What are the best summer arts and crafts projects for kids? Here are 5 awesome tips!
Photo by Bernard Hermant on Unsplash
Summer is officially here, which means we’re in for a few months of warm weather, backyard barbecues, and tons of time to play outside. It’s also a great time to tap into our creative side. According to a group of researchers from the University of Michigan, warm weather helps our imaginations thrive. If you plan on having the kids home this summer, you definitely won’t want to miss out on the opportunity to see their creativity come to life. That’s why we’re bringing you 5 awesome summer arts and crafts for kids. We’ll introduce you to some easy projects you can do from your own backyard! Keep reading to find out what they are and what supplies you’ll need to get started.
Paper plate creatures
First up on the summer bucket list is paper plate crafts for kids. Besides the paper plates, you’ll want to grab a pair of scissors, some glue, googly eyes, finger paint, cotton balls, colored paper, and anything else you may want to incorporate into your masterpiece! Encourage the kids to create some fun summertime creations, like an octopus, jellyfish, piece of refreshing fruit, or whatever else they can come up with! There are lots of different ways to go about creating your design, so we’ll leave the details up to you, but we will provide some pointers. Cutting out some squiggly tentacles shapes from colored paper and gluing them onto the plate is a great way to begin your octopus. Fruit slices are easy to create by folding your plate in half — same goes for other creatures, like jellyfish or crabs!
Sponge water bombs
This one is sure to help the kids cool off on a hot summer day! Here, you’ll need a few sponges, a pair of scissors, a bowl of water, and a fishing line or string. Begin by cutting your sponges up into fourths, lengthwise. Once you’re done with that, grab about eight pieces and tie them together in the middle, making sure to make the knot as tight as possible. Head outside with the bowl of water and give your creation a good soak. Now go have a blast chasing each other around with your newly created water bombs!
Pool noodle sailboats
Toy boats are entertaining, rewarding, and fun to watch glide across the water! Unfortunately, they can also be expensive and tricky to operate. Avoid the hassle with a DIY alternative! Grab a pool noodle and cut it into smaller pieces and once again down the middle, creating a flat bottom. This will serve as the hull of the ship. Cut two triangles from craft foam to create sails. Thread them onto a barbecue skewer and stick it into the noodle. Feel free to decorate the sails in any way you want. When you’re done, place it in a pool, a lake, or whatever water source you can access. Wait for the breeze and watch it take off!
Tie-dye beach towels
Here’s a great way to add a personal touch to everyone’s favorite summer accessory. This one requires just a few materials, including a spray tie-dye spray kit, a white beach towel, scissors, and some duct tape. To get things started, you’ll want to spread out the towel on a flat surface and use the duct tape to write out your child’s name. From there, you can grab your spray bottles and start decorating! Don’t forget to flip it over to decorate the other side. Once you’re done, let the towel dry for a few hours. Remove the tape and rinse the towel in cold water. Make sure to pack your awesome new towel next time you hit the beach!
Soda bottles fireflies
Next up on our list of summer arts and crafts for kids are something called soda bottle fireflies. You’ll need an empty water bottle, tissue paper, glow sticks, pipe cleaners, googly eyes, foam sheets, mod podge, and a hot glue gun to get started. Begin by cutting your tissue paper into strips. Use the mod podge to stick it onto the water bottle. Use whatever color you fancy the most, though you might want to match it to whatever color glow stick you’re planning to use. This is going to create the body of your firefly. Next, wrap three pipe cleaners around the bottle and twist to form the legs. Cut two wings out of the foam and attach them to the bottle using the hot glue gun. Wrap one more pipe cleaner around the mouth of the bottle for the antennas and throw your glow stick inside. Pop two googly eyes on the bottle cap and screw it on! Your firefly is complete! Head outside after the sun sets and watch them light up the sky!
We hope you enjoyed our list of summer arts and crafts projects for kids! Be sure to check back in with us soon for more ideas. You can also visit Great Wolf Lodge for more activities to do this summer!