Easy Crafts for Kids to Make in the Summer

Simple summer crafts are a good way to pass the time.

If it's too hot to play outdoors, get kids inside for some fun and simple craft projects. Summer themed crafts are a good way to pass long, boring summer afternoons. Keep kids entertained, and keep restlessness to a minimum with crafts that even smaller kids can do without much assistance.

Sun Craft

Use a Styrofoam craft ball to make a cool hanging sun ornament. Use any size ball you like, but a smaller ball, such as a 3-inch ball would be recommended for kids. Paint the entire ball with yellow acrylic paint, and allow it to dry. Set the ball upright on a plastic milk lid to keep it from rolling around. Once the ball is dry, cut pipe cleaners in half and poke the pieces into the ball to look like the sun's rays. Use yellow, orange and gold pipe cleaners for best results. Tie fishing line around one of the pipe cleaners so the sun can be hung from the ceiling.

Yard Art

Let kids go nuts on a huge canvas in the backyard. Grab an old white bed sheet and get it wet with a water hose, then throw it over a fence or a clothesline. Using tempera paints, let kids use brushes, sponges or anything else to paint the sheet. Keep reusing the bed sheet by rinsing it with water after each masterpiece is painted.

Summer Strawberry Necklace

A peach pit can become an adorable strawberry necklace to wear in the summertime. Paint a peach pit with red craft paint and let it dry. Glue the painted pit to a necklace cord with a hot glue gun. Create a leaf for the strawberry using green craft foam. Cut a leaf shape out of the craft foam, and glue it to the top of the pit. Tie the necklace around your neck.

Craft Stick Bookmarks

Make a simple bookmark with kids using wooden Popsicle sticks. Give each child a stick and lots of stuff to decorate them with. They can glue foam cutouts to the sticks, color them with markers or paint, stick stickers on them, tie ribbons around them, or glue googly eyes on them. Construction paper and pipe cleaners can be used to embellish the bookmarks.

References

• Kaboose: Foam Sun Ornament Craft
• Family Fun: Backyard Mural
• Acitivity Village: Strawberry Necklace
• Easy Child Crafts: Popsicle Stick Crafts