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Arts & Crafts

Affordable and Easy Summer Crafts for Kids

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Are you looking for summer crafts for kids? We have gathered some of our favorite summer crafts for kids.

A collage of colorful summer crafts for kids, including painted flowers, a cloud with ribbon raindrops, a purple paper octopus, and a yellow sun with sunglasses made from a paper plate.

Need some easy ways to keep the kids busy this summer? Summer crafts for kids are a fun way to beat the boredom and get a little creative. From colorful projects to simple DIYs, there’s something here for every age (and attention span). Grab some supplies, soak up the sunshine, and let’s make some stuff!

This blog post is all about summer crafts for kids.

Looking for More Fun Summer Ideas

8 Paper Plate Crafts

One type of summer craft for kids to enjoy is paper plate crafts. These crafts are designed for all ages and typically use supplies that you already have around your house. Below are some fun paper plate crafts that are themed for your summer days.

Watermelon Fan

Materials Needed: paper plate, black construction paper, popsicle sticks, glue, scissors, paint, and paintbrushes

Get the tutorial at Rock Your Homeschool.

A hand holds a fan made of paper and craft sticks, designed to resemble a watermelon slice with a red center, black seeds, and a green edge.

Paper Plate Beach Ball

Materials Needed: paper plate, washable kids paint, pencil, marker, paintbrush, and ruler

Get the tutorial at Beth Ann Averill.

Colorful paper plate painted to look like a beach ball with sections in orange, red, pink, yellow, green, and blue.

Painted Fish Paper Plates

Materials Needed: tail fin template, paper plate, craft paint, cardstock, large googly eyes, toilet paper roll, scissors, and glue

Get the tutorial at The Soccer Mom Blog.

Two colorful paper plate fish with painted scale patterns and googly eyes. A cardboard tube is nearby, used for stamping the scales.

Paper Plate Beach Scene

Materials Needed: paint, paper plate, and beach themed stickers

Get the tutorial at Glitter on a Dime.

A paper plate decorated with a beach scene, including fish, stars, sand, an umbrella, sandals, and the words "Fun in the Sun" on a blue and yellow background.

Paper Plate Crab

Materials Needed: paper plate, red paint, red construction paper, cardboard, glue, double-sided tape, marker, paintbrush, and scissors

Get the tutorial at Beth Ann Averill.

A red crab made from a paper plate with paper claws, legs, and googly eyes is displayed against a light background with blue waves and swirls.

Pufferfish Craft

Materials Needed: paper plates, yellow and orange paint, cardboard, white paper, markers, glue, paintbrush, and scissors

Get the tutorial at Beth Ann Averill.

A paper plate craft shaped and painted like a fish with large eyes, red and tan coloring, and drawn fins and tail, placed on a light blue background.

Baby Shark Craft

Materials Needed: shark template, 9" colored paper plates, colored paper, red paper, black paper, white paper, scissors, glue, and black pen

Get the tutorial at A Little Pinch of Perfect.

Three colorful paper plate sharks—pink, blue, and yellow—each with big eyes and toothy smiles, are displayed on a zigzag-patterned background with scattered glass gems.

Shaving Cream Watermelon

Materials Needed: food coloring, glue, shaving cream, paper plate, and black construction paper.

Get the tutorial at Living Life and Learning.

A hand holding a paper plate painted to resemble a watermelon slice with red and green swirled paint.

10 Beach Crafts

Summer is a time when many plan trips to the beach and pool. It makes sense than so many summer crafts for kids are beach crafts. Whether it’s to make cute ocean creatures or create your own beach scene, you will find a beach craft that will help you feel like summer!

Seahorse

Materials Needed: paper plate, paint, marker, double-sided tape or glue, template, paintbrush, and scissors

Get the tutorial at Beth Ann Averill.

Illustration of an orange seahorse with a googly eye, surrounded by green leaves, on a textured light blue background.

Paper Chain Octopus

Materials Needed: colored cardstock, scissors, glue, markers, and octopus template

Get the tutorial at Simple Everyday Mom.

Purple octopus craft with a smiling face, made from a circular head and linked paper chain tentacles, placed on a white surface with a blue fabric background.

Mermaid

Materials Needed: colored cardstock, scissors, glue, and mermaid template

Get the tutorial at Simple Everyday Mom.

Two paper cutout mermaids with green tails, one with purple hair and the other with red hair, on a white surface.

Beach Scene

Materials Needed: white paper plate, blue and brown washable paint, colored corrugated paper, paper straw, scissors, glue, small seashells, and wooden peg dolls

Get the tutorial at Little Ladoo.

