Here are 25 easy-to-implement outdoor summer arts and crafts projects for kids.
1. Draw with Sidewalk Chalk
What You’ll Need:
- Sidewalk chalk
- A blank canvas (think sidewalk or driveway)
Make it Happen:
- Break out the box of chalk and watch the kids get creative.
Other Thoughts: You can also add an academic twist by encouraging kids to practice writing their names, drawing shapes, doing math problems, etc.
2. Create Your Own Stepping Stones
What You’ll Need:
- Quick drying cement
- Empty cereal boxes (one box per kid)
- Tape
- Glass gems, seashells, or whatever other decorations you can find lying around or at your local dollar store
Make it Happen:
- Tape the lids of the cereal boxes closed.
- Cut the fronts off of the cereal boxes.
- Mix up cement according to package directions (you will need enough finished mix to fill each box halfway).
- Fill each box around halfway with cement.
- Gently tap the box on a flat surface to level out the cement.
- Press gems, seashells, and other directions into the surface of the cement.
- Allow the stones to dry completely; the cement package will let you know how long this will take.
- Once the stones are dry, rip the box off of the stone to reveal the finished project.
3. Crayon Rubbings
What You’ll Need:
- Printer paper
- Crayons with the paper wrappers removed
- Natural objects from yard (think leaves, blades of grass, flowers; anything that will lay flat under a piece of paper).
Make it Happen:
- Place objects to be rubbed on a flat surface and cover with printer paper.
- Have kids hold the paper down firmly with one hand to avoid any slippage while rubbing.
- With the other hand, have kids lay the crayon lengthwise over the paper and rub it across the surface to reveal images of the objects underneath.
Other Thoughts: For little ones you may either want to hold the paper down for them while they make the rubbings, or tape the objects to the flat surface with scotch tape and then tape the paper to the surface over top of the objects.
4. Make Daisy Necklaces
What You’ll Need:
Make it Happen:
- Collect a bunch of daisies, making sure to keep 1-2 inches of stem attached to each daisy.
- Use your thumbnail to create a slit near the base of the stem of a daisy, making sure to leave a bit of stem intact at the end.
- Pull another daisy stem through the slit until the head of the second daisy is resting against the stem of the first daisy.
- Repeat until you have a chain the length that you want.
- Connect the last daisy to the first.
5. Make Pet Rocks
What You’ll Need:
- Acrylic paints
- Googly eyes
- Craft glue
- Palm-sized rocks
Make it Happen:
- Wash rocks to remove any dirt and allow to dry completely.
- Paint rocks with acrylic paint to look like critters and allow to dry completely.
- Affix googly eyes to rocks with craft glue and allow to dry completely.
6. Create a Mural
What You’ll Need:
- An old sheet
- Painter’s tape
- Washable kids paint
- Paintbrushes
Make it Happen:
- Attach the sheet to an exterior wall with painter’s tape.
- Set up paints and brushes for the kids and let their creativity flow.
- Once you are done, use a hose to clean up any spilled paint or any paint-covered kids!
Other Thoughts: Please note that the paint will probably flake off and the mural will be destroyed when you take it down. If you are looking to create a forever piece, invest in fabric paint, a drop cloth, and use some old t-shirts as smocks for the kids.
7. Sand Sculptures
What You’ll Need:
- A sandbox or beach
- A sand sculpture kit or sandbox tools (shovels, rakes, pails, etc.)
Make it Happen:
- Use sand tools to create a sculpture as elaborate or simple as you like. A majestic castle surrounded by a moat is always a great fall back idea.
- Consider adding natural decorative elements (small stones or shells, seaweed, sticks, etc.) to your creation.
Other Thoughts: If your sand it too dry or too wet you will have a hard time creating your sculpture. A quick effective moistness test is to pack a golf ball size clump of sand into a ball. Flatten your palm with the ball of sand in the middle and carefully move your hand in a circular motion allowing the ball to roll. If the sand sticks together, you are ready to build. If the sand falls apart try adding a bit more water. If the sand leaves a gloppy mess on your hand instead of forming a ball you may want to try this activity after the sand has had a while to dry out a bit.
8. Stick Art
What You’ll Need:
- Collection of small sticks (think pencil girth or thinner)
- Cardboard or cardstock
- Craft glue
Make it Happen:
- Arrange sticks as desired on cardboard or cardstock to create your masterpiece.
- Use generous amounts of craft glue to attach sticks in desired design.
- Allow plenty of dry time; thick glue application will take extra time to dry.
9. Build a Natural Mobile
What You’ll Need:
- A large decorative branch
- Yarn or string
- Natural elements such as leaves, sticks, pinecones, stones, etc.
