The Cutest Back to School Backpack Craft for Kids

If you’re searching for a super cute back to school craft, this paper backpack craft is perfect for that. Using construction paper, create a fun backpack craft that is also perfect for practicing name recognition.

This fun backpack craft looks so cute hanging on a wall or bulletin board once complete and uses basic materials that you already have at home or in a classroom.

For more fun back to school crafts for kids, be sure to also check out this fun back to school pencil craft or this fun ripped apple back to school craft.

Back to School Craft Tips for Success

• This craft has a lot of pieces and is one that can take a while. It is great for both older children and younger children, but I would prep the pieces one of three ways depending on what age children you are working with:
  • You can draw all of the shapes needed on different pieces of colored paper, and kids can choose which color of which piece they want and cut them out on their own. This is great for children who have decent cutting skills around age 4-6.
  • You can draw and cut out all of the shapes needed on different colored pieces of paper, and kids can choose which color of which piece they want and glue them down to make the backpack shape. They can work on writing their name on their own. This is great for ages 3-4.
  • You can make an example and tracers for each of the pieces. Tracers can be made with thick cardstock or cardboard. Kids can use the tracers to trace around each piece on their colored paper of choice and then cut out their paper pieces before gluing them all together to look like the example. This way works best with kids ages 5+
• For this craft, you will need construction paper, scissors, a glue stick, and markers. You can also add optional googly eyes and fun embellishments to the backpack, like stickers, once complete if desired.
• You can make the pocket fully functional like a real pocket in the front and stick the things like crayons, ruler, etc…coming out of the pocket OR you can just glue all of the materials like crayons, pencils, down and the pocket right on top. Both ways look great.

Backpack Craft for Kids

Materials:

• Construction Paper in Different Colors
• Scissors
• Glue Stick
• Marker
• Optional Embellishments:
  • Googly Eyes
  • Stickers

Directions:

1. Draw and cut out a rounded rectangle shape for the backpack base.
2. Cut out a semi-circle shape for the top flap of the backpack and glue it on top of the rectangle shape.

3. Cut out a smaller rounded rectangle for the pocket and glue it to the bottom of the backpack. Leave a little space at the top when you glue it down so you can glue the crayons and glue bottle down later.
4. Cut out a very small rounded rectangle for the buckle strap and glue it to the middle bottom of the backpack flap.

5. Cut out another rounded rectangle slightly smaller than the last. Then cut out the inside of it so it looks like the buckle and glue it to the buckle strap.
6. Cut out three paper strips, two longer and one slightly shorter, for the arm straps and hanging strap, and glue them to the back of the backpack. Glue one side and then gently fold the other over and down for the arm straps so they actually look like real arm straps.

7. Draw and cut out two to four small rectangles with points on one end for crayons. Slide the end under the top of the pocket and glue it down, sticking out of the pocket.
8. Draw and cut out a rounded white rectangle for the glue bottle, and slide the end under the top of the pocket on the other side and glue it down, sticking out of the pocket. Cut out a small rounded triangle from orange paper for the top of the glue bottle and glue it above the white piece of paper glue bottle base.

9. Cut out two white circles for the eyes and glue them to the top of the backpack flap to start the face. You can also use googly eyes for this instead if desired.
10. Then add your details with a marker. Add the stitching around the top backpack flap, add the stitching around the pocket, add the lines on the top of the crayons, add the black part of the eyes and a smile.
11. Last, have your child write their name on the pocket to complete this adorable backpack craft.

Additional Back to School Crafts and Activities

For more fun back to school crafts and activities, check out some of our favorites below:

• School Bus Name Recognition Craft – Using construction paper, create a school bus with windows that spell out your child’s name.
• Pencil Name Craft – Using construction paper, make rectangles that, when put together, spell your child’s name and make a pencil.
• Pencil Sensory Bin – Make a fun sensory bin in the shape of a pencil and use the free pencil printable to practice upper and lowercase letters with kids.