Paper plate craft depicting a beach scene with blue waves, paper boats, and a sandy section. Features corrugated paper sun, tree, mats, and small decorations like starfish and sandals.

Mermaid Puppet Theater

Materials Needed: ruler, exacto knife, kebab sticks, glue, scissors, blue cardstock, seashells, pipe cleaners, fairy lights, and mermaid shoebox theatre puppets printable

Get the tutorial at Sugar, Spice and Glitter.

Hand holding strings controlling two paper mermaid puppets inside a colorful diorama with seashells, plants, and lights.

Beach Ball Piñata

Materials Needed: newspaper, balloon, white paper, glue, water, paint, paintbrush, and candies

Get the tutorial at Mommy Evolution.

Colorful paper mache ball with red, blue, yellow, and purple sections.

Easy Mermaid Art

Materials Needed: paint chips, glue, paper, picture frame, and scissors

Get the tutorial at Rekindle My Dwelling.

A rectangular object with a cover displaying a pattern of overlapping circles in shades of white, blue, and teal, resembling scales, on a wooden surface.

Sea Turtle

Materials Needed: cardstock, glue stick, scissors, black marker, bubble wrap, blue paint, paintbrush, and sea turtle template

Get the tutorial at Homeschool Preschool.

A paper frog craft with a woven green pattern and googly eyes lies next to a black Sharpie marker.

Paper Cup Sandcastle

Materials Needed: paper cups, brown paint, paintbrush, construction paper, scissors, and pipe cleaner

Get the tutorial at In The Playroom.

Crafted castle with two paper towel rolls painted brown, topped with blue flags, on a white surface. Colored pencils and paper cutouts of a sun and cloud are nearby.

Sand Art Pictures

Materials Needed: paper, glue, and sand

Get the tutorial at DIY Family Time.

Three orange cards are laid on reddish-brown dirt. One card has "MOM LOVE" written in white sand, another has sand outlines of two hands, and the third depicts a sun with rays and a spiral center created with sand.

5 Handprint Crafts

Handprint crafts are always in season. Making such special keepsakes is a great way to remember the season. These summer crafts for kids are the perfect balance between easy and fun! Check out these fun summer handprint crafts below.

Handprint Sun

Materials Needed: yellow paper plate, scissors, tape, pen/pencil, and yellow scrapbook paper

Get the tutorial at Family Focus Blog.

A yellow paper plate with a smiling face and sunglasses, surrounded by yellow paper handprints resembling sun rays.

Handprint Ice Cream Cones

Materials Needed: colored cardstock, scissors, glue, markers, and ice cream template

Get the tutorial at Simple Everyday Mom.

Two paper ice cream cones with smiley faces. One has vanilla scoop, the other strawberry. Topped with chocolate sauce and cherries, on a light wooden surface with a pink cloth background.

Handprint Crab

Materials Needed: crab handprint template, cardstock paper, black marker, glue stick, and scissors

Get the tutorial at Little Ladoo.

Two orange crab crafts made from cut-out paper handprints and googly eyes are placed on a brown and beige background.

Handprint Fish

Materials Needed: canvas, paintbrushes, paint, and black permanent marker

Get the tutorial at Natural Beach Living.

Child's painting of a clownfish made from an orange handprint on blue background, surrounded by green seaweed and red coral with a black marker nearby.

Handprint Farm Animals

Materials Needed: farm animal templates, paint, paintbrushes

Get the tutorial at DIY Family Time.

Two animals from handprints, a cow and a bunny, rest on a wooden surface. A red string is loosely draped around them, flanked by a spool of red thread. Nearby, a card adorned with red and white text strips adds an accent to the charming scene.

2 Origami Paper Crafts

Who doesn’t love some crafting that involves a tiny material list? For these origami paper crafts you only need one thing: paper (and maybe a bit of glue)! These summer crafts for kids are perfect for big kids. Let them do a little focusing and folding. They will be amazed at what they created. 

Origami Ice Cream Cone

Materials Needed: 1 square sheet of paper and glue

Get the tutorial at Easy Foldable Creations.

Origami ice cream cones in various colors, on a light surface, with text "EASY FOLDABLE CREATIONS" at the bottom.

Origami Mini Stars

Material Needed: color paper

Get the tutorial at Easy Foldable Creations.

A white dish filled with colorful origami stars sits on a marble surface. Additional stars are scattered around, with some spilling from an overturned jar.

