Easy kids craft ideas to beat summer boredom
With summer holidays in full swing, you might be wondering how to keep the kids entertained. While days out are great, those in-between days can quickly turn into a chorus of “I’m bored!” So what can you do without breaking the bank?
Craft activities are the perfect solution. And you don’t need to rush out to buy expensive supplies – after all, kids often get more joy from a cardboard box than from a fancy toy!
Here are 10 summer craft ideas that are simple to set up, easy to tidy away and guaranteed to spark your child’s imagination. Each project uses everyday household items and can be adapted for different ages and skill levels.
1. Cardboard box city adventures
Save up your delivery cardboard boxes for paper crafts for the kids. Cardboard boxes can easily become a miniature city. Cut out windows and doors, and let the kids paint and decorate with any paint or pens you have. You can even use colourful paper scraps. Add toilet roll, people and toy cars to keep the play going.
This super simple craft idea can keep the kids entertained for ages. It can even extend over multiple days as kids add new buildings, roads or even an ‘airport’ for any toy planes.
2. Paper plate sun catchers
If you have some paper plates, you can transform them into stunning window decorations with the kids.
Cut out the centre of the plate, leaving just the rim. Let kids cover the opening with colourful tissue paper. If you don’t have tissue paper, then you can always use cling film or any clear plastic you have lying around. Your kids can colour them in with water paints.
Or get them outdoors to find some flower petals to stick on to the plastic instead. Hang them in windows to catch the summer sunlight and create rainbow patterns throughout your home.
3. Sock puppet theatre
Let’s face it… Every household has a lost sock pile! Turn your odd socks into stars with the kids with this quick and easy craft.
Help kids create personalities for their sock puppets using googly eyes, yarn for hair and fabric scraps for clothes. Set up a “theatre” using a large cardboard box so the kids can put on shows. This kids’ craft idea is a great way to combine crafting with storytelling and dramatic play.
4. Ice cube art experiments
Another great summer craft for kids on those hot days is ice cube art. Fill ice cube trays with water and add food colouring, small toys, flowers or glitter. Once frozen, the ice cubes become painting tools, sensory play objects or ingredients for magic potions in the garden.
On hot summer days, kids can use the coloured ice cubes to paint on large sheets of paper outside, creating melting masterpieces.
5. Toilet paper roll binoculars
Coming up with kids’ craft ideas can be as simple as using toilet paper rolls.
Two toilet paper rolls, some string and decorating supplies create the perfect explorer’s binoculars. Kids can paint them, wrap them in colored paper, or cover them with stickers. Add a string so they can wear them during backyard adventures, nature walks or imaginative safari games.
6. Egg carton flower garden
Cut apart cardboard egg cartons to create individual cups. Your kids can paint them in bright colours to make beautiful flowers.
Add green pipe cleaners or old ice lolly sticks as stems and petals out of tissue paper, card or whatever you’ve got. Keep the fun going and create an entire indoor garden. ‘Plant’ the flowers in a cardboard box and fill with crumpled newspaper ‘soil’.
7. Aluminium foil sculptures
Another craft activity for the kids could be aluminium foil sculptures. Tear off sheets of foil and show your kids how to shape them into animals, people, or whatever they desire. This activity is great for developing fine motor skills and spatial reasoning. You can paint the sculptures once you’ve shaped them, or leave them silver and shiny.
8. Coffee filter butterflies
Coffee filters and colouring pens can create stunning butterfly art. Get your kids to colour two filters, then use a spray bottle to lightly mist them, watching the colours blend and spread.
Once dry, fold the coffee filters in an accordion style back and forth. Put each of the folded coffee filters together and tie them together in the centre with a pipe cleaner. With the excess pipe cleaner, create a V shape. Your pipe cleaner will form your butterfly antennae, so curl around the pipe cleaner at the edges.
Then, finally, unfold and pull out the coffee filter ‘wings’ and the creation is complete. You can hang these delicate creatures from a string to create a floating butterfly mobile.
9. Cereal box board games
Don’t throw away your empty cardboard boxes. Empty cereal boxes can become custom board games with a bit of imagination.
Cut them open and lay them flat, then help kids design their own game boards using colouring equipment (or paint) and paper. They can create paths, obstacles and rules. Use bottle caps or small toys as game pieces and dice from other board games you have around the house.
10. Bubble wrap printing
Don’t throw away the bubble wrap from packages! You can use bubble wrap for a fun printing activity. Kids can paint the bubble side with washable paint, then press paper onto it to create interesting textured patterns. Different sized bubbles create different effects, and you can layer multiple colours to create fun designs.
Making the most of your crafting time
These kids’ craft ideas are a great way to have some fun this summer. Kids can experiment, make messes and come up with their own imaginative ideas.
Keep a designated craft drawer stocked with basic supplies like scissors, glue sticks, colouring pens and tape. Having these available makes it easier to jump into spontaneous crafting sessions when inspiration hits or boredom sets in.
These simple, cost-effective craft ideas are a great way to boost your kids’ problem solving skills, boost their confidence and have some screen-free fun.
Looking for more creative ideas to keep your family entertained? Visit Beyond the Grid for more inspiration for fun this summer for you and the kids.
