Ultimate Guide to Summer Crafts for Kids

Summer is the perfect time to let creativity shine and little hands explore the world of crafts! From paper plates and colorful construction paper to plastic cups and paints, there’s no limit to what kids can create.

These hands-on activities are not only tons of fun but also help kids develop essential skills like fine motor coordination, problem-solving, and creativity.

Whether it’s snipping away with scissors, pasting pieces together, or painting summery masterpieces, these easy-to-follow crafts combine learning with play for endless summer memories.

Why Summer Crafts are Awesome

Engaging Skills: Crafting strengthens fine motor skills with activities like cutting, pasting, and folding.

Creative Exploration: Kids can experiment with colors, shapes, and textures for imaginative outcomes.

Low-Cost Fun: Everyday materials such as paper plates, roll paper, and plastic cups transform into something magical without breaking the bank.

Craft Tips for a Stress-Free Summer

• Use kid-safe scissors and washable paints to keep things safe and mess-free.
• Set up a designated craft station with supplies ready to inspire little artists.
• Include a mix of structured crafts and free-form art to let kids express their unique ideas.
• Encourage teamwork by hosting craft sessions with friends or siblings.

Get ready for a summer full of laughter, learning, and unforgettable creations. With these simple ideas, you’ll spark your kids’ imaginations while helping them sharpen essential skills—they might not even realize they’re learning because they’ll be having so much fun!

Recommended: Adult supervision recommended for any of these fun activities. 

Pool Noodle Summer Craft Ideas

Pool Noodle Obstacle Course

• Materials: Pool noodles, stakes or dowels (optional for anchoring).
  • Cut pool noodles into varying lengths and shapes such as curved or straight.
  • Lay them on the ground or prop them up using stakes for crawling or jumping challenges.
  • Arrange them creatively to form tunnels, hurdles, or zigzag paths.
  • Kids can race through the course or time each other for added fun.

DIY Pool Noodle Marble Run

• Materials: Pool noodles, marbles, duct tape.
  • Cut pool noodles in half lengthwise so they form long, hollow tracks.
  • Tape the noodle halves together to create extended tracks or ramps.
  • Prop the tracks against a chair or stack books for height.
  • Test the design by rolling marbles down and readjust tracks for optimal fun.

Pool Noodle Wands

• Materials: Pool noodle pieces, ribbons, decorative tape, stickers.
  • Cut pool noodles into 12-inch lengths or shorter.
  • Wrap colorful tape or ribbons around the top portion for decoration.
  • Attach streamers or stickers to one end for added flair.
  • Encourage kids to wave their wands or create gross motor movements with the wands.

Foam Swords for Pretend Play

• Materials: Pool noodles, duct tape, cardboard tube (optional for handles).
  • Cut pool noodles to the desired length for the sword.
  • Wrap one end with duct tape to create a “handle.”
  • Optionally, insert a cardboard tube into the center of the handle for better grip.
  • Let kids decorate their foam swords and play safely.
  • Create a fun dramatic play of pirates and treasure hunt using the foam swords.

Pool Noodle Stamp Art

• Materials: Pool noodles, scissors, paint, paper.
  • Slice pool noodles into thin circular pieces to create stamping shapes.
  • Dip the circular foam pieces into paint.
  • Press them onto paper or fabric to create unique designs like circles or dots.
  • Experiment with adding texture, layering colors, or combining shapes.

Flower Garden Decorations

• Materials: Pool noodles, scissors, sticks, paint.
  • Cut pool noodles into small pieces to form the “petals” of the flower.
  • Arrange and glue them into a flower shape (you can mix colors for variety).
  • Use a stick in the center as the stem.
  • Place the flowers in an outdoor garden or pot for decor.

DIY Ring Toss Game

• Materials: Pool noodles, duct tape, cones.
  • Bend pool noodles into circles and connect the ends using duct tape to secure.
  • Repeat this step to make multiple rings.
  • Set up cones in the yard as the “targets.”
  • Have kids toss the foam rings onto the targets and award points!

Floating Pool Noodle Boats

• Materials: Pool noodles, foam sheets, craft sticks or pipe cleaners, scissors, markers.
  • Cut pool noodles into small rectangular pieces to form the base of the boat.
  • Cut foam sheets into triangles to create sails.
  • Attach the foam sails to craft sticks and place them into the noodle base.
  • Decorate the boats with markers or stickers, then float them in water to race.

