Fun Summer Arts and Crafts Ideas for Kids

Summer is going to be here before you know it, and it’s never too early to plan things to keep the kids busy. Summer craft activities for kids are a great way to nurture their creativity and give them something fun to do (and maybe you can get a few minutes to yourself, too). Worried about breaking the budget on craft supplies? We’ve got 10 fun and easy summer crafts for kids that use materials you’ve probably already got at home.

And if you need extra paint or beads, open up the Fetch app and find them in Fetch Shop. When you order through Fetch Shop, you’ll earn rewards on your summer crafting supplies from retailers like CVS, Walmart and Temu.

How to save on summer craft supplies with Fetch

If you already have the Fetch app on your phone, you know how easy it is to earn rewards. Just snap pictures of your receipts in the app to earn points, and you can redeem those points for gift cards. There are also ways to earn extra points through specific purchases and retailers, and when you do your online shopping in the Fetch app, you can earn points on every dollar with Fetch Shop.

Here’s how it works:

1. Download the Fetch app and open it.
2. Tap the shopping cart icon to the left of the camera icon on the bottom of your screen.
3. Browse the available retailers for your summer craft supplies.
4. Make your online shopping purchase in the app and wait for your points to arrive.
5. Redeem points for gift cards to retailers like Target, Amazon, Walmart and more.

Once you’ve downloaded the Fetch app, be sure to check your special offers for great deals on summer arts and crafts supplies for kids.

10 fun and easy summer crafts for kids

We tried to choose easy summer crafts for kids that you could do with everyday household materials, but don’t be afraid to go all out with a trip to a craft store. Just remember to see if you can turn any Fetch Points you’ve already earned into a gift card before you go!

1. DIY Sponge Water Bombs (Perfect for outdoor fun!)

Give the kids a reusable and eco-friendly addition to summer water fights with these DIY sponge water bombs. All you’ll need are sponges like these multi-colored ones from Walmart and assorted rubber bands.

1. Cut sponges into strips.
2. Take four or five sponge strips.
3. Tie them together with rubber bands.

The result should be some colorful, star-shaped sponges that are ready for a backyard water fight.

2. Seashell Painting (Great for beach trips!)

Turn the next beach trip into a future summer craft project for the kids by collecting seashells for painting. Once you’ve got your bounty of seashells, all you’ll need are a set of acrylic paints and some brushes.

1. Clean and dry your seashells.
2. Get out the paints and some palettes.
3. Brush bright colors or fun designs onto shells.
4. Let the shells dry.
5. Display them as mementos of your summer.

3. Ice Cream Cone Pom-Pom Craft (Colorful summer decor!)

Plan an ice cream party for a hot day, complete with ice cream-themed crafts like making your own artistic ice cream cones with cardstock, pom-poms and glue. 

1. Choose a favorite color from the cardstock.
2. Cut a cone shape out of the cardstock.
3. Glue pom-poms to the top until you’ve got a nice scoop of “ice cream” on the cone.
4. Take an ice cream break while you wait for the glue to dry.
5. Display your ice cream cones in the kitchen.

4. DIY Sun Catchers (Great for window art!)

Put the kids’s creativity to work decorating your home for summer with DIY sun catchers using just clear contact paper, colored tissue paper and safety scissors.

1. Cut out fun shapes from the contact paper.
2. Stick tissue paper pieces on the sticky side.
3. Hang your designs on windows around the house.
4. Be sure to choose windows that get a lot of sun.

5. Nature Collage Art (Perfect for outdoor creativity!)

We’re trying to give you a few different activities with some of our summer kid craft projects. Like with seashell painting, you can turn a park visit or nature hike into an expedition to gather supplies for a nature collage. Try to pick unique looking leaves and flowers, then get out cardstock and glue sticks.

1. Gather your leaves and flowers. It’s better to have too many than too few.
2. Arrange your nature findings on cardstock.
3. Glue them in place to create a piece of art to remember your last nature adventure.

6. Painted Rock Garden Markers (A fun way to decorate the garden!)

If you haven’t started gardening with the kids, it’s a great way to keep them busy in the summer months. Painted rock garden markers can decorate your garden and make it easier to tell where your different fruits and vegetables are before they’ve started growing. 

You’ll want some smooth rocks, acrylic paint and permanent markers to this summer kid craft project.

1. Clean and dry your rocks.
2. Paint fun colors or unique designs.
3. Once the paint dries, label with permanent markers.
4. Mark the different parts of your garden with your new craft.

7. Bubble Wrap Stamping (Fun for sensory play!)

Even the most creative kids might feel like they can’t draw or paint well, but they shouldn’t miss out on the fun. Bubble wrap stamping with different colors of paint can create fun and colorful abstract art with unique textures. All it takes is a roll of bubble wrap, washable paint and some construction paper.

1. Dip bubble wrap into paint.
2. Press onto your construction paper.
3. Create a textured print.

Make unique multicolored designs by letting your first print dry before going with another color, and consider cutting your bubble wrap into shapes before imprinting onto the paper.

8. Paper Plate Ocean Scene (Easy craft for little kids!)

Recreate a favorite vacation or trip to the aquarium with just some paper plates, blue tempera paint, ocean animal stickers and washable markers.

1. Paint the plate blue.
2. Decorate with stickers for favorite sea animals.
3. Draw in waves, coral and other animals.

If your kids run a bit younger, go with more stickers. Older kids might want to draw (or imagine) their favorite ocean animals more than they’ll want to use the stickers.

9. DIY Friendship Bracelets (Classic summer camp craft!)

Is there a summer craft for kids that’s more traditional than DIY friendship bracelets? You might already have everything you need from when you were younger (or the last time you went to a concert), but just to be sure, you will want to have embroidery floss, decorative alphabet beads, and scissors.

1. Select several different colors of embroidery floss.
2. Cut them to an equal length (about 24 inches).
3. Secure the threads by tying them together at one end.
4. Tape the tied end down to a stable surface.
5. Braid the threads to create a fun pattern.
6. Add beads either as you go or after finishing your braid.
7. Tie a knot at the end and trim any excess thread.
8. Trade friendship bracelets with your friend and tie it around their wrist.

10. Homemade Sidewalk Chalk Paint (Outdoor fun for all ages!)

For this summer craft idea for the kids, you’ll be setting the little Picassos loose on the driveway or sidewalk in front of your house. To make homemade sidewalk chalk paint, you’ll just need corn starch, food coloring, and water, but you’ll also want some containers to mix and some paint brushes. 

1. Mix your paint base by combining equal parts cornstarch and water in a container for each color you’ll want to use.
2. Add a few drops of food coloring to each container and mix well to create your desired colors.
3. Paint fun designs or have the kids paint one of their favorite summer activities. Tip: you’ll want to use a thicker brush than for our other summer kid craft projects.
4. If you need a blank canvas, the art will all wash away with water.

Shop and save on summer crafts with Fetch

Find the latest deals on kids craft supplies in Fetch Shop with retailers like Target, Walmart, Home Depot and more, and don’t forget to snap those craft receipts to ensure you’re getting the most Fetch Points you can get.

If you haven’t done it already, download Fetch today and start earning rewards on your everyday purchases, including any supplies you’re buying to try out our favorite kid-friendly summer crafts.