Make it Happen:
- Use string or thread to attach your natural elements to the large branch.
- Securely hang mobile from ceiling, or other location of your choosing.
10. Painting…with Science
What You’ll Need:
- Craft paper
- Baking soda
- Paper towel
- Ziplock baggies
- White vinegar
- Tempera paint
Make it Happen:
- Spread craft paper on the ground.
- Add one tablespoon of baking soda into the center of a paper towel, twist it to grate a package, and tuck it into the corner of a plastic sandwich bag.
- Mix one-third cup of white vinegar with one tablespoon of tempera paint; pour into the opposite corner of the bag.
- Quickly zip up the bag and shake slightly to mix. Set bag on the paper, then stand back. The bag will puff up and then pop, leaving a paint splatter behind.
- Repeat as many times as you like with as many different colors of paint as you want.
11. Tumble Rocks
What You’ll Need:
Make it Happen:
- Each tumbler operates a bit differently, so follow manufacturer’s instructions for the tumbler that you choose.
Other Thoughts: When it comes to polished rocks, dense, hard rocks (like agate, quartz, or obsidian) lead to the best finished product. Avoid crumbly or gritty stones, such as sandstone or soapstone.
Supplemental Resources:
Here is the best low-cost (but highly rated) rock tumbler Amazon has to offer:
Amazon: National Geographic Hobby Rock Tumbler
12. Custom Shades
What You’ll Need:
- Cheap sunglasses
- Puffy paint
- Hot glue gun (with glue sticks)
- Rhinestones
Make it Happen:
- Cover work surface with newspaper.
- Use puffy paint to add designs to your sunglasses, making sure to avoid getting paint on the lenses. Allow sunglasses to dry.
- Use hot glue gun to affix rhinestones to sunglasses.
13. Peanut Sculptures
What You’ll Need:
- Cornstarch packing peanuts
- Spray bottle with water
- Bowl of water
- Newspaper
Make it Happen:
- Lay out newspaper on flat surface.
- Dip packing peanuts briefly in water, then stick together on newspaper to build a sculpture of your choosing.
- Mist lightly with spray bottle as needed for additional stickiness.
Supplemental Resources:
Here are some perfect peanuts for packing peanut sculptures:
Amazon: Bubblefast! Packing Peanuts
14.Naturally Beautiful Shirts
What You’ll Need:
- A dark-hued solid-colored t-shirt (navy, black, dark green, or red work well)
- Spray bottle
- Bleach
- 5-gallon bucket filled with cold water
- Natural objects with distinctive edges (large petaled flowers, leaves, sticks, and fern fronds work nicely)
Make it Happen:
- Lay shirt on a hard, flat surface (like a driveway), away from anything that might be damaged by bleach.
- Arrange leaves, flowers, and other objects in a simple design on the shirt.
- An adult with rubber gloves should fill a spray bottle with bleach and mist the shirt with the bleach.
- Once the shirt’s color starts to change, remove design objects and submerge the shirt in a bucket of water to rinse off the bleach.
- Wash the shirt by itself in cold water and dry on low heat.
15. Homemade Bird Feeders
What You’ll Need:
- Several large pinecones
- Yarn or twine
- Peanut butter
- Butter knife or spreading spatula
- Birdseed
- Paper plate
Make it Happen:
- Pour around a cup of birdseed onto paper plate and set aside.
- Tie yarn or twine around top of pinecone to create a loop (for hanging birdfeeder later on).
- Use butter knife or spreading spatula to thoroughly coat pinecone with peanut butter.
- Roll pinecone in birdseed until all peanut butter is covered. Tap gently to remove excess seed.
- Hang birdfeeder from a branch or hook and watch the birds enjoy!
16. Pressed Flowers
What You’ll Need:
- Freshly picked flowers
- Printer paper
- Several heavy books
Make it Happen:
- Remove excess leaves from flowers, and trim up stems to desired length.
- On a flat surface, lay down several sheets of printer paper.
- Arrange flowers on printer paper, making sure that flowers are not touching.
- Gently lay another two sheets of printer paper on top of the flowers.
- Stack several heavy books on top of paper, and leave for around a week.
- Remove books and separate printer paper to reveal your pressed flowers!
17. Windchimes
What You’ll Need:
Make it Happen:
- Follow directions included with kit.
Supplemental Resources:
Here are two adorable windchime kit options:
Amazon: Paint and Build Windchime Kit
18. Sidewalk Paint
What You’ll Need:
- 3 cups lukewarm water
- 3 cups cornstarch
- 4-6 small bowls
- Food coloring
- Wide paintbrushes
Make it Happen:
- Mix together water and cornstarch; stir well.