Bracelets and Necklaces

• Materials: Pool noodles, string or yarn, safety scissors.
  • Slice pool noodles into thin circular pieces.
  • Punch a hole through each foam piece or thread string through the center.
  • Let kids string the pieces together to form bracelets or necklaces.
  • Mix and match colors to create fun patterns.

Building Blocks

• Materials: Pool noodles, scissors.
  • Cut pool noodles into different shapes and sizes (short cylinders, long pieces, etc.).
  • Let kids stack and arrange the pieces to build towers, forts, or geometric designs.
  • Encourage imaginative play by letting them create houses or castles.

Plastic Cups Summer Crafts for Kids

Plastic Cup Ice Cream Cones

• Materials: Plastic cups, paper (brown or tan), pom-poms of various colors, markers, glue.
• Steps:
  • Wrap the base of the plastic cup with brown/tan paper to mimic a cone.
  • Glue pom-poms inside the cup to represent colorful ice cream scoops.
  • Use markers to decorate with sprinkles or designs.

Jellyfish Hanging Art

• Materials: Plastic cups, streamers, paint, wiggly eyes, string, safety scissors, glue.
• Steps:
  • Paint the outside of the plastic cup in bright colors.
  • Glue wiggly eyes near the top rim for the “face.”
  • Cut streamers into strips and glue them around the bottom edge of the cup to create tentacles.
  • Attach string to the top of the cup for hanging.

Plastic Cup Bird Feeders

• Materials: Plastic cups, string, birdseed, scissors.
• Steps:
  • Punch holes near the rim of the plastic cup and thread a string through for hanging.
  • Fill the cup with birdseed.
  • Hang the bird feeder in your backyard and enjoy watching birds visit!

Summertime Windsocks

• Materials: Plastic cups, markers, streamers/ribbons, glue, string.
• Steps:
  • Decorate the outside of the cup with markers or summery designs.
  • Attach colorful streamers or ribbons to the bottom edge with glue.
  • Punch a hole in the top and thread a string for hanging.
  • Let it sway in the breeze for a fun summertime vibe!

Mini Sandcastle Cups

• Materials: Plastic cups, sand, shells, glue.
• Steps:
  • Cover the outside of the cup with glue and sprinkle sand over it to create texture.
  • Add shells, small pebbles, or glitter for decoration.
  • Allow the cup to dry and use it as a decoration or centerpiece.

Plastic Cup Lanterns

• Materials: Plastic cups, LED tea light candles, tissue paper, glue.
• Steps:
  • Cover the exterior of the plastic cup with colorful tissue paper and glue for a stained-glass effect.
  • Place an LED tea light candle inside the cup.
  • Light it up in the evening for a fun summer glow!

Water Cup Turtles

• Materials: Plastic cups (green, if possible), construction paper, wiggly eyes, glue.
• Steps:
  • Cut out a turtle body and legs from green construction paper.
  • Glue the plastic cup upside down onto the paper (the cup acts as the turtle shell).
  • Add wiggly eyes to the head.
  • Decorate the turtle shell with designs like spots or patterns.

Plastic Cup Carnival Game

• Materials: Plastic cups, small ball, paint or markers.
• Steps:
  • Decorate plastic cups with colorful designs using paint or markers.
  • Stack the cups into a pyramid shape.
  • Let kids take turns trying to knock down the tower using a small ball.

Construction Paper and Paper Roll Summer Crafts Ideas

Toilet Paper Roll Butterflies

• Materials: Toilet paper roll, construction paper, markers, glue, scissors, pipe cleaners.
• Steps:
  • Wrap the toilet paper roll with construction paper in any color.
  • Cut out butterfly wings from construction paper and decorate with markers.
  • Glue the wings to the back of the roll.
  • Attach pipe cleaners to the top of the roll for antennae.
  • Draw or glue on eyes and a smile for the butterfly’s face.

