Summer Craft Ideas For Kids

Summer Craft Ideas For Kids

 

Flower Pressing
Dried pressed flowers
Flower pressing is a fun activity for children of all ages. They can gather their own flowers, then press them using a flower press or a heavy book.

Pressed flowers can be made into all kinds of beautiful creations – you can make pictures with them, suspend them in a glass frame or stick them onto jam jars to make summer tealight holders.

• Flowers
• Flower press
• Absorbant paper

1. Choose the flowers you would like to dry.  Carefully brush away any dirt and then flatten slightly with your fingers so they sit in a natural position. Undo the wooden nuts on the flower press and remove the top.

2. Place flowers in between two sheets of absorbent paper and sandwich between two pieces of the card. Arrange plants and foliage of a similar thickness in the same layer for even pressing. If you have run out of the paper provided with the press – blotting paper is ideal and can be picked up from craft shop.

3. Repeat with as many layers of flowers as needed and put everything back inside the flower press. Place the nuts back on the screws and screw down as far as they will go.

4. Place the flower press in a dry, warm place for one to four weeks (depending on the flower), tightening the screws a little each week. Your flowers should then be perfectly pressed and ready to use.

5. If you want to use your pressed flower to make cards with, use a wet glue like PVA to secure your flowers and preserve their delicacy. PVA glue dries clear so it’s a good choice, especially if you have a bottle with the super skinny nozzles.

 

Glitter Seashell Picture Frame
This is the perfect craft project to make during the summer holidays. Use shells to decorate a photo with this glitter seashell picture frame idea from

• Shells
• Extra Fine Glitter
• Mod Podge
• Glue Gun
•  Plain Wooden Frame

1. Apply a thin coat of Mod Podge onto a shell.

2. Sprinkle a layer of extra fine glitter on top of the shell. Repeat these steps with the rest of the seashells. Leave them to dry completely.

3. Using a glue gun, arrange and glue the shells to the picture frame. Add another layer of Mod Podge on top of the shells to seal in the glitter (optional).

4. Your glitter seashell picture frame is complete!

 

Paper Plate Sun 
Paper plates are hugely versatile and can be shaped into almost anything with a little imagination. This paper plate sun craft project is made for hot summer days and it’s so simple to make.

• Paper plate
• Yellow paint & paintbrush
• Googly eyes
• Black marker
• Glue
• Scissors

1. Cut triangles from the outer ring of a paper plate, leaving some of the plate in between to form the sun’s rays. 

2. Paint paper plate yellow and allow to dry.

3. Glue googly eyes to the paper plate and use the black marker to draw a mouth.

 

Ice Cream Pinata
Planning a summer party or a birthday surprise? Take your celebration to the next level by making this amazing ice cream pinata.

• 2 cups water
• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 cup multipurpose glue
• Balloon
• Wax paper
• Packaging tape
• Posterboard
• Newspaper
• Large masking tape
• Glue sticks
• Crepe paper
• Unbleached coffee filter
• Cord, rope, or string
• Craft knife
• Sweets or other fillers

1. Combine the flour, water and glue to make your adhesive. Mix well and do your best to get as many of the lumps out as possible. 

2. Tear your newspaper into 2-inch strips. Don’t worry, it doesn’t have to be perfect.

3. We’re going to tackle the cone of the piñata next. Take your poster board and cut the length in half. Roll it into the shape of a cone and tape together with packaging tape. Blow up the balloon and use that to measure the opening of the cone. Trim the top of the cone so that it’s even.

4. Cover the cone in wax paper. This is so the poster board cone and wax paper can be removed later. Tuck the wax paper in at the top and bottom of the cone.

5. Now it’s time for papier måché! Start by dipping a piece of newspaper in the adhesive mixture. It’s best to stir the mixture often because the flour and glue settle.

After you dip the paper, run the paper between two fingers to remove any excess. Cover the cone from top to bottom one layer at a time. Allow each layer to dry fully before moving on to the next.

6. Allow to dry for 24 hours then remove the poster board and wax paper from the inside of the cone. The wax paper should peel right off the papier måché.

7. Blow up the balloon and set it on top of the cone. Stand the cone in something to keep it steady, such as a large vase. Then papier måché the ‘ice cream’.

Apply three layers like you did with the cone section, allowing each layer to dry fully before applying the next one. Papier måché over the cone to connect the ice cream with the cone. Allow to dry for at least 24 hours.

