Summer vacations provide a ton of free time for creative crafts. While you can craft anything from a flower to a fairy light mason jar, staying relevant with summer-themed crafts is the more suitable option.
This summer, you can let kids try these NEW summer craft ideas with FREE printable templates and written guides. There are paper, popsicle, drawing, pipe cleaner, recycling, and stone painting crafts to choose from.
Crafts for Summer Fun & Friendly
Themes include the tropical fruits such as pineapple and watermelon, weather elements like sun, cloud, and rainbow, and the sea world such as Jellyfish and boats. Like usual, there are many clever stuff to find out. You can use many of them as decorations and accessories, too.
Craft A Sticks Pineapple
This is a cute and easy pineapple decoration for summer, crafted from jumbo popsicle sticks. It is made funny with googly eyes, a smile, and painted blush. You will want to use craft eyes of two sizes to make it look wacky.
Begin by gluing five sticks and painting them in bright yellow. Then add the gold diagonal lines. When the paint is dry, add face and green felt handprint cutouts as leaves.
You can definitely craft it with kids, as it is quick and simple. Also, craft for other tropical fruits like watermelon or lemon.
Easy Watermelon Craft For Kids
If you are looking for a quick, hands-on summer vacation activity for kids, craft this kawaii watermelon slice paper buddy with a FREE PRINTABLE TEMPLATE. A red pipe cleaner is bent to make the hugging arms, and a green one for the legs. It requires simple bends.
Once you have printed the template, cut out the eyes and glue them onto it. If you have a colored printer, the template also features colored parts, including two pieces for rind and fruit that can be assembled before gluing the eyes.
You can also color the chevron instead, and I recommend the same. This 10-minute activity will definitely improve kids’ crafting skills.
Craft Colorful Popsicles
Perform this 30-minute paper art activity using white printer paper, colored tissues, glue, water, and a popsicle stick. It is a fun, educational, and unique summer craft for the last day before summer vacation
After tropical fruit, there is nothing that feels more summery than a sickle ice-cream. So, craft it this summer for sure.
To begin with, cut a popsicle template using the CIRCUIT machine or precision knife. Then attach the water and glue-soaked tissue squares such that they overlap each other a bit. Finish off by gluing a stick.
Rainbow Cloud Craft
This is a cute and 3D rainbow cloud paper craft that can be used as a wall decoration for summer. With a printable template available, preschoolers can easily craft one. But the template is not FREE, so I recommend it as an adult craft.
The whole rainbow cloud is placed on a white cardstock background, anchored by two fluffy clouds made of cotton balls. To make the rainbow stripes pop off the page, you will want to insert two sheets of tissue paper behind them.
If you only have white paper, you can use paint or marker colors to color the stripes. I recommended coloring over using a Tant paper as it gives the stripes a natural feel. Craft one for sure.
Paper Sun
This smiling paper sun craft requires origami and a little bit of cutting to have a sun with symmetrical points. The method is simple, quick, and accurate. You will end up with a customizable two-colored paper sun with googly eyes and a yarn smile.
Start with a square sheet of paper and fold it diagonally in half. Fold the triangle in half again to have a smaller triangle.
Then divide the middle angle into three parts. Fold based on it from both sides and cut the excess. You will then want to add a yellow circle to finish the base. Isn’t is easier?
Paper Bowl Jellyfish
Let’s craft these simple and cute Jellyfish hangings using paper plates, paint, and yarn. Whether you try yellow, purple, or blue, its worth-making in just 15 minutes.
Cut the plate in half with a wavy cut. Paint it with any colors you like and let it dry. When the paint is ready, glue on googly eyes to give the Jellyfish a face.
For the tentacles, cut strands of colorful yarn or streamers and stick them to the back of the plate, or make holes and knot the ends. This simple summer activity will make a cute-looking decoration.
Craft a Sailboat
This paper plate sailboat from the “Sea World Craft Series” requires easily available household stuff. You can craft one with solid or patterned paper for the sail, and also attach your favorite stickers onto it.
To begin with, cut a paper plate in half and glue the pieces together to make the boat’s hull. A toilet paper roll is required to be placed inside the mast as a base. It is made from a popsicle stick.
For the sail, you can also use a fabric with a pattern like polka dots. On the boat, you can use buttons to make the windows. Similarly, let kids show their creativity by adding anything they find and decorating it.
Sun and Rainbow Craft
With just one paper plate, you can make two rainbow and sun crafts. The idea is to craft a smiling sun with flowing rainbow stripes of colored tissue paper. Craft it during non-rainy days, like early summer, as an outdoor wind hanging.
