23 DIY Emoji Crafts For Every Age And Occasion

Eleanor Gustard
Mar 21, 2024 By Eleanor Gustard
Originally Published on Jun 18, 2020
Edited by Anusuya Mukherjee
Fact-checked by Ijeoma Asuoha
A person holding up a yellow emoji craft in front of their face.
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Age: 0-99
Read time: 9.9 Min



Explore the playful universe of emoji crafts, where every craft celebrates the digital icons that have quickly become a universal language of expression. Emojis, those small graphical icons, have seeped into your daily communications, becoming an integral part of your online communication.

They offer a quick, effective way to express thoughts and feelings where words alone may fall short. Crafting with emojis helps everyone, kids and adults alike, to express their feelings in a way you can see and touch.

These fun crafts are more than just a passing trend; they mix the new world of tech with tradition, connecting what you see on screens to what you can hold in your hands. Emoji crafts provide an excellent platform for teaching and learning, forging connections between visual symbols and real-world activities.

Whether it’s an educational setting or a leisurely afternoon at home, these emoji-inspired projects encourage the development of fine motor skills, foster creativity, and offer an enjoyable way to engage in hands-on learning about emotions, social cues, and digital literacy.

Consider the endless array of emojis at your fingertips each one can be made into a colorful, 3D work of art. The sheer variety ensures that there is an emoji for every mood and every occasion, from the classic smiley faces to the more complex representations of animals, food, and diverse activities.

These icons serve as the perfect inspiration for an array of crafts, from the simplicity of paper-based projects to more elaborate endeavors involving textiles or mixed media. Through the creation of these crafts, the abstract becomes concrete, and the impersonal icons you swipe on your screen come to life in vivid, playful forms.

As you delve into the world of emoji crafts, imagine transforming your favorite yellow-faced expressions into unique decorative items or wearable art. Picture emoji ornaments adding cheer to a celebratory setting, emoji masks eliciting giggles at a themed gathering, or emoji pencil holders brightening a student's desk.

For those looking for interactive and functional creations, emoji stress balls serve as a whimsical way to ease tension while doubling as charming desk accessories.

Whether you're planning to host an emoji-themed party or simply infuse some lighthearted fun into your crafting routine, let's explore the boundless opportunities to bring emojis off the screen and into the delightful realm of DIY emoji crafts.

DIY Emoji Ornaments

A heart-eyes emoji craft ornament hanging on a Christmas tree.

Turn your love for emojis into a year-round celebration by creating unique DIY emoji ornaments. Start by selecting your favorite emojis and downloading a free template for each desired shape. Using basic craft materials like colored paper or felt, cut out the emoji shapes and add distinctive features to bring each face to life.

Whether you're using them to decorate your home or to add a personal touch to festive occasions, these ornaments will infuse your space with a cheerful vibe. Simple, fun, and full of character, DIY emoji ornaments are a joyful addition to any environment.

Emoji Pencil Holders

Recycled cans painted yellow with various emoji faces serving as pencil holders, a creative emoji craft for organizing stationery.

Crafts that combine fun with function are always a great idea, and making emoji pencil holders is an excellent example of this. Begin by gathering clean tin cans, colored construction paper, and a glue gun. Cover the cans with paper in vibrant yellow, the iconic emoji color, then cut out facial features from black or red paper to recreate classic emoji expressions.

Older children will delight in selecting and crafting their favorite emoji looks, while the handy glue gun ensures everything stays in place. These emoji pencil holders are not only enjoyable to make but also serve a practical purpose, making them a standout project for families.

Personalized Emoji Keychains

Creating Personalized Emoji Keychains is a fantastic craft idea that is both fun and functional. Begin by choosing your preferred emoji designs that resonate with your personality or as a thoughtful gift for someone special. Utilize craft foam or durable felt as your base material, cutting it into the desired emoji shapes with precision.

