How do you make creative things for kids?

 

Summer is a season of fun and exploration, and it's the perfect time for elementary students to engage in creative crafts that capture the spirit of the season. Here are some delightful summer craft ideas that will keep young minds and hands busy, while also helping them develop their artistic skills and express their creativity.

 

 1. Seashell Crafts

 

 Seashell Jewelry

Encourage students to create beautiful necklaces, bracelets, and anklets using seashells. They can paint the shells with bright, summer colors or leave them natural for a more beachy look. Stringing them on elastic thread or thin rope with some colorful beads will make for delightful summer accessories.

 

 Seashell Picture Frames

Using plain wooden or cardboard frames, students can glue on small seashells collected from beach trips. They can also add sand, small pebbles, and a little glitter for extra sparkle. These frames are perfect for displaying summer vacation photos.

 

 2. Nature Crafts

 

 Leaf and Flower Pressing

Students can gather leaves and flowers from their gardens or parks and press them between sheets of wax paper inside heavy books. Once dried and flattened, these natural elements can be used to create beautiful art pieces, bookmarks, or even greeting cards.

 

 Pinecone Bird Feeders

Using pinecones, peanut butter, and birdseed, students can create bird feeders. They can spread peanut butter on the pinecone and then roll it in birdseed. Hanging these feeders in the yard will attract birds, adding an educational aspect to this fun craft.

 

 3. Summer-Themed Art

 

 Sun Prints

Students can use special sun-sensitive paper or fabric to create sun prints. They place objects like leaves, flowers, or paper cutouts on the paper and leave it in the sun. The areas covered by the objects will remain light, while the exposed areas darken, creating a striking silhouette effect.

 

 Watercolor Resist Art

By drawing with white crayons on watercolor paper, students can create hidden designs that will be revealed when they paint over them with watercolors. Summery themes like suns, waves, and ice creams work particularly well with this technique.

 

 4. Upcycled Crafts

 

 Tin Can Wind Chimes

Students can decorate empty tin cans with paint, stickers, and ribbons, and then attach them to a string or ribbon. Adding small metal or wooden pieces at different lengths creates a lovely tinkling sound when the wind blows.

 

 Bottle Cap Art

Collecting bottle caps from summer barbecues and picnics, students can create colorful mosaics or individual pieces of art. They can paint the caps and glue them onto cardboard or wood to form pictures of summer scenes.

 

 5. Garden Crafts

 

 Painted Rocks

Students can collect smooth rocks and paint them with bright colors and designs. These painted rocks can be used as garden decorations, paperweights, or even as part of a scavenger hunt game.

 

 DIY Birdhouses

Using kits or simple materials like milk cartons, students can build and decorate birdhouses. Painting them in fun, summery colors and adding small details like popsicle stick perches will make them a charming addition to any garden.

 

 6. Fabric Crafts

 

 Tie-Dye T-Shirts

One of the most classic summer crafts, tie-dyeing allows students to create vibrant and unique patterns on t-shirts, socks, or bandanas. Using different folding techniques and colors, they can experiment and create wearable art.

 

 No-Sew Tote Bags

Using old t-shirts, students can make tote bags without sewing. By cutting off the sleeves and neckline and tying fringes at the bottom, they can create a fun and functional bag for carrying summer essentials.

 

 7. Paper Crafts

 

 Paper Plate Sun Catchers

Students can cut out the center of a paper plate and fill it with tissue paper in bright, sunny colors. Hanging these suncatchers in a window will let the light shine through, creating a cheerful summer decoration.

 

 Handprint Crabs

Using red paint, students can create crab shapes with their handprints on paper. Adding googly eyes and drawing in some beach elements will complete this adorable seaside scene.

 

 8. Bead Crafts

 

 Melty Bead Keychains

Using melty beads (Perler beads), students can create colorful designs on pegboards. Once their designs are complete, an adult can help fuse the beads together with an iron. Adding a keychain loop turns these creations into fun accessories.

 

 Friendship Bracelets

Using embroidery floss in summer colors, students can weave and braid friendship bracelets. They can follow simple patterns or create their own designs, making gifts to share with friends and family.

 

 9. Outdoor Crafts

 

 Nature Collages

Encourage students to collect natural materials like leaves, flowers, and small twigs during a nature walk. They can arrange these materials on a piece of cardboard or paper to create a beautiful nature collage.

 

 Kite Making

Using lightweight materials like tissue paper, bamboo sticks, and string, students can create their own kites. Decorating them with summer themes and then flying them on a windy day makes for a perfect outdoor activity.

 

 10. Summer Scrapbooks

 

 Memory Books

Students can create scrapbooks to document their summer adventures. Using photos, ticket stubs, drawings, and other memorabilia, they can create pages that capture their favorite summer moments.

 

 Nature Journals

Encourage students to keep a journal of their summer explorations. They can include sketches of plants and animals they see, pressed flowers, and written observations about their experiences.

 

 Conclusion

 

Summer crafts offer elementary students a wonderful way to stay engaged and creative during the sunny months. From seashell jewelry and nature collages to tie-dye t-shirts and paper plate suncatchers, these activities provide endless opportunities for fun and learning. Encouraging children to explore their artistic side not only keeps them entertained but also helps them develop important skills and create lasting memories. By incorporating these summer craft ideas into their activities, students can make the most of their summer break and unleash their creativity in vibrant and imaginative ways.