22 Summer Crafts for Kids: Colorful Art Projects for Sunny Days

🌞 Rainbow Paper Chain Sunshine Countdown

This smiling sun with colorful paper chains makes a perfect countdown craft for summer days or upcoming vacations. Kids can remove one chain link each day until their special event arrives!

Materials:

• Yellow construction paper
• Colorful paper strips
• Scissors
• Glue
• Markers

Age Range: 4-8 years (with adult help cutting)

How to Make:

1. Cut a large circle from yellow paper for the sun face
2. Cut triangular rays around the edge
3. Draw a smiling face on the sun
4. Create paper chains in rainbow colors
5. Attach chains to the bottom of the sun

The bright yellows and rainbow chains create a cheerful decoration that builds excitement while teaching patience. Hang it in your child’s room where they can easily reach the chains to tear off one each day! ☀️🌈

🖌️ Q-tip Pointillism Summer Art

Create stunning dot-art masterpieces using this simple pointillism technique that transforms ordinary canvases into textured summer scenes. The dotting method makes beautiful sun rays and sunflower petals!

Materials:

• Canvas boards
• Washable paints
• Q-tips
• Paint palettes
• Pencil

Age Range: 5-12 years

How to Make:

1. Sketch your design lightly on canvas (sun or sunflower)
2. Dip Q-tips in different paint colors
3. Fill in designs with small dots of color
4. Let dry completely

This technique teaches patience and color theory through a fun process. The finished artwork makes a gorgeous summer keepsake that’s worthy of framing and displays beautifully on a shelf or wall. ☀️🌻

🧜‍♀️ Mermaid Paper Bag Puppets

Transform ordinary paper bags into magical mermaid puppets with sparkling details and yarn hair. These whimsical sea creatures are perfect for imaginative underwater storytelling!

Materials:

• Brown paper lunch bags
• Felt pieces (various colors)
• Googly eyes
• Glitter stars
• Yarn for hair
• Sequins
• Glue

Age Range: 3-8 years

How to Make:

1. Turn paper bag upside down (flap on bottom)
2. Cut felt pieces for mermaid tail and tops
3. Glue on googly eyes and draw faces
4. Attach yarn for hair
5. Decorate with sequins and stars

The pastel color palette of pinks, purples, and seafoam greens gives these puppets their enchanting appeal. Once dry, kids can put their hands inside to bring their mermaids to life for hours of imaginative play! 🐚🌊

🏖️ 3D Beach Scene Diorama

Bring summer vibes indoors with this tactile beach scene featuring real-texture sand, painted waves, and adorable felt accessories. The 3D elements make this craft truly special!

Materials:

• Cardboard base
• Sand (or sand-colored paint mixed with sand)
• Blue paint
• White paint
• Felt sheets (various colors)
• Wooden skewers
• Colored paper
• Glue

Age Range: 6-10 years (with adult supervision)

How to Make:

1. Paint half the cardboard with sand mixture
2. Paint the other half blue for ocean
3. Create white wave crests with cotton ball dabbing
4. Cut and design felt beach towel with patterns
5. Make paper parasol and attach to wooden skewer

This makes a perfect summer decoration for a bedroom shelf or a creative show-and-tell project about favorite beach memories! 🌊😎

🦉 Recycled Magazine Owl Art

Turn trash into treasure with this eco-friendly owl made from upcycled cardboard and colorful magazine pages. The textured collage technique creates an owl with tons of personality!

Materials:

• Cardboard
• Magazine pages
• Bottle caps (for eyes)
• Scissors
• Glue

Age Range: 7-12 years

How to Make:

1. Cut basic owl shape from cardboard
2. Tear or cut magazine pages into small pieces
3. Arrange and glue magazine pieces to create feathers and wings
4. Use bottle caps for owl eyes
5. Add final details with markers if desired

The finished owl makes a wonderful wall decoration that reminds kids about the importance of recycling while showcasing their artistic talents. A perfect craft for teaching sustainability through art! ♻️✂️

🌸 Cupcake Liner Poppy Art

These vibrant paper poppies create a striking summer meadow scene that’s perfect for displaying on the fridge or framing as a keepsake. The dimensional flowers really pop off the page!

Materials:

• Green construction paper
• Red cupcake liners
• Black paint/markers
• Green markers
• Glue

Age Range: 4-8 years

How to Make:

1. Flatten red cupcake liners and paint/color black centers
2. Draw green stems and leaves on construction paper
3. Glue the poppy flower cupcake liners to the stems
4. Add additional details like buds and grass

The bright red against the green background creates a beautiful contrast that mimics summer wildflowers. This craft teaches color mixing and fine motor skills while introducing kids to nature-inspired art. 🌺🖌️

🌊 Recycled Egg Carton Ocean Diorama

Transform ordinary household items into a vibrant underwater scene complete with coral reefs, colorful fish, and even a friendly crab! This 3D ocean world sparks imaginative play.