Paper Roll Ice Cream Cones

• Materials: Toilet paper roll, brown construction paper, colored construction paper, glue, safety scissors.
• Steps:
  • Cover the roll with brown construction paper to mimic an ice cream cone.
  • Cut colored construction paper into circles (these are ice cream scoops).
  • Glue the “scoops” onto the roll to stack multiple flavors.
  • Draw sprinkles with markers or glitter for fun decorations.

Toilet Paper Roll Palm Trees

• Materials: Toilet paper roll, green and brown construction paper, safety scissors, glue.
• Steps:
  • Wrap the roll with brown construction paper to create a tree trunk.
  • Cut out long, narrow leaf shapes from green construction paper.
  • Glue the leaves to the top of the roll to create the palm tree crown.
  • Optional: Add coconuts using small brown pom-poms or paper circles!

Construction Paper Fish

• Materials: Paper towel roll, colorful construction paper, glue, scissors, markers.
• Steps:
  • Flatten the roll slightly and cut out a fish-like shape.
  • Cover the roll with colorful construction paper.
  • Cut small triangles or circles from construction paper for fins and glue to the fish body.
  • Add an eye using wiggly eyes or draw one with a marker.

Toilet Paper Roll Sunflowers

• Materials: Toilet paper roll, yellow and brown construction paper, glue, safety scissors.
• Steps:
  • Wrap the roll with green construction paper for the stem.
  • Cut out petal shapes from yellow construction paper and glue them around the top of the roll.
  • Cut out a brown paper circle for the sunflower center and glue it to the petals.

Paper Roll Rockets

• Materials: Toilet paper roll, construction paper, glue, safety scissors, tape.
• Steps:
  • Wrap a toilet paper roll with bright construction paper.
  • Cut out a cone shape from paper and tape it to one end of the roll as the rocket tip.
  • Add fins by cutting small triangles and gluing them to the sides.
  • Decorate the rocket with stars, shapes, or markers.

Paper Roll Octopus

• Materials: Toilet paper roll, construction paper (bright colors), wiggly eyes, glue, safety scissors.
• Steps:
  • Cover the roll with colorful construction paper.
  • Cut out eight strips of construction paper for octopus tentacles and glue them to the bottom inside edge of the roll.
  • Attach wiggly eyes to the top of the roll and draw a happy face.

Construction Paper Campfire Decor

• Materials: Paper towel roll, red, orange, and yellow construction paper, safety scissors, glue.
• Steps:
  • Cover the roll with brown construction paper to resemble a log.
  • Cut flame-shaped pieces from red, orange, and yellow paper.
  • Glue the flame pieces to one end of the roll to create a campfire.
  • Use several rolls to create a full campfire centerpiece!

Toilet Paper Roll Snakes

• Materials: Toilet paper roll, construction paper (green or patterned), safety scissors, glue, markers.
• Steps:
  • Wrap the roll in green or snake-patterned paper.
  • Flatten and cut the roll into a spiral shape.
  • Draw eyes and glue a small forked tongue (cut from red paper) to make the snake look lifelike.
  • Connect multiple rolls for a longer snake!

Paper Roll Beach Scene

• Materials: Toilet paper roll, construction paper, glue, sand or glitter, mini shells.
• Steps:
  • Wrap the roll with blue construction paper for the “water.”
  • Stick sand or glitter to a small strip of yellow paper to mimic a beach and glue it to the bottom edge of the roll.
  • Add mini shells or draw fish onto the roll for decoration.
  • Use multiple rolls to create a larger summer beach display!

Scissors Skills Summer Crafts for Kids

Paper Sandcastles

• Materials: Sand-colored construction paper, safety scissors, glue, markers.
• Instructions:
  • Provide kids with a piece of construction paper.
  • Guide them to cut out rectangles, triangles, and arches to build their own sandcastle.
  • Glue the cutouts onto a blue background and decorate with waves or clouds using markers.

Underwater Creature Collage

• Materials: Colorful paper, safety scissors, glue, wiggly eyes.
  • Have kids cut out shapes like fish, starfish, or jellyfish. For jellyfish, they can cut strips for tentacles.
• Instructions:
  • Assemble and glue the creatures on a blue background.
  • Add wiggly eyes or drawn details for a lively underwater scene.
  • Nature-Inspired Scissors Crafts

Paper Plate Sunflowers

• Materials: Yellow construction paper, safety scissors, brown paper, glue, paper plate.
• Instructions:
  • Help kids cut yellow petal shapes from construction paper.
  • Glue the petals around the rim of a paper plate.
  • Cut a circle from brown paper and attach it to the center as the flower’s head.

