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)
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.
fluffy ice cream
Ice cream is something you’ll want to eat every day once summer arrives.
How about incorporating a three-dimensional ice cream craft into your July activities? Using shaving foam, you can create ice cream with a wonderfully fluffy texture! All you need to do is mix shaving foam, white craft glue, and food coloring.
Attach a cone cutout to construction paper, decorate it with your ice cream, and you’re done! You can also add stickers or draw designs for extra decoration.
This fun, super tactile craft is sure to delight children.
Recommended in July! Summer craft play ideas (81–90)
Swaying wind chimes
As a summery craft idea for July, we recommend wobbly wind chimes.
Teachers and children can enjoy making them together, and after they’re done, the kids can take them home and keep enjoying them! You can decorate pudding or jelly cups and use them directly as wind chimes, take apart and repurpose the lids from six-piece cheese packs, or use capsule toy containers as they are—with a bit of creativity, you can turn recycled materials into lovely wind chimes! Note that making wind chimes involves a step where holes must be made, so be sure that adults handle this part.
Let the children put on stickers and draw pictures as their part of the process.
Shaved ice with aluminum foil art
Let’s try drawing a picture of cold, delicious shaved ice using aluminum foil! First, color the aluminum foil with water-based markers in various colors.
After coloring, mist it with a spray bottle to blur the colors.
Once that’s done, place a sheet of drawing paper on top of the foil to transfer the colors.
You’ll get softly blended, beautiful hues; when they dry, cut them out in the shape of shaved ice.
Finally, combine them with drawing paper cut into the shape of a bowl, and you’re done! If you like, you can also add fruit shapes cut from paper.
Have the children handle tasks like coloring with the water-based markers, transferring the colors to the paper, and arranging the fruit.
Fireworks in a cup
There are lots of colorful cups used to hold side dishes in bento lunches, right? Let’s make a wall decoration by imagining those side-dish cups as fireworks.
If you have cups with cute patterns or colors, you can simply apply glue to the bottom and stick them on as is—no problem! Cutting small slits around the edges will add a bit of liveliness.
It’s also a great idea to add stickers or draw on them.
Use black construction paper or poster paper as the background for the cups, and then add patterns around the cups with a white colored pencil or by using spattering techniques.
You’ll end up with brilliant, festive fireworks!
colorful cotton candy
Fluffy, cute, and sweet, cotton candy is a classic festival treat.
How about making some fluffy cotton candy of your own? Prepare various colors of paint diluted with water, then dip small, torn pieces of cotton into the colored water to dye them.
Once the cotton dries, put it in a clear bag or stick it onto a skewer-like stick, and your cotton candy is complete! It’s a good idea to have children handle the steps of tearing the cotton and dipping it into the colored water.
With its bright, festive look, this craft is sure to delight kids.