Recommended in July! Summer craft play ideas
In July, many daycare centers and kindergartens start Tanabata celebrations and pool time.
Summer is full of events kids can enjoy, like beach trips and fireworks festivals.
Here, we’re introducing craft ideas to make summer even more fun.
You can create summer-themed projects related to Tanabata, seasonal flowers, sea creatures, and cool treats.
Use these ideas as a guide to enjoy crafting with the children and spend the hot summer happily and energetically!
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Recommended in July! Summer craft play ideas (71–80)
Playing aquarium
Here’s a fun pretend-aquarium activity that lets you feel cool during the hot and humid days of July.
Use blue plastic bags as a stand-in for the ocean and make your fish swim through it.
Create your favorite sea creatures—like whales, fish, starfish, and jellyfish—and you’ll encounter all kinds of ocean life.
If you also hang plastic bags from the ceiling and stick the sea creatures on them, the whole space will feel like an aquarium.
The best part is that people of any age can enjoy it!
Summer and Animals
Here are some July wall display ideas perfect for the hot summer, featuring summer motifs and animals.
With classic summer treats like shaved ice, rhinoceros beetles, and watermelon, the display really gives off a summery vibe and looks delicious.
By adding animals around them, the wall display gains a sense of story.
Try making shaved ice in different flavors to increase the variety.
It’s also a great idea to create a summer-festival-like display by incorporating elements like rhinoceros beetles, watermelon, fans, and food stalls to capture the summer atmosphere.
Setting a clear theme for the display can make it more concrete and easier to create.
A rhinoceros beetle and a watermelon made with origami
We’re introducing two summer favorites: rhinoceros beetles and watermelons.
For the watermelon, cut red and green construction paper into circles and glue them together.
Tear pieces of origami paper by hand and glue them on to create the watermelon pattern.
For the rhinoceros beetle, sharpen the horn shape and make crisp folds.
It’s also fun to fold a stag beetle along with it.
Finish by adding round sticker eyes.
Glue the watermelon and beetles onto a background sheet to enjoy the seasonal feel! A flip feature where a pattern appears when you lift the watermelon is also a fun touch.
Definitely try making this for your July wall display!
Bamboo branches and decorations made of colored construction paper
Here’s a great paper craft idea for displaying Tanzaku with your Tanabata wishes: bamboo branches and decorations made from colored construction paper.
Cut the construction paper to make each part.
If you shape the bamboo stems with a gentle roundness, they’ll look just like real bamboo—soft and rounded.
Use glue to attach the stems at an angle to add a sense of movement.
Fold each leaf in half to create a crease and give the whole piece a three-dimensional look.
Finally, attach the wish-written Tanzaku and bamboo ornaments to finish.
Adding paper chain loops will make it even more festive and perfect for Tanabata.
sunflower
Bright, cheerful sunflowers that symbolize summer are perfect for wall displays! For these sunflowers, prepare origami paper, scissors, and glue.
Cut the yellow origami paper into vertical strips to make individual petals.
By adding creases, you’ll create a more three-dimensional sunflower.
Glue the petals on one by one to form a large sunflower.
The key is to stagger the petals as you attach them so they don’t overlap too much.
For the center of the sunflower, make fine cuts into folded origami paper with scissors, then roll it into a tube to add dimension.
Create sunflowers in various sizes and turn your wall into a bright, summery display.
Yo-yos with bubble wrap and blow painting
This is a summery craft to make yo-yos using bubble wrap and blow painting! Cut construction paper into a yo-yo shape, then cut a piece of bubble wrap to match its size.
Color the bubble wrap with permanent markers, and stick it onto the construction paper with double-sided tape to complete the yo-yo pattern.
Attach a cut rubber band to the knot area of the yo-yo, and you’re done! If you want to make patterns with blow painting, drip paint onto the construction paper with a brush and blow through a straw, then cut it into a yo-yo shape after it dries.
Try a 3D version too by adding slits to the construction paper.
T-shirt
Why not make some vibrant, summery T-shirts? If you turn it into an activity where you draw with colored ice, you can enjoy it together with children! First, cut white construction paper into the shape of a T-shirt.
Next, use colored ice to draw freely.
Using a variety of colors—red, blue, yellow, green, and more—will make for fun, expressive artwork.
Once you’ve finished drawing, let it dry.
When displaying them, we recommend hanging them on a string with clothespins to create a nice atmosphere.
You’ll end up with a lovely wall display that looks like laundry sparkling against the summer sky.
