Arts and crafts are loads of fun all year round, but did you know that there are some crafts that are even more fun to make in the summer? The materials available may be different than usual and hopefully the weather is warm enough to do some crafts outside! Let’s be honest, messy crafts might be more stress free when done somewhere other than over your carpet or your clean kitchen table. Your kids will love spending their free time on something creative and expressive after being cooped up inside. So, let’s see what’s on the arts and crafts agenda!
1. Sand Art Bottles
Sand reminds us of the beach and of course summer fun! This craft is very simple to make, but so beautiful and easy to decorate with around the house. You can even use some empty jars, candle holders, or bottles you might already have around the house. So what do you need to get started? You’ll need: colorful sand, a glass container of your choice, and a funnel. That’s it! Take your funnel and place it over the opening of your container. If it can rest on the top on its own, that would be best. Next, pour one layer of one color of sand into your container. Then repeat the same thing with different colors of sand. You can even angle the container so that the sand inside will look slanted, for an extra fun look!
If you use a bottle, you can seal it up with a cork and display it anywhere you like. If you used a candle holder, you can put a small candle on top and have yourself a new, colorful candle holder. There are tons of different containers you can use to make this craft. Ask your child what they’d like to use and see what unique ideas they have!
2. Decorated Paper Fans
It can be hard to beat the heat in the summer, especially if you live in a particularly hot area. You can try to stay cool by blasting the air conditioner or drinking some cool beverages, but what can you do when those things aren’t available? Well, we’ve got you covered with a portable craft that can help you stay cool anywhere, a folding paper fan! These days there are a lot of different mini electric fans to choose from, but what about something a little more custom and diy?
Your kids will love having a fan that they designed all on their own and can show off everywhere they go. Here’s what you need: a white paper fan, markers, other decorations (stamps, glitter, stickers, paint, watercolor, etc.) Your kids can decorate their fans however they like! However, if your child will be painting it, make sure they don’t add so much paint that it won’t be able to fold when dry or will rip when wet. Also, since there are folds/creases in the paper, kids shouldn’t glue or stick anything to those parts since the fan might not be able to close easily. If you’re concerned about some mishaps that could happen along the way, just stick to good old fashioned markers and let them color and draw to their heart’s content!
3. Seashell Picture Frame
This craft is so fun and engaging, kids will love every step of making it! It brings the beach to your home and helps hold special memories! There are a couple of different ways to go about making this craft. If you happen to live near the beach, you might be able to go to the beach and gather many of the supplies you need directly from the area! You’ll need: seashells, sande, craft glue, a picture frame/cardboard.
If you’re lucky enough to live near the beach, you can collect some nice shells, sand, or any other interesting things that catch your eye while you’re there. Take it home and give everything a good rinse and make sure it’s nice and clean and dry before using it for our craft. If you can’t collect these things yourself, you can find what you need at your local arts and crafts store already cleaned and sorted. After you’ve gotten your oceanic decorations ready, take your picture frame and apply a thin layer of glue to the front. Next, dip the frame in sand so the glue is totally covered and there are no bare spots. Then dot glue onto the seashells you want to add and stick them onto the frame. Let the frame dry and when it’s ready, stand the frame up and give it a few taps to shake off any excess sand.
If you don’t have a picture frame, you can use cardboard or some really sturdy paper to cut into a frame instead. You can use any picture you like in your frame, of course, but it sure would be nice to put a beach memory in that frame, so go out and have some fun in the sand!
4. Pet Rocks
This craft is such a staple, most parents have probably heard of it or even made one once themselves! While a rock may not be the most loving pet, it sure is low maintenance and can be really cute if you decorate it well. It’s also a very low budget craft that kids will have tons of fun with. What you’ll need is: a rock (preferably a bit wide, round, and smooth), some paint, and maybe some googly eyes. You can grab a rock from your backyard, the beach, a river, park, or in the worst case, a craft store. If you’re getting your rock from outside, be sure to wash it thoroughly with soap and water and maybe give it a little scrub under some water. Then, let your rock dry completely so it’s ready for decorating.
When your rock is dry and ready, paint on any design or face you like! Acrylic paint might be a good option if you’re planning to keep your rock inside, but you might want to get a water sealant spray or coating if it’s going to live outside. And for a final touch, add a couple of silly googly eyes to give it some personality. If you’re feeling really attached, maybe give it a fun name as well.
5. Cute Keychains
While kids may not necessarily have any keys that require a keychain, they will love to make something creative that they can clip onto their backpack, bag, bracelet, or even belt loop! Keychains are so easy to make and kids can enjoy choosing all kinds of decorations to adorn them with. To make a keychain you’ll need: a keyring or clip, yarn/string, beads, feathers, pom poms, clue, and scissors. What your child adds to their keychain can be totally up to them, but we recommend starting with adding some decorations to yarn or string. You can help your child tie a feather onto a string, add some colorful or sparkly beads, or glue on some pom poms! If you have some other decorations you think you can use, feel free to add them! Just make sure the strings are tied very securely so that the decorations don’t fall off or slip around.
After you’re all done, you’ll have a really unique and cute keychain that can be clipped onto anything!
There sure are tons of fun summer activities and crafts to keep kids occupied while school’s out. Which of these crafts do you think your child will want to try first? Be sure to tell us how it goes!
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