Add details such as facial expressions with paint markers or permanent markers, ensuring the characteristics of each emoji are captured artistically. Once the design is complete, punch a hole at the top and attach a key ring. These keychains are not only expressive and unique accessories but also serve as charming tokens of your crafting skill.

Emoji Magnets

Quick and easy to make, emoji magnets add a pop of fun to your refrigerator or magnetic board. They're perfect for holding up notes or just for decoration. You'll need yellow polymer clay, acrylic paint (black, white, red, etc.), small magnets, glue and an oven (for baking the clay).

Preheat your oven according to the polymer clay package instructions. Shape the yellow polymer clay into small, flat circles for the emoji faces. Bake the clay circles in the oven as directed on the package. Allow them to cool after baking. Paint emoji expressions on the clay circles using acrylic paint. Let them dry. Glue a small magnet to the back of each clay circle. Once the glue is dry, your emoji magnets are ready to use.

Emoji Pillows

Two plush emoji crafts smiling out of a box with a vibrant emoji pattern on it.

Soft, cuddly, and expressive, emoji pillows can brighten up any room. Choose your favorite emojis and turn them into huggable decorations or gifts. Get fabric of various colors for emoji features (yellow, black, white, etc.), scissors, glue or a sewing kit, and pillow stuffing.

Proceed to cut two large circles from the yellow fabric for each pillow. cut out shapes for the emoji's facial features from the colored fabric. This could include eyes, mouths, hearts, tears, etc. Attach the facial features to one of the yellow circles using fabric glue or by sewing them on.

Place the two yellow circles together, with the facial features on the inside, and sew around the edge, leaving a small opening. Turn the pillow right side out through the opening, and stuff it with pillow stuffing until it's as fluffy as you like. Close the opening by sewing it shut. Your emoji pillow is ready to brighten any room.

Emoji Welcome Mat

Craft a welcoming entrance for your home with a personalized emoji welcome mat. Grab a plain doormat, some outdoor acrylic paints, stencils, or freehand sketch your family's favorite emojis. Whether it's a classic smiley, a heart-eyed face, or a thumbs-up, each family member can select an emoji that best represents them.

Let everyone paint their chosen emoji onto the mat, creating a colorful, inviting gesture for guests and an amusing reflection of your family's personality.

Emoji Memory Game

Put together an emoji memory game to make family game nights more exciting. Use cardstock or thick paper to create a set of matching pairs of emoji cards. Draw or print doubles of each emoji, laminate them for durability, and then mix them up face down. Take turns flipping two cards at a time, trying to find matches. It's a simple, engaging game that sharpens memory skills and brings in giggles over the fun emoji expressions.

Emoji Coasters

Design your own set of emoji coasters to keep surfaces clean and bring some joy to your home decor. With cork coasters, some paint, and sealant, this craft makes for a creative afternoon. Each family member can choose an emoji to paint. Seal the coasters afterwards to ensure they're water-resistant and ready for use. These also make adorable handmade gifts for friends and relatives.

Emoji Gardening Pots

Brighten up your green space by turning plain gardening pots into expressive emoji characters. Take terracotta pots, and paint them yellow. Draw emoji faces on them using weather-resistant paints or permanent markers. These joyful pots are perfect for indoor herbs or outdoor plantings, adding charm and cheer to any space you choose to grow your garden.

Emoji Magnetic Clips

An array of fun emoji crafts with various expressions on a red background.

Create emoji magnetic clips to hold notes, artwork, or important reminders on the fridge or magnetic boards. Start with wooden clothespins, paint them in emoji colors, and then decorate them with expressive faces. Glue a magnet strip to the backside and voilà—you have a set of handy, happy clips that are as practical as they are cute.

Teen-Friendly Emoji Crafts

Emoji Canvas Art: Encourage teens to express themselves with paint on canvas, creating large emoji faces. They can hang their artwork in their room or gift it to friends.

Emoji Phone Cases: Using clear phone cases and permanent markers, teens can draw their favorite emojis directly onto the case for a personalized touch.