3 Fourth of July Summer Crafts For Kids

Crafting for holidays is always a good time. Holidays give purpose for your crafts. In summer, our big holiday is the 4th of July. Crafting everything red, white, and blue is what we like to do. If you are looking for a craft to celebrate the holiday, below are a couple of ideas.

Popsicle Stick Stars

Materials Needed: 15 popsicle sticks, red, white, and blue paint, twine, and glue

Get the tutorial at The Keele Deal.

Three interlinked stars hanging on a dark door, colored red, white, and blue, hung vertically on a string.

Patriotic Blower

Materials Needed: empty toilet tube, crepe paper streamers, blue and white acrylic craft paint, paintbrushes, and tacky glue

Get the tutorial at Natural Beach Living.

Blue cardboard tubes with white stars and red and white streamers, craft supplies, and a child using the finished patriotic blower.

Flag Paper Plate Wreath

Materials Needed: cheap paper plate, scissors, red, white and blue tissue paper, glue, ribbon, hole punch, and markers

Get the tutorial at The Keele Deal.

A wreath made of red, white, and blue tissue paper hangs on a white door, attached by a red ribbon.

6 Flower Crafts

The flowers of the summer season are always astounding. We love to see them. Especially the wildflowers. If you like to preserve the season’s views or just love flowers, these flower summer crafts for kids are what you need.

Pressed Flower Cards

Materials Needed: flower press, dried flowers, glue stick, cardstock scraps, blank cards, and envelopes

Get the tutorial at Fluxing Well.

Pressed and dried flowers arranged artistically on a greeting card, featuring various blooms and leaves against a plain background.

Sunflower Craft

Materials Needed: jumbo wooden craft sticks, craft paint, pipe cleaners, craft foam, black buttons, glue gun, glue sticks, paintbrush, scissors, pencil, ruler, permanent marker, and sunflower pattern

Get the tutorial at Mommy Evolution.

A sunflower craft made from yellow popsicle sticks and black buttons, with a green stem, against a wooden background and greenery on the side.

Flower Collector

Materials Needed: cardboard, twine, and scissors

Get the tutorial at Fox Farm Home.

Child's hands arranging colorful flowers and petals on a fan-shaped cardboard with string pattern on a stone surface.

Sunshine Suncatcher

Materials Needed: printed sun template, flower petals, yellow construction paper, and clear contact paper

Get the tutorial at Fox Farm Home.

Yellow sun-shaped suncatcher filled with pressed orange and yellow flowers, hanging outdoors against a blurred background of trees and grass.

Flower Coloring Pages

Materials Needed: free printable flowers and coloring supplies (crayons, markers, paint, etc.)

Get the tutorial at DIY Family Time.

Child painting a colorful flower with red petals and yellow-blue rim on paper, surrounded by brushes, paint palette, and a cup of water.

Cyanotype Flowers

Materials Needed: cardstock, cyanotype chemicals, flowers, glass (like from a picture frame), and container

Get the tutorial at DIY Family Time.

4 Bug Crafts

Bugs are a natural part of summer. You can either hate them or embrace the little critters for what they are. Crafting bug things can be fun! Whether you are making butterflies or building a bug home, you can find a way to enjoy nature and all that it gives us.

Nature Butterflies

Materials Needed: cardboard, butterfly template, pen, scissors, self-adhesive clear vinyl, and nature

Get the tutorial at The Keele Deal.

Steps for making a nature butterfly craft: draw and cut butterfly shapes from paper and cardboard, fill with pressed flowers.

Ladybug Paper Plate Craft

Materials Needed: paper plate, paint, paintbrushes, googly eyes, hot glue gun, black pipe cleaner, and black marker

Get the tutorial at Homeschool Preschool.

Paper plate ladybug craft with googly eyes, pipe cleaner antennae, red and black paint, on a polka dot background.

Coffee Filter Butterflies

Materials Needed: coffee filters, markers, and clothes pins

Get the tutorial at Simply Designing.

Colorful coffee filter butterflies with painted patterns and clothespin bodies displayed on a white background.

Bug Hotel

Materials Needed: glass jar and nature

Get the tutorial at DIY Family Time.

Child holding a glass jar containing small rocks and toy bug outdoors on a sunny day, focusing on nature exploration for camping birthday party.

3 Summer Reading Activities

We love finding ways to make reading fun! We don’t want our kids to view reading as a chore, but as a hobby. In the summer, it may get harder to casually add in some reading fun. No worries! We have a few fun reading activities that double as summer crafts for kids. 

Bookmark Coloring Pages

Materials Needed: cardstock, laminating pouches (optional), markers, and free printable

Get the tutorial at Cassie Smallwood.

