spray it lightly with water so the colors bleed together. Let it dry, then cut out a circle and glue a magnet on the back.
Each one looks like a tiny tie-dye galaxy. Use a paper towel underneath because the marker will stain your table. We learned that the hard way.
These are so lightweight that even a small magnet works. Stick them in a cluster for a rainbow explosion on your fridge door.
27. Leather Scrap Bookmarks
Cut a thin strip of faux leather (or an old belt) into a 6×2 inch rectangle. Punch a hole at the top and thread a small tassel made from embroidery floss.
Leather looks fancy but costs nothing if you’re upcycling. No glue or paint needed—just scissors and a hole punch. My husband’s old belt now marks my thriller novels.
Your kid can stamp initials onto the leather using alphabet stamps. It feels like a secret agent ID for books.
28. Shrinky Dink Magnets
Trace a small drawing onto shrink plastic (sold at craft stores). Color it with permanent markers and bake per the instructions. It shrinks to about 1/3 the size. Glue a magnet on the back.
Watching it curl and flatten in the oven is half the fun. Use fine-grit sandpaper to rough up the plastic so the marker sticks. My kids shriek every time it shrinks—pure magic.
We made shrinky dink dinosaurs that are now the size of a penny. They live on the fridge next to the grocery coupons.
29. No-Sew Felt Pocket Bookmarks
Cut two felt rectangles the same size. Glue three edges together to make a pocket that slips over the page corner. Decorate the front with felt shapes and a magnet inside the pocket.
The pocket holds a tiny note or a sticker. Use fabric glue and let it dry overnight. This is the most advanced craft on the list, but a patient 7-year-old can handle it.
My daughter made one for her best friend with a secret compartment for a candy wrapper. The friend still uses it two years later. That’s the kind of win that makes all the glue sticks worth it.
So there you go—29 ways to turn a messy afternoon into something your kid will actually use. Pick three or four that match your child’s energy level and raid the recycling bin.
The best part? You’ll never buy another overpriced bookmark from a school book fair again. Well, maybe one. Those scratch-and-sniff ones are still pretty tempting.
Now go get sticky. Your fridge is waiting for its new art gallery.