Emoji Friendship Bracelets: Teens can make friendship bracelets with bead patterns of emojis, sharing them as symbols of friendship and fun memories.

Emoji Bean Bags: Sew fabric circles, fill them with beans or rice, and draw emoji expressions. Great for tossing around or room decor.

Emoji Button Pins: Perfect for personalizing backpacks or jackets, create emoji designs on small circles of cardboard and attach pin backs.

Toddler-Appropriate Emoji Crafts

Three yellow balloons with smiley faces drawn on them, creating a cheerful emoji craft.

Emoji Felt Board: Cut out various emoji features from colored felt and let toddlers arrange their own faces on a felt board, encouraging emotion recognition.

Emoji Suncatchers: Use clear contact paper and tissue paper to create simple emoji suncatchers that toddlers can proudly display on windows.

Emoji Playdough Mats: Print emoji outlines on laminated mats for toddlers to fill in with playdough, enhancing fine motor skills and creativity.

Emoji Coloring Pages: Create or print emoji-themed coloring pages, perfect for toddlers to practice their grip and stay within the lines.

Emoji Balloons: Draw different emoji expressions on yellow balloons with non-toxic markers, creating engaging toys for toddlers to play with.

Creating The Perfect Emoji-Themed Party

Emoji Door Hangers and Party Favours: Make your next party, especially a birthday party, stand out by adding a splash of emoji. Emoji door hangers and emoji bead crafts will ensure your celebration is an instant hit.

Emoji Stress Balls and Bath Time Fun: For an amazing touch to your emoji-themed party, create emoji stress balls using yellow pom poms or bath time sensory toys that will have your guests leaving with a smile.

DIY Emoji Masks: Engage your children in crafting their favorite emojis into fun, wearable art. DIY emoji masks are the perfect craft for dress-up fun or imaginative play or an emoji-themed party.

FAQs

What are some easy emoji crafts for beginners?

Emoji bookmarks, emoji notebooks, emoji cards, and emoji paper crafts using popsicle sticks and construction paper are perfect for beginners.

What creative activities can I plan for World Emoji Day?

Host an emoji-themed party and movie night with DIY emoji masks, organize emoji games, create emoji-themed food, and include a variety of emoji crafts for kids to celebrate World Emoji Day.

Where can I find instructions and templates for emoji crafts?

You can find instructions and templates for emoji crafts at Crafting Jeannie. They offer a free emoji craft Printable template that you can download. Artsy Craftsy Mom lists 20 different emoji crafts for kids and teens, including Emoji Pom Pom by Number, Emoji Mini Notebooks, and Emoji Feelings Paper Plate Craft. Each craft idea comes with a brief description and a link to the instructions

Which emoji crafts are suited for more experienced crafters?

Experienced crafters might enjoy creating polymer clay emojis, needle-felted emoji balls, perler beads emoji patterns, or more detailed DIY emoji masks.

Crafting with emojis is an exciting way to bring digital icons to life, offering endless fun-making possibilities for kids, teens, and even adults. It's a great idea for parties, fun books, or just a project to make you smile. Whether you're reaching for "construction paper, popsicle sticks, or glue, each emoji craft you create will be as unique as the emotions they represent. So grab your supplies, and craft a world of joyful expressions.

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Sources

https://ovenhug.com/cute-sculpey-emoji-ornaments/

https://studiodiy.com/diy-emoji-ornaments/

https://www.instructables.com/DIY-Emoji-Pen-Pencil-Holder/

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https://www.amylattacreations.com/2021/06/hand-lettered-acrylic-keychains.html

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Written by Eleanor Gustard

Bachelor of Arts specializing in Fine Art

Eleanor Gustard picture

Eleanor GustardBachelor of Arts specializing in Fine Art

As a lover of art and crafts since childhood, Eleanor moved to London from Bath to study for a Fine Arts degree from the Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London. She enjoys exploring the city and visiting galleries in her spare time, and also loves outdoor adventures and travel. Eleanor is always on the lookout for new destinations to discover.

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