15 Easy Summer Crafts for Toddlers, Preschoolers & Kids

Your little champ likes to keep you on your toes all through the day. This is because your toddler or pre-schooler gets bored too soon, and this happens even more during the summer time when outdoor play can be limited by the heat. Here, we shall discuss various creative and interesting summer craft ideas for kids, perfect for keeping little hands busy and minds engaged. From colorful paper crafts to nature-inspired projects, these summer crafts for preschoolers, toddlers & kids are designed to spark creativity while providing hours of entertainment. These creative and interesting summer craft ideas for your toddlers and preschoolers will keep your child fruitfully occupied while enhancing their fine motor skills and imagination.

Easy Summer Craft for Toddlers

Toddlers are filled with a bundle of energy, and as a parent, you may want your child to utilise this energy in fun and creative way. Following are some fun summer craft ideas that will engage your child in constructive ways and keep them away from boredom:

1. Hand Painting

Children get attracted to vibrant colours and images and making them involved in a painting activity will surely make them ecstatic.

What Do You Need?

• Six to seven non-toxic poster colours (or more)
• A thick chart paper or drawing sheet
• A half cup of corn flour (for thickening the colours)
• Keep old newspaper handy (for securing your table or floor from the colours)

How to Make It

• Take the corn flour and make it into a paste-like consistency by adding some cold water.
• In a heavy bottomed pan take 4-5 cups of water and bring it boil.
• Add the cornflour mixture to the boiling water while stirring continuously; you may add more cornflour to achieve the desired consistency.
• After the mixture cools down, divide it into different parts and add poster colours to it.
• Spread the newspapers on the floor and place chart papers on it.
• Now help your child dip hands into the colour mixture and make different coloured handprints on the chart paper.

2. Make Stamps

This fun summer art and craft for toddlers will help your kid know about shapes and colours, and you may also use the stamps to decorate your kid’s t-shirt or a handkerchief.

What Do You Need?

• Some vegetables and fruits for stamping shapes (okra, capsicum or cauliflower florets)
• Non-toxic paints
• Thick chart paper or a piece of clothing
• Old newspapers

How to Make It

• Spread newspaper on the table and place chart paper on it.
• Take the desired vegetable and cut it in a manner that it exhibits an interesting pattern.
• Dip the vegetable into the desired colours and make patterns on the chart paper.
• Alternatively, you may help your child to decorate their t-shirts or pillow covers too (for this use fabric colours)

3. Bubble Painting

This is one of the most creative summer crafts for toddlers age 2, and this will help your kid learn about colours and patterns creatively. You may even frame one of the bubble paintings of your kiddo as a memento.

Image Credit: Pinterest

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What Do You Need?

• Some liquid soap and water
• Corn syrup
• 5-6 non-toxic poster paints
• Straws
• Thick chart paper/drawing sheets
• Scotch tape and scissors
• Newspapers

How to Make It

• In a plastic mug add some soap and water and mix it well.
• Add some corn syrup and paints into the soapy mixture
• Make a long straw by inserting into them into each other and secure them at the joint with some scotch tape.
• Place newspaper on the table and spread chart paper on it.
• Help your kid to blow bubbles in the soapy mixture and gently bring the bubbles on the chart paper.
• Once the bubbles disappear, it could leave an interesting pattern on the chart paper.

4. Make Multi-Coloured Bubbles

You can involve your kid and your kid’s friends also in this entertaining activity. You can make it into a competition, by asking them to make the biggest bubble.

What Do You Need?

• Soap
• Some non-toxic poster colours
• Straws

How to Make It

• Take soap and water and mix well.
• Add desired poster colours into the soapy mixture
• Take this soapy mixture and help your kid to make bubbles
• Take care that your little one does not swallow the soapy water

5. Treasure Hunt With a Twist

This is one of the most exciting crafts for toddlers age 3. This activity helps in developing their sensory skills.

Image Credit: Pinterest

What Do You Need?

• Sand or water
• Some exciting things for hiding (preferably different colours, shapes, sizes and textures)

How to Make It

• Take all the collected items and hide them in a bucket full of sand or coloured water tub.
• It can be made exciting by asking your child to find out objects of the same shape, colour or size.

Also Read: Outdoor Activities for Kids in Summer

Simple Summer Craft for Preschoolers

Dive into these summer-themed arts and crafts for joyful, mess-free projects your kids will love! These summer crafts for kindergartners are both entertaining and educational. 

1. Bake Cookies Together

Children love to cook with their parents, and you may engage them in baking with you. Children like to touch, mould and make new things; baking cookies involves all of these.

What Do You Need?

• Cookie dough
• Some cookie decorations such as sprinkles and chocolate chips.
• Cookie icing
• Cookie moulds
• Some old newspapers

How to Make It

• Place newspaper to cover the kitchen table or shelf.
• Help your kids roll the cookie dough and cut into exciting shapes using the moulds of their choice.
• Once the cookies cool down after baking, let them decorate their cookies with icing and sprinkles.
• Be attentive and careful when working in the kitchen with small children.
• Try using healthier cooking ingredients.

2. Create Chalk Shadows

This activity is a twist to the usual drawing and painting. With this craft activity, your child would be making their drawing.

Image Credit: Pinterest

What Do You Need?

• A pack of different coloured chalks

How to Make It

• Take your kid out when the sun is mid-height in the sky. Now trace their shadows using the coloured chalks. Let your kid colour the rest of the shadow. You may help them in drawing the details.

