19 Cute Summer Crafts for Kids

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Summer crafts for kids are essential, not only to avoid summer boredom but also to stimulate creativity and provide a good alternative to screen time. Every parent knows the battle against endless streaming content and mobile apps. These kids’ crafts provide a much-needed outlet with old-fashioned craft supplies and a little imagination.

Collage of summer craft ideas geared toward kids, including suncatchers, pressed flower bookmarks, and a bird feeder.

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Summer Activities for the Kids

Photo of Crissy, owner and founder of First Day of Home blog

Summer is a great time for kids to explore new hobbies, especially working with their hands. I have fond memories of pressing flowers and making unique art projects with my mom as a child.

Below, you’ll find a wide variety of kid-friendly crafts. Most require little adult supervision, and all are budget-friendly. Be sure to download my Summer Bucket List for even more ideas.

xo, Crissy

If you need help finding some of the supplies for the crafts below, you can visit my Amazon storefront where I’ve collected summer crafts for kids.

Outdoor Summer Crafts for Kids

Encourage kids to explore the great outdoors with this collection of easy crafts for the garden and backyard.

Fingerprint Flower Pots

Painted flower pot with ladybug fingerprints and garden stake reading "Love Bug"
Use terracotta flower pots and acrylic paint to create a cute fingerprint flower pot. This craft is the perfect gift for a mother or grandmother, and it takes only a few minutes to make. Kids may need help applying the initial base coat of paint and adding fine details with a paint pen. Check out my collection of painted flower pot ideas for more project inspiration.
Fingerprint Flower Pot Craft

Easy Garden Stakes

Decorative garden stakes trio in flower pot
Decorate wooden cutouts with scrapbook paper to make pretty garden stakes for the patio. Most craft stores sell wooden stakes, and you can customize the design with any scrapbook paper and Mod Podge. Click the button below for details.
Easy Garden Stakes

Homemade Bird Feeder

DIY bird feeder in heart shape with painted pinecones
Attract birds to the backyard with this simple bird feeder craft. You'll only need a few supplies to assemble the bird feeder in any shape you like. Kids will enjoy decorating pine cones to embellish their creation.
Bird Feeder Craft

Fairy Garden Activity

Fall fairy garden with Rudbeckia, Violas, Calibrachoa and figurines from Dollar Tree
Fairy gardens can unlock a child's imagination and encourage them to explore the outdoors. Kids can find small figurines at dollar stores and use natural items like pinecones, twigs, and moss to create a backyard haven for fairies. Click below to see some examples of fairy gardens for more inspiration.
Fairy Garden Ideas

Mosaic Stepping Stones

Mosaic stepping stone sitting on ground.
Create a unique keepsake outdoors with a stepping stone kit. Many kits include instructions for making handprints as well as adding colorful pebbles and tiles. It's a wonderful way to encourage artistic expression and create a lasting memory at the same time.
Mosaic Stepping Stone Tutorial

Pressed Flower Crafts for Kids

With pressed flowers, you can make a wide variety of craft projects to last several days. These projects are perfect for older kids and teens who appreciate the pressed flower aesthetic and want to make gifts for friends.

Pressed Flower Bookmarks

Five pressed flower bookmarks held in a hand.
Grab some Mod Podge to make these pretty pressed flower bookmarks. This is a great summer camp activity for kids and teens. See the full tutorial below to find out where to get pressed flowers and bookmarks for this cute craft.
Pressed Flower Bookmarks

Pressed Flower Sticker Bookmarks

Mason jar stickers filled with pressed flowers, used as bookmarks.
For an even easier pressed flower bookmark, you can purchase these mason jar stickers. The flowers sit inside the sticker, so there's no gluing involved. Younger kids may need a little help peeling the sticker open, in my experience, but the jars turn out so cute.
Pressed Flower Jar Bookmarks

Pressed Flower Lanterns

Trio of mini glass jars decorated with pressed flowers and twine.
Turn ordinary yogurt jars into beautiful pressed flower lanterns. This is another simple decoupage project that even teenage kids would enjoy. It's a great upcycling project too.
Pressed Flower Lanterns

Pressed Flower Stickers

Pressed flower stickers supplies including notebook, wax paper, and pressed flowers.
If your child loves journaling, these pressed flower stickers will be a hit. Check out the full tutorial to find out the secret to making these cute collectibles. These stickers would be fun to trade among friends, too.
Pressed Flower Stickers

Be sure to check out my full list of pressed flower crafts for more project inspiration.