First, paint a paper plate yellow, let it dry, and then cut it in half to make the sun. You can add a friendly face to the sun using a black marker before gluing orange and yellow paper triangles to show the rays.
Complete it by gluing strips of tissue paper to the back of the plate. It is so easy that kids can easily craft one.
DIY Jelly Fish
Let’s craft a beautiful Jellyfish car hanger using a paper bowl and paper with this method. You can craft it in pink, blue, purple, or whatever color you prefer with different shapes of Jellyfish spots. Secure the hanging with button inside.
Crafting should be simple and easy. Just be sure not to break the plate while making a hole for the hanging string. A paintbrush and watercolors are required for coloring. It can bring an “under-the-sea” feel into your home if you use it as a roof hanger.
DIY Watermelon Print Gift Boxes with Office Labels
These watermelon gift boxes require a printable repeating watermelon template. There is also an option to choose a mix of repeating watermelons and lemons.
The template will have basic office color-coding labels. Simply cut the labels in half, apply the green ones to the box, and layer red labels on top. Then draw the seeds.
There is a separate template for the box. Simply fold and string it to close after you have attached the labels. You can print the labels in different colors to make other fruits like pears, apple and kiwis.
DIY Fruit Party Hats
For summer cosplay, fruit and lemonade parties, and picnis craft these small fruity cone hats. Just have some paper cone cups and turn them into fruit hats with water paint, green crepe paper for leaves, and an elastic band.
You can make a strawberry or pineapple hat for summer, and also try other fruits like kiwi and apple, etc. Kids will love how life-like the leaves are. This is an old idea, but worth trying this summer, too.
Rainbow Painted Rocks
Here is how to paint a rainbow on the stone in two ways. First, select flat river rocks and paint them with a light background color, such as blue or yellow. This will provide a great contrast after drawing the rainbow.
Use a small detail brush to paint colorful rainbow arches or half-rainbows. You can also add white clouds. After the paint dries, it is important to apply a clear acrylic sealer to protect the art. So, be sure to do so.
Summer Paper Plate Crafts
This set of 3 REALLY FUN paper plate summer crafts includes a Hawaiian swimmer mask and two food purses.
The mask has a painted face with construction paper flowers, and a popsicle-stick handle.
You will also learn how to make an eaten doughnut and a watermelon slice purse with a handle. Thick black marker strokes make the drawing prominent and kawaiier.
Paper Plate Horse Craft For Kids
A CUTE and EASY animal craft? Let’s paint and assemble this KAWAII paper plate BABY horse face in 10 minutes with a FREE printable template. To make it, kids will first paint a paper plate brown and let it dry.
Then, guide them to glue on the template pieces for the eyes, ears, and mane cut from construction paper. Easy! Be sure to draw the nose and smile with a brown crayon!
Paper Plate Lion Craft
This oh-so cute googly-eyed lion face is SO FUN to craft with, also cutting involved, and no need for a template! Just paint the rim of the plate in brown and the middle disk in yellow.
After the paint is dry, snip the stripes all around the rim and bend the pieces upward to make a fluffy mane. Then, glue on googly eyes and a paper heart nose. You can also turn it into a FACE MASK, and be sure to lightly paint the mane in yellow, too.
Minnie & Mickey Mouse Paper Plate Craft
With a FREE printable template and painting, let’s DIY this Minnie and Mickey Mouse paper plate craft. Start by painting a paper plate black. Then just glue on the face template pieces once they are printed and cut.
Kids can color the mouth and tongue, add eye strokes, and cut and glue circles for the ears and attach in the back of the plate. Just skip the bow, and you will have Mickey Mouse.
Paper Plate Ice Cream Craft
I scream, you scream, we all scream for this colorful paper plate ice cream! To make it, kids can also draw just a round scoop instead of scoop with scalloped bottom and a slightly bigger than the top circle. Cut one from a paper plate color like pink or mint.
Then a triangular cone, paint it and draw the waffle lines. They can top with pom pom cherry and sprinkles or draw dotted chocolate chips.
Paper Plate Dinosaur Craft For Kids
Whether for Dinosaur Day or just because, don’t miss these paper plate baby dinosaurs. Looks like a mix of Triceratops and Bromtosaurus! Notice the painted paper plate body with cardstock spikes, spots over it, and long, kawaii-eyed neck.
