If you’re looking for Summer crafts and activities, then you’ve come to the right place! 

Today we are sharing a HUGE collection of Summer-themed crafts, games, art projects, STEM activities, and play ideas for kids of all ages.

There are SO MANY fun things to do in this collection that we think you’re going to be busy for a while.

You might also like these 27 nature art ideas

Summer is all about sunshine, water, campfires, ice cream, and the beach. Preferably eating ice cream whilst at the beach!

It’s also that time of year when you can encourage kids to get outdoors and collect natural materials to craft with, search for insects in the garden and engage in messy, fun activities (that aren’t so fun for parents when you set them up indoors!).

I know I always plan to do way more than I actually get around to doing with my kids over Summer which is why I’ve created this bucket list.

It’s been created to help you get organised and plan some fun things to do during the warm weather. There are also ideas for indoor days when it’s too hot or wet to go outside. In total there are over 70 crafts and activities both from our own archives and bloggers around the world so you’re sure to find something to suit your child’s interests and age level.

Summer crafts for kids — a complete bucket list

Summer dye ideas

• You don’t need fabric and specialised dying supplies to experiment with dye, scrunch-dying paper towel is easy and cheap to set up with what you have at home already. You can also tie dye paper towel using food colouring
• Last summer the girls and I had so much fun with traditional tie-dying techniques! 
• These tie dyed canvas shoes by Organized 31 look so cool

Paper plate summer crafts

• Make some quick and easy paper plate snails, by About a Mom
• The girls made these simple paper dream catchers when they were preschoolers
• We loved making this easy paper plate sunflower
• How fun is this cute dancing sun puppet from Crafts by Ria
• Make a spinning “You are my Sunshine” Sun, by Soccer Mom Blog

• • Did you know you can make a solar oven from a cardboard box?

Watermelon crafts and activities

• Make a gorgeous watermelon softie pillow like this one from Sew A Softie
• Get arty and create watermelon-themed handprint art, by Fun Handprint Art blog
• These paper watermelon popsicles look almost good enough to eat, by the Joy of Sharing
• How about some Watermelon Icee Icee Slime? You can buy this ready-made from the Razberry Slime Co on ETSY
• Everybody’s tried fizzing science before, but have your tried it in a Watermelon? By Natural Beach Living

 

Camping and firefly crafts for kids

• This light-up firefly art scene has been made from a cereal box!
• Make a DIY mini fire pit from a terracotta pot, by Artsy Fartsy Mama
• Make a glowing pretend play campfire, by Buggy and Buddy

Summer nature crafts

• Put together a nature craft construction kit and see what you can make with it – the caterpillar is one of the many we came up with
• Use sticks and leaves gathered from the garden to make nature insects on recycled card bases
• Cut leaves up and use them as mosaic tiles, like we have with this mosaic leaf dream catcher

Ice cream crafts and activities

• Love these colourful paper popsicles by A dab of glue will do
• Kids can try their hand at ice cream embroidery with this printable pattern from Swoodson Says
• Make some yummy friendship ice cream with this tutorial by Mama Smiles
• Kids will love washing their hands with these cute ice cream soaps you can make, by The Soccer Mom Blog
• Did you know you can make your own ice cream in a can? Home Cooking Memories shows you how
• There’ll be no more frozen fingers with these felt popsicle holders by Living in Happy Place

Fish crafts and activities

• A fish was just one of the designs we came up with when we made garden art
• These egg carton goldfish were inspired by my year as a “goldfish monitor” when I was in primary school
• Catch some felt fish with this fishing busy bag by Teach me Mommy
• This tropical egg carton reef is also a DIY night light — so pretty!
• Our paper roll fish are always popular at this time of year

Ocean animal Summer crafts

• Make a cheerful coffee filter crab like this one by Look We’re Learning
• How cute is this Origami Mermaid by Pink Stripey Socks
• This easy sea turtle craft is from our Paper Plate Ocean Animals Ebook
• Would you believe these seahorse puppets are made from paper rolls
• The Humpback Whale is another of the templates from our Paper Plate Ocean Animals Ebook

Sand activities for kids

• When my girls were smaller this Diamond Mine sand box was one of their favourites!
• Create miniature coloured sand bottles like these ones by Mother Natured
• Head out to the beach (or park or river) and create earth art — a fun and easy collaborative project for all ages
• Going to the beach? Why not make a mermaid city

Insect crafts for kids

• Make the cutest craft stick bees, I love their tissue paper wings!
• We were inspired by a real grasshopper we captured inside our house (eep!) to make this cardboard tube grasshopper
• If you get cicadas where you live, why not paint and decorate the cicada shells your kids collect
• These butterfly squish art prints are super pretty and a great way to learn about symmetry

You might also like 15 bug and butterfly craft ideas

Fun Summer printables

• Here’s a Summer-themed find and Colour printable by Picklebums
• Write miniature letters to the fairies (or your friends) using this printable fairy stationary set
• Here’s a mandala colouring activity that helps kids learn their times tables
• Use this printable template to create a butterfly tiara and wand
• Whirlygigs are easy to make and fun for all ages

Creative Outdoor Play ideas

• Kids will have so much fun with these Super Soaker Sponge Balls by Natural Beach Living
• Use our recipe to create this Amazing Hand Bubble mixture
• If giant bubbles are more your thing we have a recipe for that too
• Use wooden planks to create wooden toy car ramps like these ones from Buggy and Buddy
• When the wind picks up try making your own kite, like this one from About a Mom
• Try this rock balancing activity from Rhythms of Play

Messy fun

• Kids will love playing with a batch of ocean slime, by Natural Beach Living
• Make some goo! Otherwise known as oobleck, cornflower slime or goop
• With no real goal in mind, kids will adore making a creative mess with backyard fizzy science
• Witches potion is another fizzy sensory play idea, perfect for outdoor play
• These dinosaurs in chocolate-scented sticky mud were inspired by this awesome book from Asia Citro

Boat crafts for kids

• LOVE this rocking boat craft by Red Ted Art
• Make a balloon-powered boat to learn about energy
• Here are some margarine container tug boats which run on elastic band power, by Red Ted Art
• My kids loved using these sponge and duct tape boats as bath toys when they were preschoolers

Fun with chalk

• I adore these smoothie sidewalk chalks for kids, available from ETSY
• Make your own sidewalk chalk paint, by Simple Fun for Kids
• Create a sidewalk chalk obstacle course like this one by Toot’s Mom is Tired
• Use chalk to trace shadows, by Rhythms of Play
• Do some chalk and nature drawing using nature as part of the drawing

More ways to encourage outdoor play

• Go on a nature scavenger hunt with this printable by KC Edventures
• Why play board games indoors when the weather is beautiful outside? You can play Yardzee out on the lawn. It’s available from ETSY.
• Make a gold ribbon twirler – these are super quick and easy to put together with a hot glue gun and a dowel rod
• Get kids to sew their own portable tic tac toe game, then they can take it outside to play, by Coloured Buttons
• Love this balancing ice cream game by Capri Plus Three

We’ve given you the bucket list so what are you waiting for – go and have some fun with your kids this Summer!