Summer Fun Unleashed: 12 Simple & Creative Kids’ Crafts
About the author: Cassandra Alvarez is a from-scratch cook, food preservation expert, and freelance writer. She loves crafts, cookery, baking, and DIY, and enjoys sharing her knowledge and passion with others.
When the weather keeps kids indoors—or when you just need a quiet afternoon activity—having a list of go-to crafts can be a lifesaver. These hands-on projects use everyday supplies like paper plates, toilet paper rolls, and paint, making them perfect for quick setup and low-stress cleanup. Whether you’re looking to spark creativity, support fine motor skills, or just keep screen time in check, these fun summer crafts for kids are sure to do the trick. Ideal for quiet summer afternoons or when rain stops outdoor play.
Get ready for some seriously sunny crafting sessions! When the days are long and the kids are buzzing with energy, there’s nothing better than diving into some fun and creative projects. This list of 12 easy summer crafts is packed with ideas to keep little hands busy and imaginations soaring, all while embracing the bright and breezy vibes of the season. Forget screen time – it’s time to get crafty with everything from nature-inspired creations to projects that will add a splash of summer to your home!
We’ve rounded up a dozen super simple crafts for kids that use everyday materials and require minimal fuss, so you can spend more time enjoying the sunshine and less time stressing about complicated instructions. Think vibrant colors, natural elements like seashells and leaves, and projects that are perfect for outdoor play or decorating your space with a touch of summer cheer. Get ready to unleash your kids’ inner artists and create some truly memorable summer masterpieces. Let the crafting adventures begin!
Check out some of our favorite Summer Crafts for Kids:
The kiddos will squeal in delight over this super adorable ‘Sun Rising’ Paper Plate Craft! You really can’t get any cuter than this one and the colors are fun and bright just like the kids like. It is also an easy craft that requires only minimal supplies making it perfect for an at-home or classroom activity.
Crafts made with toilet paper rolls are so much fun! So, instead of pitching out those used toilet tissue rolls, save them up! Then, on the next rainy afternoon when the kids are screaming, they are bored, you have the makings for these super cute Toilet Paper Roll Bee Craft!
Looking for a crafty activity to keep the little ones entertained this summer? Look no further than this adorable Dollar Store snail craft! Using just a few simple supplies, you can transform jumbo craft sticks, Craft Foam and buttons (found readily at your dollar store) into adorable summertime snails
Want to know a fun way to recycle and reuse tissue paper rolls? This Toilet Paper Roll Butterfly craft is super easy and oh so much fun for kids to make. The best part is it uses common supplies that you probably already have around the house!
Check out this great list of Summer Crafts for Kids:
12 Fun and Easy Summer Crafts for Kids
Need some fun crafts to do with your kids this summer? Don't miss our list of easy crafts your kids will love!
This colorful octopus craft turns simple paper strips into wiggly legs that kids will love assembling. With a cheerful face and customizable colors, it’s great for preschoolers learning to cut and glue. The chain-style legs also make it a good pick for practicing patterns or counting.
This friendly red crab is made from an empty toilet paper roll and just a few added details. The pinchers are easy to create with construction paper, and googly eyes give it plenty of personality. A great pick for ocean-themed weeks or summer afternoons.
Delicate and bright, these flower lanterns are made with simple materials and come together with surprising elegance. They’re perfect for springtime or any time kids want to add a glow of color to their room. An excellent project for older children who enjoy careful cutting and gluing.
This clever craft mixes letter learning with summertime fun. Kids cut out their names in watermelon seed shapes, making it a fun way to reinforce spelling and letter recognition. All you need is paper, glue, and a little creativity.
Using bits of old magazines or leftover paper scraps, kids can create a colorful collage of their own bird design. This project encourages creativity and detail, making it perfect for a quiet, focused afternoon of crafting.
Capture the sunlight with this easy and cheerful sun suncatcher. Using contact paper and tissue paper, kids can layer colors to create a glowing effect that brightens any window. It’s quick to make and mess-free.
This pink flamingo comes together with a handprint and a few simple shapes. Toddlers and preschoolers will love seeing their own hands become part of the animal. A great craft to pair with books about birds or zoo animals.
Perfect for the Fourth of July or any festive celebration, these paper firecrackers are safe and spark-free. Kids can use markers or paint to decorate the rolls and streamers, then hang them as fun decorations.
This open-ended project lets kids paint and decorate mini pin boards they can use to display artwork or notes. With corkboard and paint as the base, it’s a creative way to personalize their own space with color and style.
This easy turtle craft uses a paper plate for the shell, giving little ones a fun shape to decorate with dots, paint, or tissue paper. It’s great for preschoolers learning about sea life or working on color recognition.
With just a few cuts and colorful designs, a plain paper plate turns into a bright, cheerful fish. This craft is perfect for younger kids and can be customized with stickers, paint, or glitter to make each fish unique.
This bold shark craft is ideal for ocean-themed weeks or just for kids who love sea creatures. Using basic shapes and gray paper, kids can build a fearsome or friendly shark that’s fun to display afterward.
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