Cardboard Tube Scarecrow Family for Kids

This cardboard tube scarecrow family turns empty toilet paper and paper towel rolls into little scarecrows with straw hair and paper hats. Wrap each tube in a shirt color, draw a face, and glue on straw hair and a hat. It takes about 25 minutes per scarecrow. Ages 4 and up can build one, with an adult handling the scissors.

What supplies do you need?

• Cardboard tubes: toilet paper rolls for the shorter family members, paper towel rolls for the tall ones
• Construction paper in shirt colors, plus colors for hats
• Yellow yarn, raffia, or shredded yellow paper for the straw hair
• Craft glue or a glue stick
• Washable markers or crayons
• Child-safe scissors
• Clear tape
• A shallow tray or a piece of cardboard to stand the family on
• Cardboard circles, one per scarecrow (cut from a cereal box), to use as bases so the hats cannot tip them over

One paper towel roll cut in half gives you two tall scarecrows, so save your tubes for a week and you will have a whole family.

How do you make it?

1. For each scarecrow, cut a rectangle of construction paper as tall as the tube and wide enough to wrap around it with a small overlap. Glue it around the tube for the shirt. An adult can pre-cut rectangles for younger kids.
2. Draw a face on the upper third of the tube: two dot eyes, a triangle nose, and a stitched smile made of short dashes.
3. Cut 8 to 10 strands of yellow yarn about 3 inches long. Glue a row of strands across the top of the tube so the ends stick out like straw hair, and press for 30 seconds so they hold.
4. Make a hat by cutting a half-circle of construction paper, rolling it into a cone, and taping the edge. Glue the hat on top of the straw hair, tilted a little to one side.
5. Cut two arm rectangles from construction paper and glue them to the sides, angled outward. Glue a few short yarn strands to the ends of the arms as straw hands.
6. Glue each finished scarecrow to a cardboard circle base so the top-heavy hats cannot tip the tall ones over. Stand the family on the tray: full paper towel rolls make the parents, toilet paper rolls make the kids. Let everything dry for 10 minutes before moving them around for play.

What ages is this best for?

Ages 4 to 6 can wrap, draw, and glue with an adult cutting the tubes and rectangles. Ages 7 and up can do the whole build independently, including rolling the cone hats. Toddlers love playing with the finished family but should not handle the yarn strands unsupervised, so this one is best as a look-and-play activity for the littlest ones.

How do you keep it safe?

An adult cuts the paper towel rolls, since the thick cardboard needs strong scissors and real pressure. Glue sticks are the safest adhesive for small hands; if you use liquid craft glue, an adult should dispense it. Keep yarn strands away from children under 3, who can wrap them around fingers or necks. Store finished scarecrows out of reach of toddlers for the same reason.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What ages is the scarecrow family best for?

Ages 4 to 6 wrap, draw, and glue while you cut the tubes and rectangles. Ages 7 and up build the whole scarecrow independently, including rolling the cone hats. Toddlers love playing with the finished family but should not handle yarn strands unsupervised, so keep the craft table a look-and-play zone for the littlest ones.

How messy is this craft?

Low mess. Glue sticks keep little fingers clean, and the only trimmings are small construction paper offcuts. Cut the yarn strands over a tray so they do not scatter across the table. Keep a damp cloth nearby for marker smudges on hands. The whole family assembles on one tray, which contains every supply and every finished scarecrow in one place.

How long does each scarecrow take?

Each scarecrow takes about 25 minutes, so a family of three fits in just over an hour. Let everything dry for 10 minutes before the kids move the scarecrows around for play. Pre-cutting the paper rectangles and yarn strands saves 10 minutes per scarecrow if you are crafting with a group or a classroom.

What safety tips should parents know?

An adult cuts the paper towel rolls, since the thick cardboard needs strong scissors and real pressure. If you use liquid craft glue, an adult should dispense it; glue sticks are the safest pick for small hands. Keep yarn strands away from children under 3, who can wrap them around fingers or necks. Glue each tube to a cardboard circle base so the top-heavy hats cannot tip the tall scarecrows over.

Be safe and have fun!