Grass Weaving Practice

• Materials: Green paper, safety scissors, glue.
• Instructions:
  • Fold green paper in half.
  • Show kids how to cut slits along the fold without cutting all the way through.
  • Slide other colored paper strips through the slits to practice weaving skills.

Ice Cream Cone Collage

• Materials: Construction paper in pastel colors, safety scissors, glue.
• Instructions:
  • Cut cone shapes from brown paper and scoop shapes from colorful paper.
  • Layer and glue the shapes to build stacks of ice cream scoops.
  • Add sprinkles by gluing tiny paper scraps or drawing dots.

Tropical Palm Trees

• Materials: Green paper, brown paper, safety scissors, glue.
• Instructions:
  • Cut strips of brown paper for the trunk.
  • Cut large leaf shapes from green paper for the palms.
  • Assemble and glue the tree together on a blank page.

DIY Paper Fans

• Materials: Patterned paper, safety scissors, craft sticks, glue.
• Instructions:
  • Cut paper into large rectangles.
  • Show kids how to fold the paper accordion-style.
  • Attach one end of the folded paper to a popsicle stick using glue or tape.

Ocean Wave Layers

• Materials: Blue construction paper, safety scissors, glue.
• Instructions:
  • Cut various shades of blue paper into wavy strips.
  • Layer and glue the strips onto a piece of paper to create a layered ocean effect.
  • Decorate with cut-out fish or sea creatures for extra fun.

Mixed Media Scissors Crafts

Paper Plate Suns with Rays

• Materials: Paper plates, orange and yellow construction paper, safety scissors, glue.
• Instructions:
  • Cut orange and yellow rays from construction paper.
  • Glue the rays around a paper plate to create a large sun.
  • Add decorations like smiley faces or glitter to make it bright and cheerful.

Tissue Paper Mosaic

• Materials: Tissue paper, safety scissors, glue, construction paper.
• Instructions:
  • Cut colorful tissue paper into small squares or shapes.
  • Glue the tissue paper pieces onto construction paper in a mosaic-like pattern.
  • Let kids create summer objects like beach balls or flowers by arranging their tissue pieces.

Finger Paint Summer Crafts for Kids

Beach Scene Masterpieces:

Kids can use finger paints to create their own beach landscapes with blue waves, sandy shores, and colorful sunsets. Add details like painted fish or seashells.

Rainbow Handprints:

Let kids dip their hands in a variety of colors to create overlapping handprints in the shape of rainbows. Perfect for sunny days!

Fingerprint Ocean Animals:

Guide kids to use their fingerprints to make ocean animals like jellyfish, fish, octopus, or crabs. Add extra details with markers or paints.

Painted Garden Stones:

Use finger paints to decorate flat garden stones in fun summer designs, such as flowers, sunshine, or ice cream cones.

Sunshine Collages:

Create sunburst designs by painting handprints radiating from a circle, then cut out and glue it onto construction paper for a bright summer-themed art piece.

Summer Crafts with Shells

Shell Painting Fun:

Use finger paints to decorate seashells with colorful patterns, stripes, or even miniature landscapes. These make fantastic keepsakes or home decor.

Ocean-Inspired Wind Chimes:

Paint shells and string them together to make a beautiful wind chime. Incorporate beads or ribbons for added flair.

Mini Shell Creatures:

Use shells as bases for crafting cute creatures like ladybugs, turtles, or fish. Add wiggly eyes and craft accessories for extra personality.

Summer Crafts with Paper Plates

Paper Plate Tropical Suns:

Paint paper plates bright yellow and orange, then attach painted handprints or triangular rays as sunshine bursts.

Underwater Aquariums:

Create playful aquariums by painting paper plates blue and pasting on paper fish, painted seashells, and other ocean-themed embellishments.

Beach Ball Plates:

Paint paper plates as colorful beach balls. Divide them into sections and let kids paint each one a different color or pattern.

Have fun creating any of these summer crafts for kids. Share your creations here in the comments or on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.