There’s a reason sunflowers are one of the first flowers little ones learn to draw. A big happy circle, a ring of petals, a tall green stem. They’re cheerful and simple, and they turn their faces to follow the sun, which children always think is a bit like magic.
So they make a wonderful thing to craft together. Most of these use what you probably already have, like a paper plate, a few cotton balls, or the seeds from a snack.
Whether you’re a parent at your own kitchen table, a grandparent with the little ones over, a homeschool mama, or a teacher planning a summer lesson, these fifteen ideas are easy to set up and easy to clean up.
15 adorable sunflower crafts for kids
Here are fifteen simple sunflowers to make together, sorted loosely from the easiest little-hand projects to the ones older children will enjoy. So pick one for an afternoon, or work through several as the summer goes on.
1. Paper plate sunflower
Start with a paper plate for the center of the flower. First, have the little ones paint or color it brown, then glue a ring of yellow petals around the edge, cut from paper or torn from a page. Next, press a few real sunflower seeds into the middle, or dab on brown paint with a fingertip for the seeds.
A paper plate makes the sunflower nice and round without any tricky cutting. And if you’d like more, our easy paper plate crafts for kids has plenty to reach for.
2. Construction paper sunflower
Cut a brown circle for the center and a stack of yellow petals from construction paper. First, glue the petals in a ring on a sheet of paper, letting them overlap a little. Then press the brown circle on top of the petal ends, and add a green stem and two leaves below.
It’s a classic for a reason, and it gives little ones good scissor practice. Older children can cut their own petals, while younger ones glue down the shapes you’ve cut ahead.
3. Tissue paper sunflower
Cut or tear squares of yellow tissue paper for the petals. First, scrunch each square around the end of a pencil, then dab a bit of glue and press it onto a paper sunflower shape. Next, fill the center with scrunched brown tissue for a soft, bumpy middle.
The scrunching keeps busy hands happy for a good while. And the finished flower has a lovely fluffy texture that a flat craft just can’t match.
4. Handprint sunflower
Trace and cut several of your child’s handprints from yellow paper, or paint their hand and press it around in a ring. The fingers become the petals. Then glue the handprints in a circle, add a brown center, and finish with a green stem.
These little keepsakes are worth saving, since small hands grow so fast. You’ll find more like them in our sweet handprint crafts for kids.
5. Fork-painted sunflower
This one uses a plastic fork as the paintbrush. First, dip the back of the fork in yellow paint, then press it in a ring around a brown circle so each print becomes a petal. Next, add a green stem with a brush once the petals dry.
The fork makes neat little petal shapes with almost no effort, which delights younger children. And it’s a fun way to show them that you can paint with more than a brush.
6. Coffee filter sunflower
Flatten a coffee filter and let the little ones color it with yellow and orange markers. Then spritz it lightly with water and watch the colors bleed and blend together. Once it’s dry, pinch the center, glue on a brown circle, and add a stem.
The filter dries into soft, ruffled petals that look a little different every time. It’s a bit of quiet science, too, watching the water carry the color.
7. Popsicle stick sunflower
Paint a handful of popsicle sticks yellow and let them dry. Then arrange them like spokes around a small brown circle, gluing one end of each stick under the center. Finally, add a longer green stick or a paper stem at the bottom.
The sticks give the flower a sturdy, sunny shape that stands up well on the fridge. This is a nice one for children who like building something with a bit of structure.
8. Sunflower seed art
This craft uses real sunflower seeds, so it’s a good one after a snack. First, draw a simple sunflower outline on cardstock. Then brush glue over the center and let the little ones press seeds into it, filling the middle the way a real sunflower does. Next, color or add paper petals around the outside.
Beyond the fun, it’s a gentle way to talk about where seeds come from and how flowers grow. Just keep an eye on the very youngest, since small seeds and little mouths don’t mix.
9. Sunflower Mother’s Day craft
A sunflower makes a sweet gift, so this one turns the craft into a keepsake. First, make any sunflower from this list, then write a little message in the center or on a leaf, something like “you are my sunshine.” Finally, glue it to a folded card or a craft-stick frame.
Sunflowers mean warmth and happiness, which makes them a lovely thing to give. A grandparent or a teacher would treasure one just as much as a mama would.
10. Sunflower bookmark craft
Cut a long strip of cardstock for the bookmark base. First, glue a small sunflower at the top, made from a brown circle and a ring of little yellow petals. Then add a green stem running down the strip, and a leaf or two along the side.
It’s a handy craft that gets used long after summer, tucked into a favorite storybook. Older children can make a whole set to give to friends.
11. TP roll sunflower craft
Save an empty toilet paper roll and flatten it, then snip it into rings to use as petal stamps. First, dip a ring in yellow paint and press it around a circle to print the petals. Then fill the center with brown paint and a few seed dots.
It’s a good use for those cardboard tubes that always seem to pile up on the counter. Our cute toilet paper roll crafts for kids has more ideas if your collection is growing.
12. Leaf sunflower
Gather some leaves on a walk, or use paper ones if it’s not the season. First, arrange the leaves in a ring for the petals and glue them down. Then add a brown circle in the center, pressing on real seeds or brown paper.