Materials:

• Egg carton
• Blue background paper
• Paint (various colors)
• Sponge pieces
• Old greeting cards/colored paper
• Googly eyes
• Scissors
• Glue

Age Range: 5-10 years

How to Make:

1. Paint egg carton sections gray for rocks/coral base
2. Paint sponge pieces in bright colors for coral
3. Cut fish shapes from colorful cards or paper
4. Create a crab from an egg cup
5. Assemble all pieces on blue background

This eco-friendly craft teaches about marine ecosystems while repurposing materials from around the house. Kids can create stories with their underwater scenes or use them to learn about ocean habitats! 🐠🦀

🎈 Hot Air Balloon Flower Collage

Soar into summer with this whimsical hot air balloon craft featuring colorful flower shapes and a bright sky background. Perfect for celebrating sunny days and outdoor adventures!

Materials:

• Blue construction paper
• Cardboard
• Colorful foam or paper flowers
• Heart-shaped stickers
• Paper straws
• Glue
• Corrugated paper for basket

Age Range: 5-9 years

How to Make:

1. Cut a balloon shape from cardboard
2. Cover with adhesive book cover film (or contact paper)
3. Decorate with foam flowers and heart stickers
4. Create clouds on blue background
5. Add basket and straws for balloon strings

This uplifting craft celebrates summer skies and flowers in one beautiful project. Kids can personalize their balloons with different colors and patterns. Hang from the ceiling for a 3D effect that makes any room feel like summer! 🌼💕

🏖️ Paper Beach Bucket Craft

These adorable paper beach buckets capture summer vacation vibes and are perfect for classroom decorations or summer party favors. Bright colors and polka dots make them extra festive!

Materials:

• Colored construction paper
• Blue paint
• Hole punch
• Markers
• Craft paint
• Glue

Age Range: 4-7 years

How to Make:

1. Cut bucket shapes from colorful construction paper
2. Punch holes and add dots with blue paint
3. Cut handles from brown paper
4. Add sand and shell details as desired

The cheerful beach-themed buckets look great displayed on a classroom bulletin board or strung together as a summer garland. This simple craft helps develop scissors skills while celebrating favorite beach memories! 🏝️☀️

🐦 Felt Bird Finger Puppets

These charming felt bird puppets bring storytelling to life with their colorful designs and soft texture. Each bird has its own personality with unique color combinations!

Materials:

• Felt in various colors
• Googly eyes
• Embroidery thread
• Small feathers
• Fabric glue
• Scissors
• Needle (for adult use)

Age Range: 6-12 years (with adult help for younger children)

How to Make:

1. Cut bird body shapes from felt
2. Stitch or glue two pieces together, leaving room for fingers
3. Add googly eyes and stitch a beak
4. Attach small feathers for wings and tails
5. Create details with simple embroidery stitches

These tactile puppets encourage imaginative play and storytelling. Kids can create whole bird families or different species, then use them in puppet shows. The soft textures are perfect for sensory development! 🪶✂️

⭐ Cardboard Starfish Lacing Craft

These adorable lacing starfish combine fine motor practice with ocean-themed fun! Each starfish features a cheerful face and colorful yarn patterns that kids create themselves.

Materials:

• Cardboard
• Paint in beach colors
• Hole punch
• Yarn or ribbon
• Googly eyes
• Clear tape
• Glitter or sequins
• Marker

Age Range: 3-8 years

How to Make:

1. Cut star shapes from cardboard
2. Punch holes around the edges
3. Paint stars in bright colors
4. Add googly eyes and smiles
5. Tape yarn ends for easier lacing
6. Thread yarn through holes in different patterns

This craft helps develop the fine motor skills needed for shoe-tying and sewing. Adjust the number of holes based on age – fewer for younger children, more for older kids. The finished starfish make adorable summer decorations or can be used as toys! ✨🧵

🪁 Cheerful Kite Friends Craft

Transform colorful paper into adorable kite characters with personality! These happy kites with pom-pom borders and decorative tails bring summer breezes to life right on your wall.

Materials:

• Colored cardstock
• Markers/crayons
• Pom-poms (various colors)
• Pipe cleaners
• Mini fabric roses or buttons
• Googly eyes
• Ribbons and bows
• Glue

Age Range: 5-10 years

How to Make:

1. Cut diamond shapes from colorful cardstock
2. Draw cute faces on each kite
3. Glue pom-poms around edges or decorate with stripes/patterns
4. Attach pipe cleaners for the kite strings
5. Add decorative elements like bows, flowers, or buttons

These charming kites make adorable summer decorations for a child’s bedroom or classroom. Kids love personalizing each kite with different expressions and color combinations. The tactile elements make this craft especially engaging for younger crafters! 🌈😊

🦋 Beaded Butterfly Clothespins

Create dazzling butterfly friends that can perch anywhere with this simple but stunning beaded craft. The sparkling bodies and colorful wings make these butterflies truly magical!

