Summer Arts and Crafts - Creative Crafts For Your Kids

The kids are out of school, the heat is on, soon the novelty of no more school wears off and the kids are bored. They can't stay in the community pool eight hours a day, so what else can they do?

Summer Arts and Crafts - Makeover the Mailbox

The most important item for this craft is the craft foam because craft foam is water resistant. This means you'll certainly have to bring it in before it downpours, but a sprinkle or two won't hurt it.

You'll need scissors, scrap paper, tape, colored tape, ribbon, rope, double sided tape, craft foam and of course, the mailbox!

Use the scrap paper as a sort of template for the craft foam. The ideas that work best for mailboxes are animals and sea creatures. Draw the eyes, fins, ears, nose, any of the "pieces" that will be stuck on the mailbox on the scrap paper (brown paper bags work well for this) then trace them onto the craft foam and cut them out. If making a dog, create a tongue for the inside part of the mailbox for a little extra treat for the mailman when he makes his deliveries! For the mane of a horse, gather polyester rope and hang off the back!

Summer Arts and Crafts - Kitchen Wind Chime

This craft is not only musical but attractive as well. Use a smaller colander to feed fishing wire through and hang various metal items found around the kitchen. What can you use?

-spoons
-spatula
-whisk
-apple slicer
-anything you can find that isn't dangerous (like a knife)

Add some crystal beads or beautiful clear plastic beads to the monofilament and you have a fun, interesting craft the kids can enjoy making themselves!

The most important thing to keep in mind when coming up with these crafts is the age of children (their motor skills), their likes and dislikes, the level of "messiness" the craft will create (should it be done outdoors or in), and if the craft will actually be useful around the house (both items above can be used and enjoyed).

Summer Arts and Crafts - Gemstone Rocks

All kids love rocks. Especially the ones they find in the creeks and lakes, the large flat ones that are shaped like diamonds, triangles, hearts or ovals. What you'll need for this craft are the rocks, aluminum foil, newspaper, crayons (the old, broken variety), and an oven mitt.

Once the rocks have been chosen, they need to be baked on a cookie sheet (lined with foil) in a 225 degree oven for about 15 minutes. Remove the rocks from the oven with the oven mitt (they will be extremely hot!) and put them on the papers. Unwrap the old crayons then draw on the rocks. The crayons will melt like liquid magic. Move the crayon around for a swirl effect and you've got your gemstone rocks!

Summer arts and crafts are an enjoyable and constructive way to spend a day with the children while creating beautiful projects they can be proud of all year long.