Using real leaves makes each flower one of a kind, and it turns a craft into a little nature hunt first. Our fun leaf crafts for kids has more ideas if your little ones love gathering as much as gluing.
13. Fingerprint sunflower
This one needs almost nothing but a stamp pad or a bit of paint. First, draw a brown circle and a green stem on paper. Then let the little ones press yellow fingerprints in a ring around the center for the petals, and brown ones in the middle for the seeds.
Tiny fingerprints make the sweetest petals, and no two are ever alike. It’s a favorite for toddlers who aren’t quite ready for scissors.
14. Sunflower life cycle craft
This craft teaches while it makes. First, fold a paper into four sections, or make four little circles. Then in each one, help the children show a stage, a seed, a sprout, a green plant, and finally the tall sunflower in bloom.
It’s a lovely one for a homeschool or classroom lesson, and it sticks better than a worksheet because they made it themselves. Older children can label each stage as they go.
15. Sunflower suncatcher craft
Save this pretty one for last. First, cut the center from a paper plate to make a ring, then tape a piece of clear contact paper across the hole, sticky side up. Next, press on torn bits of yellow and orange tissue, and add petals around the ring. Finally, hang it in a sunny window.
When the light comes through, the tissue glows like a real sunflower catching the sun. It’s the kind of craft the little ones will check on all day.
why kids love a good sunflower craft
Sunflower crafts are easy to love. They’re simple to make, they use very little, and they turn out cheerful almost every time, even when the petals end up glued on a bit crooked.
They’re also a nice way to talk about the season and how things grow. So as you cut and glue, you can chat about how a tiny seed becomes a flower taller than they are, and how sunflowers turn to follow the sun across the sky.
And they fit right in with the rest of summer. So if your afternoons are already full of making, our fun nature crafts for kids and these easy summer crafts for kids are easy ones to keep going with once the sunflowers are done.
simple supplies to keep on hand
Most of these crafts pull from the same short list, so once you’ve gathered a few things, you’re set for the whole afternoon. Yellow and brown paper or paint cover nearly all of them, along with glue, child-safe scissors, and a paper plate or two.
Beyond that, the fun comes from what’s already around the house. Save a cardboard tube, a coffee filter, a plastic fork, and a handful of popsicle sticks, and you’ll have most of these sunflowers covered.
Then, for the ones that use real seeds or leaves, keep a small bag of sunflower seeds in the cupboard and gather a few leaves on your next walk. Most of the rest is probably already sitting in your craft drawer.
tips for crafting with little ones
A little prep ahead of time goes a long way. So before you sit down, cut out the petals and the trickier shapes, and then the children can get right to the gluing and coloring.
From there, keep it simple and let the fun lead. The point isn’t a perfect sunflower. It’s the time together, the petals glued on a little crooked, the yellow paint that ends up on ten small fingers.
And a bit of mess is just part of it, so don’t fuss over keeping things tidy. If you’d like more ideas that use what’s already in the recycling bin, our easy recycled crafts for kids is another good one for a summer day.
pick one sunflower craft to try this week
So pick the one that fits your supplies and the ages around your table, set it out, and let the little ones make something cheerful this week. You don’t need to do all fifteen. Just one good idea and a little glue is plenty.
The craft is fun on its own, but the time you spend together is the part that tends to stay with them.
sew and tell
If your little ones make a sunflower or two from this list, I’d love to see how they turned out. Leave a photo in the comments when you have a minute, or send one along our way.
The bright crooked petals and the fingerprint centers are my favorite part. And if you’re alright with it, yours might show up here on the site to cheer on other families crafting at their own kitchen tables. There’s no pressure. Just a friendly little invitation if you’d like to share.
Get the FREE Jesus Feeds the 5000 Craft
Don’t let your kids just hear the miracle—help them watch it unfold.
With this free Jesus Feeds the 5000 craft, kids color and build a little basket, then turn the wheel to watch five loaves and two fish become baskets overflowing. A pull-through story strip walks them through all five steps, each with a verse from John 6.
frequently asked questions
what age are sunflower crafts best for?
Most of these work well for toddlers through early elementary. The fingerprint, handprint, and fork-painted sunflowers are gentle starting points for the littlest ones, while the suncatcher, bookmark, and life cycle crafts suit older children who can manage a few more steps.
what supplies do I need for sunflower crafts?
Mostly basics you likely already have, like yellow and brown paper or paint, glue, and child-safe scissors. A paper plate, a coffee filter, or a handful of real sunflower seeds will cover the few that need something extra.
how long do these crafts take?
Most take about fifteen to twenty minutes once your supplies are out. And if you cut the petals ahead of time, the little ones can finish even quicker and still have time to play with what they made.
are sunflower crafts good for a classroom or group?
Yes, they’re lovely for a group. The paper plate, construction paper, and fingerprint sunflowers are easy to set up for a whole table of children, and the life cycle craft ties in nicely with a lesson on how plants grow.
how do I keep real sunflower seeds from spoiling on a craft?
Let the glue dry fully, then keep the finished craft somewhere dry and out of humidity. Raw seeds last a long time once they’re dry, though it’s best to use plain seeds rather than salted or oiled ones, which can leave marks on the paper.