3. Make an Ice Candy Stick

Help your kid learn some culinary skills and add a healthy twist to it. You may teach them the importance of eating healthy.

What Do You Need?

• Some freshly squeezed fruit juice (orange, pineapple or any other juice)
• Freshly cut fruits and berries
• Ice-cream moulds

How to Make It

• Help your help you add juice to the ice cream moulds and add the fruits of their choice. You may add a little sugar to enhance the taste.
• Let your kid enjoy the healthy treat which your kid made from a scratch.

4. Make Summer Collage

Kids get fascinated with vibrant colours, pictures and patterns. This exciting activity will not only keep them occupied constructively, but they will create an art piece for their room.

Image Credit: Pinterest

What Do You Need?

• Few recent editions of kids’ magazine
• Glue and scissors
• Colourful glitters and tapes
• Thick chart paper

How to Make It

• Help your child to cut or tear colourful summary pictures from the magazines.
• Make them stick these pictures randomly on the chart paper.
• Throw some glue on the empty areas and blow some colourful glitters on it.
• For a neat look, stick coloured tape around the all four ends of the chart paper.

5. Painting with Fruits and Vegetables

This messy craft activity will be an instant hit with your kids. Kids love to do messy things, and this activity helps them get creative in a messier way.

Image Credit: Pinterest

What Do You Need?

• Blueberries or beetroots (any fruit or vegetable with vibrant colours)
• A big bowl and a fork
• Chart paper
• Old newspapers

How to Make It

• Take blueberries in a bowl and add little water to it.
• Put this mixture in the microwave for a few minutes.
• After cooling down the mixture, help your child squish the berries using a fork or hands.
• Ask your kid to dip hands and feet in the mixture and make patterns on the chart paper.
• Make sure your kid is wearing old clothes as blueberries or beetroots can leave bad stains on the clothes.
• Help your child wash thoroughly; you may even use lemon to wash off the stains from the hands and feet.

Also Read: Benefits of Summer Camp for Kids

Fun Summer Craft for Kids

These summertime crafts for kids are perfect for keeping little hands busy while sparking their imagination. These easy and fun activities are ideal for children ages 5 to 8!

1. Teach Them to Make Paper Flowers

Children love flowers, and thus this crafty activity will be a hit with young children. This activity is good for your kid’s gross motor skills.

What Do You Need?

• Different colored crepe papers
• Glue and scissors

How to Make It

• Take the crepe paper and cut them into long strips.
• Ask your kid to roll the stripes neatly.
• After all the different coloured strips are rolled up, stick them together with the help of glue.
• Make a bouquet of different coloured flowers and place it in your kid’s room

2. DIY Painted Rock Critters

Turn ordinary rocks into adorable bugs and animals! This craft encourages creativity and makes for cute garden decorations.

Image Credit: AI-Generated Image

What Do You Need?

• Smooth rocks
• Acrylic paints
• Paintbrushes
• Googly eyes (optional)

How to Make It

• Wash and dry the rocks thoroughly.
• Let your child paint them as ladybugs, bees, or funny faces.
• Add googly eyes for extra charm!

3. Ocean in a Bottle Sensory Craft

A mesmerizing craft that mimics ocean waves—perfect for little explorers!

Image Credit: Pinterest

What Do You Need?

• Clear plastic bottle
• Blue food coloring
• Baby oil or water
• Small seashells or glitter

How to Make It

• Fill the bottle halfway with water and add blue food coloring.
• Add baby oil (or more water) and drop in shells/glitter.
• Seal the lid tightly and let your child shake it to create waves!

4. Ice Cream Stick Bookmarks

A fun and functional craft that encourages reading!

Image Credit: Pinterest

What Do You Need?

• Popsicle sticks
• Markers or paints
• Stickers or glitter

How to Make It

• Let your child decorate the sticks with colors and designs.
• Add stickers or glitter for extra fun.
• Once dry, use them as cute bookmarks!

5. Bubble Wrap Printed Fish Craft

A fun way to explore textures while making underwater art!

Image Credit: Pinterest

What Do You Need?

• Bubble wrap
• Paint
• Paper
• Googly eyes

How to Make It

• Cut bubble wrap into fish shapes.
• Dip in paint and press onto paper.
• Add googly eyes and draw fins with markers.

Also Read: Summer Camp Activities for Children

FAQs

1. Can summer crafts help improve my child’s fine motor skills?

Yes! Many summer crafts involve cutting, gluing, painting, and assembling small pieces, which strengthen hand-eye coordination and dexterity—essential for writing and other tasks.

2. How can I make summer crafts safe for toddlers who still put things in their mouths?

Opt for non-toxic, child-safe materials like large beads, edible paints (yogurt-based), or sensory bins with supervision. Avoid small choking hazards and always craft together.

3. Are there any summer crafts that can double as learning activities?

Absolutely! Crafts like nature scavenger hunts, counting with shells, or color-mixing with ice cubes blend creativity with early math, science, and language skills.

Above mentioned are some of the easy and exciting summer craft activities for your pre-schoolers and toddlers. We hope you loved our DIY summer crafts for kids. You can encourage your kid to have some indoor or outdoor fun during the summer time and learn new skills.

Also Read:

Amazing paper craft activities for kids
Waste Material Craft Ideas for Kids
Spider Crafts for Preschoolers & Children
Weather Crafts for Toddlers, Preschoolers, and Kids