18 Splendid Boat Crafts for Kids to Make

Row, row, row your boat and see if you can make it float with these awesome boat crafts for kids. This collection of how to make a boat ideas for kids are full of easy boat making crafts that are sea-worthy…or at least bathtub-worthy! Kids of all ages will have fun making homemade boats.

18 boat crafts for kids to make - 6 ways how to make a boat pictured in a collage including sponge boat crafts, folded paper boats, wax boats, cork boat crafts and more - Kids Activities Blog — Oh so many ways to make a boat…that may or may not float!

Boats for Kids to Make…I mean build!

What child doesn’t love designing a boat craft, decorating and trying to float a boat a that they’ve made from scratch? Building boat crafts are one of those classic summer activities that every kid has to try!

We have found our favorite boat crafts for kids to make this summer! These DIY boat ideas are easy and inexpensive, using materials you have around the home! Your kids will love building these boats, and then the best part – seeing if they can set them afloat in a sink, pool or pond!

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DIY Boat Crafts for Kids

Check all these ways how to make a boat with supplies you likely already have for really fun ideas to spend a summer afternoon.

1. How To Make A Boat from Duct Tape & Sponges

2 sponge and duct tape boats floating in a wash tub outside on the lawn from The Craft Train — Look at those sponge boats float!

Duct tape and sponge boats – the kids will love floating these around the bathtub!

2. How To Make A Paper Boat That Floats

juice box boat craft from Hands on as We Grow - shown in a water tub floating — Make a boat from a juice box!

Float a juice-box boat around the kiddy pool! What a fun, little upcycling project!

3. Craft Boats Made with Wax

Wax-Boats-for-Kids-from Housing a Forest - two children blowing on wax boats floating in a metal tub in the yard — This traditional wax boat craft for kids start from a favorite snack!

You won’t believe what these sweet little wax boats are made from!

4. Build a Paper Boat Today

paper boat craft based on nursery rhyme from Kids Activities Blog — What a cute paper boat craft for kids with nursery rhyme characters made of cork.

Send the owl and the pussy cat off to sea in this cute, little pea green boat.

5. How To Make A Boat Out Of Paper

How-to-make-a-paper-boat-Kids-Activities-Blog - paper boat floating in dark blue waters — The traditional paper boat craft we all folded as kids!

A childhood just isn’t complete without making a simple but classic paper boat craft.

Related: Make this simple origami boat

6. DIY Cork Boat

cork sailboats with sparkly sails from mama-papa-bubba — Let’s make a sailboat out of cork!

These sparkly cork boats are so easy to make, and they look so pretty!

Great Boat Crafts for Preschoolers

recycled sail boat, applesauce cup boat, plastic tug boat — Easy boat crafts even preschoolers can make.

7. Easy Sailboat Crafts For Kids

Mayflower boat craft for kids from Fantastic Fun and Learning - two children watching boat they built that looks like the Mayflower float in a kiddie pool in front yard — Let’s make a sailboat like the Mayflower.

A simple sailboat is fun to decorate, and makes good use of your recyclables.

8. Let’s Make a Mayflower Craft

2 tug boats that are propelled by rubber bands from Red Ted Art — Let’s make a tug boat that works on rubber band power!

These mini-Mayflowers are the perfect for floating around in the water-table.

9. DIY Tug Boat

cardboard canoe, sponge pirate ship, milk jug sailboats

Make a self-propelled tug boat with a plastic container and a few simple supplies.

Kids Boat Crafts

10. DIY Canoe

Older kids will love making and decorating these tiny cardboard canoes. These boat project ideas are great for budding ship builders.

11. Let’s Build a Pirate Ship Craft

Arrrr, Matey! A sponge pirate ship makes bath-time fun. Great for kids of all ages to build a boat that floats at bathtime.

12. Traditional Milk Carton Boat Craft

Milk or juice carton boats are perfect for small stuffies to sail away in!

Oh the Many Ways to Build a Boat with Kids

3 homemade boats for kids to make — Creative boat builds for kids.

13. Traditional Walnut Boat Craft

These adorable walnut boats would be fun for racing down a stream.

14. How To Make A Boat Out Of Popsicle Sticks

Personalize a simple paper row-boat complete with oars and all.

Related: Add these ideas to your nautical themed party!

15. Homemade Boat Made from a Tin Pan

Make a tin-pan sailboat and watch it float down a tin-foil river!

DIY Boat Toys Kids Can Make

cardboard sailboat, paper plate ship, laundry basket boat — Boats without water ideas.

16. How To Make A Cardboard Boat

This cardboard sailboat can be made in miniature or large enough for a little one to play in.

17. DIY Basket Boat

A laundry basket sailboat provides endless pretend-play opportunities.

18. How to Build a Pilgrim Boat

A fun and easy tutorial how to make a paper ship can be easily decorated to suit any nautical theme. OK, we admit that this boat is not going to float, but it is a fun boat art piece!

19. Let’s Build a Viking Longboat

This longboat may not be seaworthy, but follow along how to make a Viking longboat that you can play with on land.

Ship Ahoy!

Love These Boat Crafts? More Fun Ideas from Kids Activities Blog

Making paper boats are fun, but we also have other summer activities for kids!
Stay cool with these fizzing ice science experiments.
Looking for simple things to do in the summer? We got you covered!
We have 25 summer activities for preschoolers!
Wondering what to do when your kids are bored this summer? You’ll want to check out Camp Mom!
We have over 50 fun camp inspired activities for kids.
Sharks are a fun summer animal! We always think about them when we are out in the ocean and shark week! So enjoy these shark crafts for preschool kids.
You’ll love these cool crafts! They all involve ice!
Check out these easy toddler crafts!
What about these Popsicle stick crafts?
Take a look at these cork diy crafts for kids! They’re so cute.

Which DIY boat are you going to make first?