Draw your own phone case insert (a kids’ craft)
Short answer: print a blank insert for your phone model, or measure the inside of the case and trace it on paper, then let the kids draw and colour it. Cut it out, cut the camera hole and slide it behind a clear case. A new drawing is a new phone case, and the old ones make keepsakes.
This site started with a drawing like this one. My kid measures the inside of my clear iPhone case, draws a picture on paper to that size, cuts it out and slides it in. It is one of the nicest crafts we do, and the drawing on my phone reminds me of it every day.
- Two ways to start: a free blank template for your model, or measure and trace with a ruler.
- Draw and colour first, cut second. Paper that is already cut is harder to hold.
- Keep the drawing away from the camera corner and about 3 mm inside the edge.
- Adults do the camera hole and any craft-knife cutting.
Way 1: print a blank template (no measuring)
- Open the blank template and choose your phone model.
- Press Download PDF and print at 100% (Actual size). Check that the 5 cm ruler on the sheet measures 5 cm. Printing at 100%
- Draw and colour inside the dashed outline. The grey camera window shows where nothing important should go.
- Cut along the orange dashed line, a little inside it, then cut out the camera window. Camera-hole guide
- Slide it into the clear case, drawing side facing out.
Print a blank template or find your model
Way 2: measure the case and trace it (no printer)
- Take the phone out of the case. Measure the flat area inside the case: width and height in millimetres.
- Draw a rectangle that size on paper. Round the corners to match the case, for example by tracing around a coin.
- Measure the camera opening from the top and left edge, and mark it on the paper.
- Draw your picture, then cut slightly inside the outline. Try it in the case and trim again if it bends.
Tracing the case itself on the paper also works: lay it on the sheet and draw around the inside edge.
Halloween ideas kids can draw
The insert in the photos has a pumpkin, a spider, a skull and a witch hat on a grey marker background. More ideas:
- A friendly ghost with big eyes
- Bats flying across a dark sky
- A candy corn pattern
- A black cat on a fence
- A haunted house, with the camera as the moon
- A spiderweb in one corner, with the spider hanging down
Dark backgrounds look dramatic behind a clear case. Colour them with a dark marker and leave the characters bright. More subjects are in our 15 phone case drawing ideas, and the coloring pages are ready to colour.
Tips that make it work
- Paper: normal printer paper is fine. Thicker paper survives swapping better. Best paper
- Pens: markers can bleed through thin paper. Test on a corner. Let it dry before you slide it in.
- Fit: if the insert bends in the case, trim 1 mm from each side.
- Keep them: take a photo of each drawing, so you can swap and still keep the old ones.
Questions
What age is this good for?
Kids who can use scissors with help, so roughly from 5 or 6. Younger children can colour the sheet while an adult cuts.
Will the paper get damaged inside the case?
Paper behind a clear case stays dry, but it can fade, curl or pick up moisture over weeks. Swap it for a new drawing when it looks tired, or print a copy of a favourite.
Can we draw directly on the phone case?
We suggest drawing on paper: it is swappable, forgiving and keeps the case clear. Markers on plastic can smudge and are hard to remove.
Does my kid need an account or to upload anything?
No. The template is made in your browser and nothing is uploaded. There are no accounts.