Be sure to cut the plate in half to make an arching back and glue on a paper head, tail, and legs in the back.
Paper Plate Llama Craft
Pom pom, cardstock paper, and paper plate, this multi-material and multi-colored llama craft is A FUN HIT! Luckily comes with a FREE printable template for all the Llama pieces, including the COLORFUL saddle. It will make the CUTEST decoration!
Paper Plate Fish Craft
Assemble this glittery rainbow fish using a simple paper plate base and multiple colors of cardstock circles. Kids can apply glitter to the folded “scales” and glue them in overlapping rows to make such a beautiful, 3D scale pattern. To make it cuter, attach one googly eye and try to have a bigger one.
Paper Plate Octopus Craft
Crafting is the only way to “multi-arm” your creativity without getting tangled up! This kawaii octopus is crafted from a painted paper plate head with curled paper legs. Definitely, there is a FREE printable template to save the day for the kids to tackle this summer activity.
Be sure to turn eight paper strips around a marker to make bouncy curls before gluing them to the base.
Paper Plate Rainbow Craft
Rainy season and summer go hand-in-hand, and seeing a rainbow is the most special element of this time. So let’s craft this paper plate rainbow from construction paper and half paper plate.
The standout feature is the zigzag accordion folding the stripes of paper in many colors to make rainbow stripes.
Paper Plate Shark Craft
This project turns a paper plate into a shark using paint and paper cutouts. It focuses on layering different shapes to build the shark’s face, fins, and teeth.
Using a paper plate, light and dark blue paint, cardstock, and googly eyes, you will paint the plate to serve as the shark’s face and body. After cutting out and attaching the dorsal fin, side fins, and a mouth filled with jagged white paper teeth, you’ll assemble the pieces to create a friendly or fearsome sea creature.
Paper Plate Tropical Fish Craft
This activity uses a paper plate to create a colorful fish by repurposing a simple cutout as a tail. It is an easy way to explore different patterns and bright colors while building a 3D sea creature.
Cut a small triangle out of a paper plate to make the fish’s mouth, then glue that same triangle to the back to serve as the tail. Decorate the body with paint, markers, or glitter and add a googly eye to complete the fish.
Paper Chain Octopus Craft
Turn strips of paper into a multi-legged sea creature using a simple linking technique. It combines a round paper head with long, interlocking loops to represent the moving tentacles of an octopus.
Glue paper strips into interlocking rings to form eight long chains. Attach these chains to the bottom of a paper circle or a painted cup, then add eyes and a smile to finish the hanging octopus.
Shark Paper Plate Puppet Craft
This activity turns a folded paper plate into a movable shark puppet that can “chomp” using a hand-operated hinge. The design uses layered paper and bright colors to highlight the shark’s large mouth and sharp teeth.
Fold a blue paper plate in half to create the mouth and body. Glue a red paper semi-circle inside for the throat, add white triangle cutouts for teeth, and attach fins and eyes to the outside to complete the puppet.
Paper Plate Crab Craft
This project uses a single paper plate and basic cutouts to build a bright, multi-legged sea creature. It focuses on using simple symmetrical shapes to create the crab’s pincers and legs, resulting in a sturdy and colorful ocean-themed decoration.
Paint a paper plate red and cut it in half to form the body and legs. Attach thin red paper strips for the legs and larger claw shapes to the sides, then add googly eyes on top of small paper stalks to finish the crab.
Paper Plate Crab Craft
I like how this one uses the plate’s round shape to create a sturdy body. It’s a smart design because the legs and claws are tucked underneath, making it look like it’s actually crawling across the sand.
Paint a paper plate red and attach thin paper strips to the sides for legs. Glue two larger claw shapes to the front and add googly eyes to finish the crab.
Paper Plate and Tissue Paper Rainbow Craft
This design is a classic because it uses the plate as a natural arch for the rainbow. The tissue paper adds a nice 3D texture that makes the colors pop more than flat markers or paint would.
Cut a paper plate in half to create the arch. Glue small squares of colorful tissue paper in rows to form the rainbow stripes, then finish it off by gluing cotton balls at each bottom corner to represent clouds.
Watermelon Paper Plate Craft For Kids
I like how this one uses the plate’s circular shape to mimic a real watermelon slice. It’s a smart way to practice color layering, and using a marker for the seeds is a simple touch that really makes the fruit look recognizable.
Paint the rim of a paper plate green for the rind and the center pink or red. Once dry, use a black marker to draw small seeds in the middle, or glue on black paper teardrops to finish the slice.
