8 Best Washi Tape ideas for crafting with kids!

So, you may have heard of washi tape or you may want to know what is washi tape and how can it be used. To explain simply, washi tape is a term is to describe decorative Japanese adhesive paper tape and it seems to be all the rage at the moment. Look towards Pinterest and you will see how crafters are using this tape in so many different and clever ways. It has even been used by mural artists to decorate entire buildings, both interior and exterior walls! Washi tape is like masking tape but it’s very durable and it comes in many different colours, patterns, textures and widths. It is very versatile, easy to find and it’s also inexpensive. What’s also great is that washi tape tears easily by hand and it doesn’t leave behind any sticky residue, which therefore makes it perfect for home décor or craft projects. Unlike masking tapes, they can be removed and re-used easily, while keeping the original surface in perfect conditions. The best quality “made in Japan” tapes, like MT masking tape, are also non-toxic and food safe. For these reasons, washi tape is also a great way of crafting with your children. So, once you have a nice collection of colours and patterns of washi tape, you can begin some crafts with your children. We will provide you with 8 ideas of how you can use your washi tape to get crafting with your kids.  

1. Car Track

Image by Le Jardin de Juliette

You don’t need to go out and purchase an expensive car track rug or even an expensive play table as you can create your own car track using washi tape. All you have to do is use the washi tape directly on the floor and design your own car track. Use different colours of washi tapes to create lots of different types of roads for your children to explore. Once your children get bored of it, you can simply lift it up off of the floor.

2. Pencils

Take some standard sharpened pencils, a pair of scissors and some washi tape. You now need to measure how much tape you need to cover the pencils. Take the washi tape and start to wrap it around the pencils to create your own fun and decorative set of pencils.

3. Dolls House

If you have an old bookcase then you can redesign this into a doll’s house by using washi tape. Simply place the book shelf against a wall. Using the washi tape on the wall, create a roof and a chimney on top of the bookshelf. Next to your new dolls house, you can add a tree or flowers out of washi tape to create a washi tape garden.

4. Chalkboard Schedule

If you don’t have a spare chalkboard but you want to create something similar then you’ll need to get some chalkboard paper. Cut this out into the shape of a chalkboard and attach this to the wall. You may write on it with a chalk and use the washi tape to highlight important information. If you don't have any chalkboard paper, you can always buy Chalkboard washi tape (what else?) and just tape up the area you want to use as a chalkboard! After that, you can decorate the borders with more colourful tapes and start using it for your notices or for the kids to start drawing!

5. Pen Case

Using an empty cardboard toilets tube, you can create some beautifully decorated bracelets or cuffs. Cut the toilet tube to size and decorate with the washi tape.

6. Wall Mural

Use a projector to create a silhouette onto a wall of whatever image you’ve chosen. Using the washi tape, cover the whole picture. Any tape that’s outside of the image outline will need trimming with a craft knife. You will now have created a stunning wall mural for a fraction of the cost of an actual mural.

7. Phone Covers

Even though there are so many phone covers available to purchase, it’s still tough finding one that suits exactly what you want. This is where washi tape can help. Select the colours and patterns of washi tape that you like and get creative by applying this washi tape on to the back of an existing phone cover.  

8. Hand Print

An easy but adorable craft project. On a piece of card, trace around your child’s hand. Now cut out the hand print and using washi tape, lay strips across the handprint which overlap the sides of the handprint. Now turn the handprint over and use a craft knife to remove any excess washi tape. Finally, select another piece of card and mount your handprint onto this card. You could also add a frame using the washi tape as a finishing touch.  

Here we have provided you with only 8 crafting ideas that you can enjoy completing with your children. This is just the tip of the iceberg and if you hunt around, you will soon see that there are so many crafts that you can do with your kids using washi tape.