12 Easy Summer Craft Ideas for Kids (Using Stuff You Already Have)

Looking for easy summer crafts for kids using stuff you already have at home? This list of 12 low-mess, low-prep craft ideas is perfect for keeping children busy, creative, and screen-free all summer long.

Summer’s here — and with it comes the magical combination of sunshine, snacks… and the constant chorus of “I’m bored!”

Whether the weather’s blazing hot or a bit on the soggy side, these easy summer crafts are a lifesaver. They’re simple, low-mess, and made with things you probably already have lying around. No need for fancy supplies. No glitter in the carpet (unless that’s your thing — no judgment!).

Perfect for parents, grandparents, or anyone looking to keep little hands busy — and brains quietly engaged — this summer.

Materials You Might Want to Have Handy

You don’t need everything on this list — but having a few basics on hand can make spontaneous crafting a breeze:

• Child-safe scissors

• Washable paints or markers

• String or yarn

• Food colouring

• Glue sticks or school glue

• Zip-lock bags

• Paper plates, cardboard, and loo rolls

• Tissue paper scraps

• Coffee filters

• Spray Bottle or water dropper

• Clothespin

• Recycled materials (old magazines, tinfoil, bubble wrap)

• Small toys or beads for sensory play

  
  

Tip: Stash everything in a “summer craft box” so it’s ready when boredom strikes.

12 Easy Summer Craft Ideas for Kids

1. Paper Plate Sun Catchers

You’ll need: Paper plates, tissue paper or cellophane, glue, scissors

Cut the centre out of a paper plate, fill the opening with torn bits of tissue paper or cellophane to create a “stained glass” look, and hang it in a sunny window.

✅ Supports: Fine motor skills, colour recognition, creativity

👉 Quick tip: A big pack of tissue paper scraps will last you all summer.

2. Frozen Treasure Hunt

Freeze small toys, buttons, flowers, or leaves in containers of water. Kids “excavate” the frozen treasures with warm water, droppers, or toy tools.

✅ Supports: Sensory exploration, patience, problem-solving

👉 Try themed versions — dinosaurs, bugs, or under-the-sea!

3. DIY Toilet Roll Binoculars

Tape two toilet rolls together, decorate with crayons, paint, or stickers, and attach a string for a DIY adventure accessory.

✅ Supports: Imaginative play, fine motor skills

👉 Pair with a backyard bug hunt or birdwatching day.

4. Bubble Wrap Prints

Dip bubble wrap in paint, press it onto paper, and reveal fun textured patterns. Use the prints for bookmarks, cards, or art collages.

✅ Supports: Sensory play, pattern recognition, creative expression

5. Water Balloon Painting

Fill small balloons with watered-down paint and gently toss them onto a canvas or paper outside. Boom — instant abstract art!

✅ Supports: Motor skills, colour mixing, self-expression

👉 Use washable paint — this one’s messy but worth it.

6. Tinfoil River Races

Roll out foil strips, fold the edges to make a “river,” and pour in water. Float LEGO boats, corks, or bottle caps — then race them!

✅ Supports: Engineering thinking, cause-and-effect, outdoor play

7. DIY Friendship Bracelets

Use embroidery thread, yarn, or old t-shirts cut into strips. Braid or twist into bracelets for friends, cousins, or camp buddies.

✅ Supports: Hand-eye coordination, patience, social-emotional skills

👉 Search “kids friendship bracelet kit” if you want a ready-made option.

8.Coffee Filter Butterflies

Let kids colour coffee filters with washable markers — the messier, the better! Then lightly spritz with water and watch the colours blend like watercolour paint.

Once dry, fold concertina style and pinch the centre and clip with a clothespin or twist a pipe cleaner to create butterfly wings.

✅ Supports: Colour blending, creativity, fine motor skills

👉 Add a magnet to the back of the clothespin and stick them on the fridge for a cheerful summer display.

9. Kitchen Science: Baking Soda Volcanoes

Mix baking soda and food colouring in a dish, then pour vinegar on top to watch the fizzy eruption. Make a “volcano” with mud or dough if you’re feeling fancy.

✅ Supports: Scientific thinking, curiosity, sensory fun

10. Story Stones

Paint or draw simple images on stones — a tree, star, dog, rainbow — and pull out a few to create a spontaneous story.

✅ Supports: Storytelling, language development, creative thinking

👉 Use permanent markers if you don’t have paint.

11. Nature Collage Creatures

Collect leaves, twigs, petals, and small stones. Then glue them to paper to create creatures, faces, or animals from your nature haul.

✅ Supports: Observation skills, imagination, sensory exploration

👉 Add googly eyes for extra fun!

If you want more ideas on how to get creative outdoors try these activities in my article 10 Fun and Easy Nature-Inspired Crafts for Kids

12. Sock Puppets with a Twist

Turn old socks into silly puppets with buttons, fabric, yarn, or markers — then put on a puppet show!

✅ Supports: Fine motor skills, storytelling, confidence-building

👉 Older kids can even film a “mini movie” with their characters.

Real Crafts for Real Families

You don’t need a Pinterest-perfect setup or fancy craft supplies to enjoy summer creativity with your kids. The most memorable moments are often the messiest ones — glue on the table, paint in their hair, and a proud grin when they hold up their creation.

These activities do more than pass the time — they support creativity, problem-solving, and independence in ways screens just can’t.

So whether you’re dodging screen time, battling boredom, or just trying to make a few joyful memories, these 12 summer crafts are a fun, flexible way to fill the day with connection and colour.