- Divide water and cornstarch mixture evenly between the small bowls.
- Add 2-3 drops of food coloring to each bowl to create different colors.
- Mix each color thoroughly (use different spoons or rinse spoon between colors to avoid mixing colors).
- Use paintbrushes to paint colors on sidewalk or driveway. Colors become more vibrant as they dry.
19. Nature Glitter
What You’ll Need:
- Flower petals in assorted colors
- Leaves in assorted shades of green
- Scissors
- Paper plates
- Glue
- Cardstock
Make it Happen:
- Use scissors to cut petals and leaves into very small pieces, sorting them by color if desired.
- Use glue to create a design on cardstock.
- Sprinkle nature glitter onto glue.
- After a moment or two, gently shake or blow of excess glitter to reveal your final design.
20. Paint Porch Planters
What You’ll Need:
- Terra cotta planters
- Acrylic paints in various shades
- Paintbrushes in a variety of diameters
Make it Happen:
- Choose a design. You can freehand or use painter’s tape to mask off shapes.
- Use acrylic paints to decorate planters.
- Allow to dry before filling planters with dirt and adding flowers.
21. Leaf Rubbings
What You’ll Need:
- Leaves of various shapes and size
- Printer paper
- Unwrapped crayons
- Scotch tape
- A smooth, flat surface (patio or picnic table perhaps?)
Make it Happen:
- Arrange leaves in a pattern of your choosing on flat surface. Make sure to keep design within the boundaries of a single sheet of paper. Use rolled scotch tape to hold leaves in place if needed.
- Place printer paper on top of leaves.
- Lay crayon flat on top of paper, then rub the long side of the crayon in long strokes over the leaves to reveal your masterpiece.
22. Create a Fairy or Gnome Garden
What You’ll Need:
- A variety of natural decorations. Ideas include, but are definitely not limited to:
- Pinecones
- Sticks
- Mosses
- Plants
- Flowers
- Stones
- Pine needles
- Tree bark
- If desired, you can also add in some store-bought decorations.
Make it Happen:
- Choose an area to build your garden in. You can use a space as small as a single planter or as large as an entire garden bed.
- Use your natural and/or purchased decorative to create an inviting space for wandering gnomes and fairies. You are only limited by your imagination.
Supplemental Resources:
Links to some super adorable gnome and fairy stuff on Amazon:
Amazon: Gnome Accessories
Amazon: Fairy Accessories
23. Make a Papier Mâché Leaf Bowl
What You’ll Need:
- Large balloon
- Large tree leaves (washed and patted dry)
- Papier mâché glue (see recipe in the Supplemental Resources section)
Make It Happen:
- Inflate balloon to desired size.
- Prep glue according to directions.
- Dip a single leaf into the glue, allowing excess to drip off.
- Place leaf onto the balloon and smooth out.
- Repeat until balloon is half covered, leaving leaf tips to form rim of leaf bowl.
- Leave to dry overnight.
- Repeat steps 2-6 several times until the balloon is covered with 5-6 lasers of paper.
- Once the last layer has dried completely, pop the balloon and take it out, leaving the shell.
Other Thoughts: This project will take around a week to complete.
Supplemental Resources:
Papier Mâché Glue Recipe:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of white flour
- 1 ½ cup of room temperature water
- ½ tablespoon salt
Mix the flour, water, and salt in a small saucepan. Whisk until lump-free. Bring mixture to just boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly. Be sure to watch carefully as it begins to thicken, and keep stirring to make sure that the glue doesn’t burn. As soon as mixture starts to bubble, immediately remove the pan from the heat and allow the paste to cool, stirring frequently to speed the cooling process and ensure smoothness of glue.
CAUTION: Glue will be extremely hot. Allow to cool completely before proceeding.
24. Painting with Flowers
What You’ll Need:
- Dandelion “paintbrushes”
- White paper
Make It Happen:
- Use the flowers as paintbrushes to create a masterpiece.
25. Stone Art
What You’ll Need:
- Stones (in as wide or narrow of variety as you please)
Make It Happen:
- Use the stones to create art.
Other Thoughts: Beginners can use lines of similarly-sized pebbles to create simplistic drawings, adding larger stones to represent, say, the sun, or the head of a stick person. To take your masterpiece to the next level consider size, shape, color, and texture of stones as an artist would, incorporating them thoughtfully and with purpose to create beauty.
Also See:
25 Summer Active Play Ideas for Kids
25 Summer Learning Activities for Kids
25 More Summer Fun Ideas for Kids