Materials:

• Wooden clothespins
• Pipe cleaners (2 per butterfly)
• Colorful beads
• Glitter glue
• Small googly eyes
• Clear glue

Age Range: 6-12 years

How to Make:

1. Coat clothespin with glue and sprinkle with glitter for the body
2. Thread beads onto pipe cleaners, leaving 2 inches on each end
3. Form first pipe cleaner into a figure-eight shape for top wings
4. Create second figure-eight with remaining pipe cleaner for bottom wings
5. Clip clothespin in the center to hold wings together
6. Curl the ends of top pipe cleaner to create antennae

These butterflies can clip onto curtains, backpacks, or even plants! They also make wonderful gifts for friends and family. The beading practice helps develop fine motor skills and pattern recognition. ✨🦋

🐢 Popsicle Stick Sea Creatures

Bring the ocean to life with these adorable popsicle stick sea creatures! Each character has its own personality, making this the perfect summer craft for ocean lovers and beach-goers.

Materials:

• Wooden craft sticks
• Colored paper/cardstock
• Googly eyes
• Glitter glue
• Foam shapes
• Markers
• Glue

Age Range: 4-9 years

How to Make:

1. Arrange popsicle sticks in different patterns for each sea creature
2. Glue sticks together and let dry completely
3. Add colored paper details (fins, shells, claws)
4. Attach googly eyes and draw smiling faces
5. Embellish with glitter, dots, or foam shapes

Kids can create an entire underwater world with crabs, fish, turtles, jellyfish and more! This craft teaches shape recognition and spatial awareness while allowing for endless creativity. Display as a sea-themed mobile or wall art for summer decoration! 🦀🐠🐙

🏖️ Flip-Flop Summer Bucket List

Create a personalized summer activity planner in the shape of a flip-flop! This interactive craft helps kids visualize and track their summer adventures while making a colorful keepsake.

Materials:

• Bright colored cardstock
• White paper for drawing
• Crayons or markers
• Scissors
• Glue
• Ribbon or string (optional)
• Pencils

Age Range: 5-12 years

How to Make:

1. Create a flip-flop template for kids to trace
2. Cut out flip-flop shapes from white paper
3. Have children draw and color their summer wish list activities
4. Glue completed flip-flop onto brightly colored cardstock
5. Label it “Summer Bucket List” at the top
6. Add decorative hearts, suns, or summer symbols

This craft combines art with goal-setting in a fun, summer-themed way. Kids can hang their bucket lists in their rooms and check off activities as they complete them! Perfect for the beginning of summer to plan all those exciting adventures. ☀️🕶️

🌸 Pressed Flower Letter Garland

Create a stunning personalized garland using pressed wildflowers and recycled book pages. This elegant summer craft adds a whimsical touch to any room while preserving summer blooms!

Materials:

• Cardboard or thick paper for letter templates
• Old book pages or newspaper
• Pressed wildflowers and leaves
• Craft glue
• Jute twine
• Scissors
• Hole punch

Age Range: 6-12 years (with adult help for younger children)

How to Make:

1. Cut out letters from cardboard to create templates
2. Trace and cut letters from book pages
3. Arrange pressed flowers and leaves on each letter
4. Carefully glue flowers in place and let dry completely
5. Punch holes at the top of each letter
6. String letters onto jute twine to spell words or names

This nature-inspired craft is perfect for summer celebrations, bedroom decor, or garden parties. Kids learn about flower preservation while creating a beautiful keepsake that celebrates summer’s botanical treasures! 🌼📚

🐙 Counting Jellyfish Craft

This vibrant jellyfish craft combines art with early math skills! The colorful beaded tentacles help children practice counting and develop fine motor coordination in a playful way.

Materials:

• Paper plate
• Watercolors or markers
• Googly eyes
• Colorful beads
• Yarn or string in different colors
• Number stickers (1-8)
• Hole punch

Age Range: 2-6 years (with supervision)

How to Make:

1. Cut a paper plate in half and decorate with bright colors
2. Add googly eyes to create a jellyfish face
3. Punch 8 holes along the bottom straight edge
4. Add number stickers (1-8) above each hole
5. Thread different colored yarn through each hole
6. String beads onto each tentacle matching the number above

This Montessori-inspired craft teaches one-to-one correspondence as children count beads while stringing them. The tactile nature of this project makes it perfect for hands-on learners. Kids love counting, touching, and playing with their completed jellyfish! 🧵🔢

🌻 Woven Sunflower Craft Sticks

Brighten any room with these cheerful 3D sunflowers featuring yarn-woven centers and vibrant yellow petals! These dimensional flowers make perfect summer decorations or gifts.

