Kids Summer Craft Ideas
by Kelly Milano
Description: Kid crafts and activities for hours of summer fun.
With summer here, many of us are looking for things to help
keep our kids busy and out of trouble during the long, hot
summer days. Without spending a fortune on craft supplies or
days out, you can create some unique masterpieces with your
children; masterpieces that can last a lifetime.
ROCK GARDEN
During the morning, when the sun’s rays aren’t so hot and the
morning breeze is still present, take a walk together, looking
for rocks. Kids love rock hunting and with every new find will
grow more excited. Tell them to keep an eye out for rocks of
all shapes and sizes, watching for flat, smooth stones, as well
as jagged, sharp rocks. Encourage them to use their
imaginations and look for rocks that can be turned into animals,
flowers, dragons or fairies once you are at home.
When you return home, cover your table or other work surface
with plastic wrap. This makes for easy cleanup once the project
is finished. Arrange an assortment of water tempra paints and
paint brushes and have fun painting to your hearts content.
Use the creations throughout your garden or house hold plants.
Another idea is to take the dried rock creations, glue them into
the inside lid of a clean, dry baby food jar, seal and glue the
lid and you have your own miniture rock garden.
PAINTED PIGGY BANKS
Turn empty koolaid canisters into piggy banks that your kids
design and create. Simply peel the outside label off the plastic
canister. Wash the canister and allow to dry completely. Once
dry, arrange the various paints and brushes, remembering to
cover the work surface with plastic wrap first. Your child can
use their imagination to make a farm animal, a beach ball or
other ball, face or anything they can dream up. Cut a slit in
the top of the canister. You may also want to seal the top and
bottom pieces of the canister together to keep little hands from
getting into the new treasures. These are a great, fun place
for your child to put their allowance or other chore money
during the summer.
BACK TO SCHOOL PLANTER
Another idea for the empty KoolAid or other small plastic
container is to create a Back To School Plant. Covering the
workspace and arranging paint again, allow your child to paint
the canister any way they please. Once dry, take a sharp knife
and poke several holes in the bottom of the new ‘planter’ for
drainage. Fill the container with soil and let your child plant
several seeds in the soil. This is a great learning experience as
your child will need to water the plant and care for it as it
grows. When your child returns to school in the fall, he can
take his plant with him and give it to his teacher as a ‘Welcome
Back to School’ gift for the classroom.
For more fun ideas, visit http://www.friendsandfamilies.com/forums
Kelly Milano is a SAHM mom to 4. Her and her husband live in
Michigan, where he is a home inspector and she owns two
websites. http://www.friendsandfamilies.com and http://www.shopNswap.net
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