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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- [July] Recommended for 1-year-olds! Fun summer craft ideas
- [For 4-year-olds] Crafts to make with preschoolers in July and August: Creative activities that let kids feel the summer
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- Craft ideas to try in July for 3-year-olds
- [For 3-year-olds] A roundup of craft ideas to enjoy in summer! Introducing various motifs and techniques
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Recommended in July! Summer craft play ideas (11–20)
Large-scale ocean production
Why not create a bold ocean-themed wall display using large poster paper? First, paint the poster paper to make the ocean background, then scatter pieces of tissue paper you’ve cut up on top.
This will help express the waves and shimmer of the sea.
Next, use construction paper and PE tape to make sea creatures like octopuses, squids, and jellyfish.
Have fun making them together with the children! Once the creatures are finished, stick them wherever you like to complete the display.
Adding extras like seashells and wakame seaweed will really enhance the atmosphere.
Make it a wonderful wall display by making the most of the children’s ideas.
Osakana-maru Uchiwa
Let’s make an essential uchiwa fan to keep cool in summer! Cut a circle out of thick paper, then use a craft knife to cut out a fish shape and a small round hole sized for a finger.
Prepare two of these.
The cutting with the craft knife should be done by a teacher.
Prepare a clear file cut to about the size of the fish and place it on one of the thick paper pieces.
Randomly attach cellophane in various colors to resemble fish scales.
Then glue the other piece of thick paper on top, add an eye with a round sticker, and decorate around the fish with crayons, and you’re done! The transparent part looks refreshing, making it the perfect uchiwa for summer.
Mr./Ms. Suisui Goldfish
Goldfish are a familiar sight at festivals.
The way they glide gracefully through the water feels so refreshing! Here’s a summer-themed craft idea inspired by goldfish.
First, take a sheet of construction paper to represent the surface of a fishbowl.
Put paint on some marbles and roll them across the paper to create patterns.
Next, cut a paper doily in half, fold both ends, and use red paint to stamp.
Finally, attach the patterned paper and goldfish parts to a fishbowl shape made from construction paper—and you’re done! With steps like marble rolling and stamping, it’s perfect for kids to enjoy, so have fun making it!
watermelon
Watermelon, the quintessential summer fruit that many people say they “absolutely eat every year once summer arrives!” Its distinctive look—so iconic that the green-and-red combo instantly brings watermelon to mind—also makes it an easy motif to craft.
You can make one simply by sticking red construction paper onto green and drawing the seeds.
There’s also a way to create a watermelon-inspired paper fan decoration by accordion-folding origami paper, so be sure to look up the method and give it a try.
Milk carton fan making
One way to beat the summer heat is with a uchiwa fan! Let’s make an easy one using milk cartons.
Take two prepared, opened milk cartons and cut each into a circle.
Place a chopstick between them as a handle and stick the two circles together.
Next, cut a piece of construction paper into a circle as well and draw any picture you like.
Here’s a tip: color the entire paper randomly with different crayon colors, then cover it all with black crayon.
Scratch your drawing into the black layer using a chopstick or a toothpick, and you’ll easily create a fireworks scene in the night sky! If you spray the crayon drawing with hairspray, it will be less likely to smudge.
Paste your finished drawing onto the milk carton fan, and you’re done! It’s perfect to take with you to a fireworks festival, too!
Paper cup sunflower
Here’s an idea for making a three-dimensional sunflower using a common material: a paper cup.
Cut off the rim of the paper cup, then wrap double-sided tape around the bottom part.
Use the double-sided tape as a guide to cut the cup into 16 equal sections.
Peel off the tape and attach each strip by rolling it inward one by one.
Add color with pens or crayons, and the sunflower’s blossom is complete! For the finishing touch, make the stem and leaves out of origami paper to create an even more realistic summer scene.
Some steps can be tricky for children to do alone, so it’s best to enjoy making it together with a teacher or guardian.
Recommended in July! Summer craft play ideas (21–30)
Puni Puni Fruit
They look just like the real thing! Here are some ideas for squishy, jiggly fruits.
Have you heard of nano tape? It’s a kind of tape with super strong adhesion that can be reused, and it’s apparently great for kitchens and DIY projects.
Let’s use this amazing nano tape to make squeezies.
In the video, bananas, watermelons, strawberries, and grapes are recreated to look glossy and bouncy, making you want to craft them with your kids.
Definitely give it a try!