Materials:

• Paper plates
• Yellow paint
• Brown or tan yarn
• Green wooden dowels or craft sticks
• Green foam sheets for leaves
• Hot glue gun (adult use only)
• Scissors
• Watercolors

Age Range: 7-12 years (with adult supervision)

How to Make:

1. Cut paper plate into sunflower shape with odd number of petals
2. Paint petals yellow with watercolors
3. Punch small holes around center and weave yarn to create textured center
4. Wrap wooden dowel with green yarn for stem
5. Cut leaf shapes from green foam sheets
6. Attach flower head and leaves to stem with hot glue

These dimensional sunflowers look beautiful displayed in a vase or attached to a wall as summer artwork. The weaving element helps develop fine motor skills while creating a realistic sunflower texture! 🧶🌞

🌞 Sunshine Spiral String Art

Create a mesmerizing sun spiral design that captures the magic of summer solstice! This geometric string art combines simple materials with impressive results.

Materials:

• Yellow and orange felt or cardstock
• Scissors
• Needle (with large eye for younger children)
• Embroidery thread in coordinating colors
• Cardboard circle
• Pencil
• Ruler

Age Range: 8-14 years

How to Make:

1. Cut a circular piece of cardboard for base
2. Cut triangle points from yellow and orange paper to form sun rays
3. Arrange rays alternating colors around the circle
4. Punch small holes along zigzag pattern
5. Thread needle with embroidery floss and stitch star pattern
6. Secure thread ends on backside with tape

This meditative craft connects children to ancient summer solstice traditions while creating beautiful geometric art. The spiral design captures the sun’s energy and makes a perfect window decoration to celebrate summer’s longest days! ✨☀️

🪼 3D Jellyfish Mobiles

Transform ordinary coffee filters into mesmerizing jellyfish that seem to swim through the air! These colorful ocean creatures create a magical underwater scene when hung from the ceiling.

Materials:

• Coffee filters
• Liquid watercolors or food coloring
• Spray bottle with water
• Colorful ribbons, trim, and yarn
• Googly eyes
• Glue
• String for hanging

Age Range: 4-10 years

How to Make:

1. Lay coffee filters flat and spray with diluted watercolors
2. Allow filters to dry completely
3. Stack 2-3 filters and fold in half
4. Glue edges together leaving bottom open
5. Add googly eyes to create a face
6. Attach ribbons, yarn and trim as tentacles
7. Hang from ceiling or branch mobile

These vibrant jellyfish catch the light beautifully and sway with air currents, creating an enchanting underwater atmosphere in any room. Kids love watching their creations “swim” overhead! 🌊🎨

🐜 Underground Ant Colony Diorama

Explore what happens beneath our feet with this fascinating two-part diorama showing both the garden above and busy ant tunnels below!

Materials:

• Construction paper (brown, green, blue)
• Crayons or markers
• Black markers for ants
• Brown crumpled tissue paper
• White crayon or chalk
• Scissors
• Glue

Age Range: 5-11 years

How to Make:

1. Draw colorful flowers on top half of white paper
2. Create textured soil with brown crumpled tissue paper on bottom half
3. Draw white or light-colored ant tunnels through the brown section
4. Add small black ants throughout the tunnels
5. Draw roots, worms, and other underground creatures
6. Mount completed artwork on a bulletin board

This educational craft teaches children about insect habitats and underground ecosystems while encouraging scientific observation. It’s perfect for summer nature study and helps kids appreciate the tiny creatures living beneath garden flowers! 🌱🐜

🧩 Origami Summer Sun Window Stars

Capture summer sunshine with these translucent paper stars that cast colorful patterns when hung in a window. The simple folding technique produces impressively professional results!

Materials:

• Kite paper or tissue paper in summer colors (yellow, orange)
• Scissors
• Glue stick
• Wax paper (optional)
• String for hanging

Age Range: 8-14 years

How to Make:

1. Cut squares from colored paper
2. Fold each square diagonally, then unfold
3. Fold corners toward center point
4. Arrange folded papers in star pattern
5. Glue pieces together where they overlap
6. Allow to dry completely
7. Hang in window to catch sunlight

These radiant sun stars are perfect for celebrating summer solstice or simply brightening any window with rainbow patterns. The transparent paper creates beautiful light effects that change throughout the day as the sun moves across the sky! 🌈📐

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Wrapping Up Summer Fun

These 22 summer crafts offer the perfect balance of creativity, learning, and pure joy for kids of all ages. Beyond keeping them entertained, these projects help develop fine motor skills and allow children to express themselves through art.

Gather your supplies, clear some space, and watch their eyes light up as they bring these colorful creations to life. Summer memories are made of moments just like these!

Last Updated on March 19, 2025 by Tania Nizova | Published: March 19, 2025