Fun Summer Crafts for Kids

Looking for some fun summer crafts to keep the kids from complaining about boredom this summer? I found a few that I thought would be helpful for that very malady. I’ve already used the pinwheel comic craft over spring break. It was a great time filler that kept them engaged for an hour or so, but here are some good summer crafts for kids that will help you fill those boring hours.

Raffia Tree Ornaments

Supplies-

Waxed paper, or newspaper

12 inch inflatable beach ball

Twine

Shallow plastic bowl

100 yard spool of raffia (paper type ribbon) sold at craft stores

White glue for crafts

Plastic spoon

Step 1- Inflate the ball, then plug the valve tightly. Tie the long piece of twine to the valve. Next, dangle the ball over a table that you’ve covered with newspaper or the waxed paper.

Step 2- Raffia should be cut into 20-25 yard long pieces . Use your plastic spoon to mix equal parts water and glue in a bowl. Dip your raffia ribbons into the glue mixture, then squeeze the excess glue away. Take that ribbon and wrap it around the ball. Repeat this process, overlapping these ribbons as you attach them. Smooth over the ends while evenly covering your ball.

Step 3- Hang overnight to dry. Keep newspaper under the ball to catch any dripping glue. In the morning unplug the valve to deflate your ball. Remove the ball through one of the openings in the raffia.

Comic Book Pinwheels

Supplies-

Color copies or scans of comic book pages/or the real comic pages

Scissors

Erasers

10 inch plastic straws

11 inch straight pins

First, cut a 6 ½ ich square from the comic book page

Next, folding the square from corner to corner, create a diagonal shape,

Cut along the crease being sure to stop cutting approximately 1 inch from the center. Make certain not to cut completely through.

Next, fold all other corners to the center of pinwheel, then hold in place. When all 4 points are at the center insert a pin where all of the points overlap. You can add a foil star or other decorative type of piece to the center head of the pin that holds all points in place.

Poke a pin through one end of the straw, without letting go of your paper. Use eraser as a stopper.

Alphabet Rocks

Take the kids out on a rock hunting adventure for a summer craft that they can create from it’s beginning to it’s end. Have them participate in deciding where they would like to find the beginning of their rock creation. Any beach, park, field, river bed or other favorite place with a rocky terrain will do. Then gather some supplies to decorate.

Supplies-

Vinyl stick on letters

Smooth rocks like landscape stones or river rocks

Acrylic paints

Paintbrushes

First attach your letter to the rock. Next, paint your colors over and around the letter to decorate the rock whatever way you’d like. You can make a pattern or create a solid look. Remove your letter and you can then decorate within the letter if you’d like, or leave it with a solid color. My kids used these for paper weights, but you could fill a jar with them or give them to friends as well.

Source: Ideas from myself and best mom friend