7 Dinosaur Crafts for Kids Ages 18-36 Months Without Scissors

Sometimes you want to say yes to a craft and you just don't want scissors in the mix. Maybe you're cooking at the same time, your toddler is already impatient, or you know five minutes of adult cutting is going to use up the attention span you were hoping to spend on the activity.

Paint, chunky crayons, torn paper, painter's tape, folded paper, cups, and paper bags give toddlers a lot to do without putting scissors on the table. A few of these need an adult to draw a big dinosaur or tear short tape strips first, but that's about it. Your toddler can get to the useful part quickly: scribbling, pressing, peeling, stamping, and opening up whatever they just made. You can usually sit down and start within a minute or two, which is a lot easier than asking a toddler to wait while you prepare their activity.

1. Tear-and-Press Dinosaur Skin

Draw a large dinosaur body on sturdy paper and give your toddler a few large sheets of colored construction paper. Help them tear off palm-sized pieces, then put glue on the dinosaur body and let them press the pieces down. Keep every piece large and immediately remove any little scraps that appear. The finished dinosaur can have patches, stripes, or completely random color blocks. If tearing frustrates your child, tear the first large piece together and let them focus on pressing. No scissors are needed at the table, and your toddler still gets to tear, place, and press the paper themselves.

Why it works: Tearing paper and pressing it down are both toddler-friendly jobs, and you can keep the pieces big.

Age range tweak:

• 18-24 months: Use two or three large pre-torn pieces and focus on pressing.
• 2-3 years: Let them tear palm-sized pieces with help and cover more of the dinosaur body.

2. Crayon Dinosaur Egg Fill

Draw one giant egg shape on a full sheet of paper and tape the corners down. Give your toddler a chunky crayon and let them fill the egg with loops, lines, dots, and broad scribbles. Add a second color only if they're still interested. When they're done, draw a simple crack line near the top and a little dinosaur face peeking out. Your toddler doesn't need to stay inside the egg or color it evenly. The big shape simply gives the scribbling a dinosaur theme and a clear place to work without any cutting or assembling.

Why it works: It's basically a coloring page with a dinosaur reason behind it, so setup is almost nothing.

Age range tweak:

• 18-24 months: Use one crayon and one giant egg.
• 2-3 years: Offer two or three colors and let them add marks inside and around the egg.

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3. Fingerpaint Dinosaur Tracks

Put a long sheet of paper on the table and add a few small puddles of washable finger paint near one end. Show your toddler how to make three-finger prints or whole-hand prints across the paper, then let them continue the trail however they want. You can draw a simple dinosaur at the end of the path after the paint dries. Keep a damp washcloth within reach and use only a small amount of paint at a time. The craft works with hands alone, so you aren't adding tools for them to cut, hold, or assemble.

Why it works: Once they see the trail forming, there's an obvious place for the next print.

Age range tweak:

• 18-24 months: Make a few whole-hand prints with close help.
• 2-3 years: Let them create a longer trail using fingers, palms, or alternating paint colors.

4. Painter's Tape Dinosaur Stripe Reveal

Draw a large dinosaur body on sturdy paper. Tear four or five short strips of painter's tape and place them across the body, folding one end of each strip into a chunky pull tab. Let your toddler color or paint over the paper, then help them peel the tape away to reveal clean stripes. Keep every tape strip short, stay close, and collect each loose piece as soon as it comes off. The reveal is the fun part, so there's no need to add more decoration afterward unless your child wants to.

Why it works: They get to color first and peel second, which can stretch one simple setup into two parts.

Age range tweak:

• 18-24 months: Use three short tape strips and help start every peel.
• 2-3 years: Use five strips and let them pull the tabs after coloring or painting.

5. Fold-and-Squish Dinosaur Paint

Fold a sheet of sturdy paper in half, then open it flat. Put two or three small dabs of washable paint on one side and fold the paper closed again. Let your toddler press, pat, and rub the folded paper with both hands. Open it together to reveal the mirrored paint shape. Once dry, draw a simple dinosaur head and tail around the paint blot. Your toddler gets to do the squishing and opening without scissors, glue pieces, or detailed assembly. Use only a little paint so it stays inside the folded paper.

Why it works: Squishing the folded page is easy, and opening it to see what happened is often enough to make them want another try.

Age range tweak:

• 18-24 months: Use one paint color and help open the folded page.
• 2-3 years: Use two colors and let them press different parts of the folded paper before opening it.

6. Paper Bag Dinosaur Scribble Puppet

Lay a plain paper lunch bag flat and give your toddler chunky crayons or washable markers with caps kept by the adult. Let them cover the bag with color, then draw a simple dinosaur face directly onto the flap. Add broad triangle shapes along the back with crayon rather than attaching separate pieces. Once the bag is decorated, put your hand inside and make the dinosaur open and close its mouth. Your child can take a turn if they want. The entire craft stays on one bag, so there's nothing to cut out or keep track of.

Why it works: They can color the bag, then play with it. You aren't doing a separate craft just to get a puppet.

Age range tweak:

• 18-24 months: Focus on broad scribbling while the adult adds the face.
• 2-3 years: Let them choose colors, add spots or lines, and help move the finished puppet.

7. Cup-Rim Dinosaur Egg Prints

Put a shallow amount of washable paint on a plate and give your toddler one sturdy plastic cup. Show them how to dip the rim lightly into the paint and press it onto a large sheet of paper to make big circles. Call the circles dinosaur eggs and let them fill the page. Keep the cup upright and wipe the rim if paint starts dripping. When the page dries, add a simple dinosaur face peeking from one or two circles with crayon. The same cup can make an entire page of egg shapes without any cutting or loose pieces.

Why it works: The same cup makes egg after egg, so they can repeat the motion without needing more supplies.

Age range tweak:

• 18-24 months: Help with dipping and make a few large circle prints.
• 2-3 years: Let them cover the page with circles and switch paint colors halfway through if they want.

The Bottom Line

Leaving scissors out can make toddler craft time much easier to start. They can get straight to scribbling, pressing paint, peeling tape, or opening a squishy paint picture.

Choose whatever sounds easiest in your house today. If all you've got in you is one sheet of paper and a chunky crayon, that still counts.

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One mom told us: "My toddler was losing it while I was trying to clean the kitchen. It seriously felt like I couldn't do anything!! The generator gave me 'Table Washing.' I handed him a spray bottle with water and a rag, pointed at the table. He sprayed and wiped for 20 minutes. And here's the thing - he was actually helping. The table was cleaner when he finished. He got to feel useful, I got to clean in peace."

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