Black and white summer-themed illustrations feature ice cream, sun, butterfly, beach items, and phrases like "Hello Summer" and "Fun in the Sun.

Crazy Reading Glasses

Materials Needed: cardstock, laminator, free printable, and scissors

Get the tutorial at Beth Ann Averill.

Advertisement featuring colorful text reading "10 Days of Free Crazy Glasses for Reading!" with illustrated glasses designs and watermelon slices in the background.

Oobleck Book Activity

Materials Needed: Bartholomew and the Oobleck book, cornstarch, water, and green food dye

Get the tutorial at DIY Family Time.

Two children play with green slime in a bowl on the grass. The slime is messy, covering their hands, arms, and part of their clothes. One child wears a green shirt, and the other wears a light blue outfit. The activity appears to be playful and engaging.

10 Other Summer Crafts for Kids

There are so many summer crafts for kids out there. You are sure to find one (or a few) that makes you excited to craft with your kids. Your kids will love doing these crafts with you.

Rainbow Sun Craft

Materials Needed: colored craft paper, glue, scissors, black marker, and eyes and mouth template

Get the tutorial at Kids Activity Zone.

Colorful paper sun with a yellow face, blue eyes, and a smiling mouth. Rays are made of red, green, yellow, and blue paper strips. Pink background.

Ribbon Rainbow

Materials Needed: egg carton, white paint, paintbrush, sharpie, glue gun, pipe cleaner, and ribbon scraps

Get the tutorial at Lovely Indeed.

A craft made from an egg carton resembling a cloud with eyes and a mouth. Colorful ribbons and string hang from the bottom. The background is a pale peach color.

Cork Sailboats

Materials Needed: corks, craft dowel, and craft foam sheets

Get the tutorial at DIY Family Time.

A small DIY cork sailboat made from three wine corks, rubber bands, a wooden toothpick, and a purple foam sail is displayed on a tiled surface. Colorful foam sheets in red, pink, and purple are in the background.

Bird Feeder

Materials Needed: toilet paper rolls, peanut butter, and birdseed

Get the tutorial at Glitter on a Dime.

Log coated with peanut butter and various seeds attached to a tree, designed as a bird feeder.

Pirate Treasure Hunt

Materials Needed: pirate hunt clues and treasure/treats

Get the tutorial at DIY Family Time.

A group of children dressed as pirates with themed bandanas and hats eagerly rummage through a treasure chest filled with coins and trinkets. They are gathered in a circle on the floor, sharing their findings.

Popsicle Stick Frames

Materials Needed: paint, jumbo craft sticks, wooden clothespin, paintbrush, and craft glue

Get the tutorial at Sustain My Craft Habit.

Colorful photo frames made of popsicle sticks with photos of children and decorated with clothespins and pom-poms on a wooden surface.

S’mores Craft

Materials Needed: cardboard, ruler, scissors, markers, brown craft foam, glue, cotton balls, googly eyes, and craft sticks

Get the tutorial at Kids Activity Zone.

Craft project featuring smiling graham crackers with googly eyes on sticks, surrounded by cotton balls, jars with popsicle sticks, and matching treats on a light background.

DIY Bubble Wands

Materials Needed: floral wire, beads, wire snips, ¼ cup Dawn dish soap, 1 tbsp. glycerin, and 2 ½ cups water

Get the tutorial at Natural Beach Living.

Hands holding a wand and a bubble solution container on grass, preparing to blow bubbles.

Hot Air Balloon Craft

Materials Needed: construction paper, glue stick, and marker

Get the tutorial at Digicative.

A hot air balloon mosaic made of torn paper pieces in green, blue, orange, and red, on a yellow background.

Final Thoughts

Hopefully this list of summer crafts for kids helps you find a craft your family is excited about! Summer is all about making memories. Making crafts is a great way to spend time together. These will help you take a break from the heat too. What craft is your favorite? Let us know in the comments!

For more fun ideas and inspiration, follow us on Instagram at @DIYFamilyTime and check us out on Pinterest!

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A collage of colorful summer-themed kids' crafts, including a sun, crab, fish, and smiling cloud, with the text "Summer Crafts for Kids - 50 Easy Crafts for Kids" in the center.
Colorful paper flower with blue petals and green leaves on a painted background, placed atop a pattern of black and white flower outlines.
A collage of colorful summer-themed kids’ crafts, including a sun, castle, cloud, octopus, crab, and patriotic blower, with the text "50 Summer Crafts for Kids" in the center.

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