8. Once everything is fully dry, cut an opening flap with the craft knife (remember to only cut three sides) on the ice cream part of the piñata. Make sure the opening is big enough for you to stick your hands through. As you cut the opening, that should pop the balloon. Remove the balloon.

9. Stuff the inside of the piñata with sweets, treats and crepe paper so the goodies don’t all settle at the bottom.

10. Using the knife again, cut an ‘X’ at the top of the ice cream for the rope.

11. Thread the rope through the hole and tie a knot on the inside of the piñata. Make sure the knot is large enough that it doesn’t pull through the hole. You may need to double knot it. You could also use twine and braid it to make it stronger.

12. Next tape the three sides of the opening with masking tape (clear packaging tape doesn’t stick to this surface).

13. Cut the bottoms of the unbleached coffee filters so you only use the ruffled sides. Using strong glue sticks, secure them to the cone section of the piñata. You’ll find it easier to work from the bottom up.

14. Once you reach the ice cream portion of the piñata, start decorating with the crepe paper and secure with the glue stick. Work your way up to the rope… and you’re done!

 

Ice Painting

Keep cool as the temperatures rise with this inventive ice painting project! The challenge here is to paint the ice before it melts, so it’s a race against time!

• Cake pan mold
• Water
• Paint
• Brushes
• Tray

1. Fill your cake pan molds three quarters full and freeze them overnight.

2. Run some warm water over the bottom of your mold until your shape pops out.  

3. Lay your shape in your tray and enjoy painting it.  * Be sure to use a tray deep enough to contain the water that went into your mould or if you are doing this outside you could pop it in a water table or bin.*

4. Make this craft a challenge of painting it before it melts!

 

Flower Crown
Make your child’s day blooming marvellous by helping them to make a real flower crown!

• Construction paper
• Scissors
• Glue stick
• Tape
• Pencil

1. Start by cutting two long strips of green construction paper to be the headband of your crown.  Tape them together.  You can adjust for size later when you tape it into a complete circle.  Set the headband aside for now.

2. Next it's time to make your flowers.  Cut squares of construction paper in a variety of colors.  They should be about 2-3" square.  Fold each square into quarters.  Draw a simple flower petal shape.  In the picture above, the point at the bottom is the center of the square-- don't cut this area so that your flowers will be intact.  Cut out the flower petals and unfold.

3. When you unfold the paper, you'll  have a simple flower with four petals.   Cut a variety of flowers-- we made some with rounded petals and some with pointed petals.  You'll also need to cut some yellow flower centers and green leaves.

4. Your child can do as much or as little of this project as they'd like.  Lena enjoyed cutting the flower centers and cutting along the lines of the flower petals.  She had trouble drawing the petal shape, though.  Even if your children didn't want to do any of the cutting, it would still be fun for them to glue the flowers together and arrange them on the crown.

5. Using all the flower petal pieces and center pieces, assemble some flowers!  Just glue things together!

6. Finally, glue the flowers to the green headband that you made earlier.  Lena didn't want to layer her flowers, so she put together a simple flower crown with a pretty pattern.

7.Wrap the crown around your child's head to measure, and then tape the headband in place in the correct size. 

 

Tie Dye Shells
Shell decorating is a summer craft idea that kids of all ages can enjoy. These incredible tie dye shells from colormadehappy.com are easy to make and look amazing!

• White Shells
• Sharpie Markers
• Rubbing Alcohol
• Paintbrush or Q-tips
• Plastic pippette

1. Begin the project by selecting which colors you want to work with.

2. Color the shell by using one color per shell section.

3. You can also draw little squares or circles for a more color blended background.

4. Once you have your marker design complete, dip a paintbrush or Q-Tip into rubbing alcohol or fill a pipette or plastic dropper and brush or drop the alcohol onto the colored design.

5. To make your design more blended, just add more alcohol.

6. This same technique also works well on more porous surfaces like a starfish. 

 

 

 Resources: Flower Crown: https://www.paper-and-glue.com/2017/02/flower-crown-spring-craft.html

Tie Dye Shells: https://colormadehappy.com/tie-dye-sharpies-shells/

Shell Picture Frame: https://onelittleproject.com/glitter-sea-shell-picture-frame/

Paper Plate Sun: https://www.theresourcefulmama.com/paper-plate-sun-craft/

Ice Cream Pinata: https://www.gathered.how/arts-crafts/how-to-make-a-ice-cream-pinata

Ice Painting: https://make-it-your-own.com/painting-on-ice-using-cake-molds/

Flower Pressing: https://www.gathered.how/arts-crafts/how-to-press-flowers