Indoor Crafts and Rainy Day Activities

If the weather doesn't hold up or you're just looking for an easy indoor craft, check out these simple activities for kids.

Decoupage Tin Cans

Decoupage tin cans with floral patterns filled with flowers.
This upcycling craft is perfect for kids who want to create containers to store their craft supplies or trinkets. Kids can use either tissue paper or scrapbook paper to decorate their tin cans. Get full instructions below.
Decoupage Cans Tutorial

Easy Paper Flowers

Cherry blossom paper flowers in galvanized metal bucket
Using just a few facial tissues, chalk, and glue, kids can make pretty paper flowers that look like cherry blossoms. This is a great indoor activity that brings a touch of nature inside.
Paper Flowers Tutorial

Salt Dough Crafts

Collage of salt dough crafts for Christmas.
One batch of salt dough can make countless fun craft projects for kids. You only need three ingredients (flour, salt, and water) and this salt dough recipe to get started. Then, either bake or air-dry your creations. Check out the collection of salt dough crafts below for more ideas.
Salt Dough Crafts

Air Dry Clay Crafts

Boys sitting at table with Klutz Ceramics Studio kit for air dry clay projects
Air-dry clay is another great art medium for kids. With a kit, it's easier to get the tools you need to make a variety of projects. (Think paintbrushes, paint, gloss, etc.) Check out the details below on my favorite air-dry clay kit for children.
Air Dry Clay Crafts

DIY Wooden Sign

DIY decoupage wood sign that reads "Dad"
In advance of Father's Day, kids can make a unique handmade sign for Dad. A grownup can help kids assemble the final project and cut difficult letters, but kids will enjoy gluing the pieces. My twins were thrilled to give their dad a DIY gift to hang above his workbench.
DIY Wood Sign

Decoupage Oyster Shells

Various oyster shells decorated with decoupage using napkins and Mod Podge.
This craft may look sophisticated, but it's actually very easy to make. Just grab some pretty napkins to decorate shells found along the beach. Oyster shells work well, but you can use any shell with a smooth inside. Find all the details in the tutorial below.
Decoupage Oyster Shells

Easy Suncatchers

Suncatcher DIY window clings in the shapes of hearts, birds, a rainbow, and the word "Love"
This suncatcher craft is a blast for kids to make. Using gallery glass paint, kids can trace one of the pre-printed images to create a “stained glass” design. Then, they simply peel and stick the design on a window.
DIY Suncatchers

Patriotic Summer Crafts for Kids

Since Independence Day falls in the middle of summer in the U.S., these patriotic projects make the perfect summer craft activity. Of course, kids can customize the designs for other occasions as well.

Paper Fireworks Craft

Trio of paper fireworks made from paper towel rolls, shown with paper fan.
Save paper towel rolls to make these festive fireworks for the 4th of July. Hobby stores sell plenty of scrapbook paper in red, white, and blue to decorate the firecrackers. Check out the step-by-step tutorial below for instructions.
Paper Fireworks Craft

Easy Paper Fans

Paper fans sitting in mason jar in front of brick wall
With just a few sheets of scrapbook paper, kids can assemble beautiful paper fans. These are perfect for using as actual fans on a hot summer day or to decorate bikes for a 4th of July parade.
Easy Paper Fans

Patriotic Wood Signs

Two patriotic wood signs with stars and stripes pattern sitting next to plant on table
This pair of patriotic signs is easy for anyone to make with wood pieces from the craft store. You can customize the scrapbook paper if you're looking for a non-patriotic craft as well.
Easy Patriotic Wood Signs

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Collage of summer crafts for kids.

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