Keep your kids engaged all summer long with these easy summer art projects! We’ve put together projects for little ones to do by themselves, and summer crafts that need a little adult help. No matter the day or need, these activity ideas are sure to bust summer boredom. Some of these projects are especially fun to complete and enjoy outside—one craft even glows in the dark! One of the hardest things about kids on summer break is planning summer activities for the whole family to enjoy. This is especially true for super hot days or rainy ones. Some of the best activities are when you skip screen time and make unforgettable memories crafting something together. Try a few of these children’s crafts and fill your home with beautiful art projects!
Summer Art Projects for Kids
Enjoy these art project ideas all summer long! We also love the idea of creating an art project to match a favorite book, or a personalized children’s book! For example, select a book like My Very Own Fairy Tale and have your child draw themself as a colorful fairy that could be found in the story!
Colorful Fish Aquarium
Craft your own fish aquarium from a shoebox and construction paper! Kids will love playing with their aquarium all summer long. For this art project you’ll need:
- 1 shoe box
- Construction paper
- Markers
- Scissors
- Glue
- String
- Googly eyes
Turn the shoe box on its side and remove the lid. Color what is now the “bottom” of the aquarium in a sand color. Cut out plant shapes from construction paper (to resemble seaweed or coral) and glue them to the bottom. Color the sides and back of the box blue like water. Cut out a few small paper fish and glue them to the back. Then cut out a few larger fish. Attach string to these fish and glue the string to the top, so the fish are dangling in the box—giving the appearance that they are swimming. You can also decorate your box with rocks, colorful craft stones, and shells. When finished, your child can play with the aquarium in their room and use toy figures to swim with the fish!
Take this craft and learn all about different sea creatures with the personalized storybook My Very Own Pirate Tale. In this personalized pirate adventure, different sea animals spell out your child’s name. You can learn about 62 different sea creatures in the illustrated encyclopedia, located in the back of the book!
Melted Crayon Art
This art project for kids is perfect for a hot and sunny summer day! Your child will make a beautiful picture from melted crayons and use the power of the sun to complete their masterpiece. For this summer craft you’ll need:
- Crayons (a rainbow of colors)
- Pencil sharpener
- Paper plates
- Canvas or thick paper
First, shave down your crayons and place the shavings onto paper plates according to color. This is a great way to recycle old crayons or use ones that are nearly used up. Have your child arrange the shavings by color to create a picture on their canvas. For example, they can arrange the shavings to resemble a flower or a rainbow. Make sure you do this step outside, so you don’t have to transfer the picture and, in doing so, ruin the pattern. The next step is the hardest but the most exciting! Wait for the sun to melt the crayons onto the canvas. Your child will love checking on their art throughout the afternoon, seeing the colors melt down. When all the crayons have melted and dried on, take the art inside and hang it up proudly! If you want to make sure everything sticks and stays, we recommend using a glue sealer like Mod Podge®.
For more coloring fun this summer, surprise your child with personalized coloring books that feature their name! Coloring books are the perfect activity to bust boredom and fill your child’s day with colorful creativity.
Dinosaur Dig Activity
Your child will turn rocks into colorful dinosaur eggs and fossils, and then enjoy a dinosaur dig to find them! This is a sensory-friendly activity for little ones and an exciting activity for kindergarten children also. For this activity you’ll need:
- Rocks
- Paint
- Plastic bin
- Sand or dirt
- Plastic shovel
Start by crafting your dinosaur eggs and fossils. Paint rocks to resemble dinosaur eggs. Use your imagination and create a colorful array of eggs. You can also invent new dinosaurs and paint their eggs. Reserve a few rocks to paint like fossils. Paint dinosaur footprints on one, and small bones on another. When the rocks are dry, hide them in a bin of sand or dirt. Your child will use the shovel (or their hands!) to dig for fossils and see what they can find. Curious little explorers will love this summer activity that provides hours of fun!
Plastic Bottle Firefly
Craft your own glowing firefly and recycle at the same time! This kids’ arts and crafts project is simple and easy. For this activity you’ll need:
- 1 large or mini plastic bottle
- Tissue paper
- Scissors
- Mini glow sticks
- Chenille stems
- Googly eyes
- Construction paper
- Craft glue (like Mod Podge)
- Hot glue
Cut the tissue paper into 1-inch-wide strips. Place craft glue all over the water bottle and wrap the strips around the bottle. Cover the tissue with another layer of craft glue. Once dry, wrap three chenille stems around the center of the bottle and twist each one at the bottom to form the firefly’s legs. Have a parent or guardian cut out wings from construction paper and hot glue them to a chenille stem. Glue googly eyes to the bottle cap. Wrap a chenille stem around the bottle’s neck and twist at the top to create antennae. Place a mini glow stick into the bottle and put the cap back on. Your child will love playing with their firefly, seeing it glow in the summer evenings!
Pasta Necklace Art
For this art project, you’ll dye pasta in a rainbow of colors and create a colorful necklace to wear all summer long! For this summer craft you’ll need:
- Penna pasta
- Food dye
- Vinegar
- Plastic bags
- String
- Wax paper
Place handfuls of pasta into plastic bags. Put vinegar into each bag and rub around to cover all the pasta. Place a few drops of dye into each bag and rub the pasta around to coat. Take the pasta out of the bags and place on wax paper to dry. When dry, loop string through each pasta piece to create a rainbow necklace. Your child will love wearing their art project for everyone to see!
