Key Takeaways:

• Summer and rainy-day crafts are a great way to pass long afternoons without screens.

• There are many easy summer crafts that don’t require a ton of work. 

• Ollie's is a good place to look for craft supplies, books, paper, and bargain finds for the family craft bin. 

The Benefits of Screen-Free Summer Crafts

You don't always need a grandiose plan to keep kids entertained. It can often be as simple as having a box of crayons, some colorful paper, glue, and permission to get messy.

That's why DIY summer crafts are one of our favorite recommendations for parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, or babysitters who feel like they’ve run out of ideas. Crafts don't just kill time, they give kids a project and a little independence. Plus, there’s nothing quite as wholesome as a little one being proud of something they made.

Build a Bargain Craft Bin for Easy Summer Crafts

A summer craft bin can be your secret weapon. Think of it as your ready-to-go stash for a hot afternoon or rainy day. 

• Books and stationery

• School and office supplies

• Scrapbooks

• Paper projects

• Markers and crayons

• Paint and brushes

• Cardstock

• Glue sticks

• Tape

• Kid-safe scissors

• Yarn

• Stickers

• Ribbon

• Buttons

• Recycled containers

12 Summer Crafts for Kids

While some slow afternoons call for a good book or a day on the couch, there are so many ways to keep the kids entertained and let them explore their creative sides. Here are 12 of our favorite easy, screen-free summer crafts for kids.

1. Make-Your-Own Coloring Books

A homemade coloring book is one of the least messy crafts because the fun continues even after the book is made. Canva has a wonderful array of coloring templates you can print and string together into a handmade coloring book. You can even use it to design your own coloring templates if you're looking for something a little more special.

Of course, if you don’t want to go through the process of creating your own coloring book from scratch, you can also check out Ollie’s extensive collection of coloring and activity books.

2. Friendship Bracelets

When we think of classic summer camp crafts for kids, we think of friendship bracelets. A friendship bracelet is a bond for life. All you need are a few different colors of thread, some kid-friendly scissors, a few safety pins, and tape. 

Tate Kids has an awesome friendship bracelet guide. Since you don’t need many supplies, it’s one of the best easy summer crafts for travel days. 

3. Watercolor Paper Pinwheels

Paint, fold, and turn paper into something fun and cheerful to hang in the window. ARTBAR’s watercolor paper pinwheel tutorial can turn painted paper into adorable folded decorations to display anywhere the wind blows. 

It’s one of our favorite artsy craft ideas for summer that doesn’t require much work.

4. DIY Paper Photo Frames

With paper photo frames, you can turn your drawings or summer photos into pieces you can display throughout the house. All you need for this paper frame project is some fun and funky cardstock (or plain cardstock to use as a blank canvas) and a round marker or Sharpie to roll the paper around. No tape or glue required! 

This summer craft idea is great for beach photos, camp snapshots, or that cute little crayon drawing of the family dog. 

5. Summer Travelogue Scrapbooks

You don't need to go on a big family vacation to make a travelogue. It can be a scrapbook about a day at the splash pad, the family cookout, or the day someone found a very interesting lizard in the backyard. 

Martha Stewart’s summer scrapbooking projects include travelogues kids can fill with photos, ticket stubs, stickers, and notes. It’s one of the best memory-making craft ideas for summer and one that kids can continue to add to all season long. 

6. Painted Rocks

Found some cool rocks while out on a walk? Turn them into an art project!

Kids can collect smooth rocks, wash them, dry them, and paint them into anything they want: ladybugs, suns, faces, tiny houses, or mystery blobs.

Rhythms of Play has an in-depth guide on all the supplies you’ll need to make the most of your rock painting summer crafts.

7. DIY Cards for Birthdays, Thank Yous, and Just Because

DIY cards are both fun and useful, which gives them the grandma-approved craft stamp.

Cards are some of the easiest summer crafts because all you really need is some good paper or cardstock and an array of pens, crayons, markers, and other supplies you already have in your craft box. 

The rest is up to your little ones’ big imaginations. It also doesn't hurt to have some craft ideas for summer in your back pocket that can brighten somebody else's day. 

8. Milk Carton Bird Feeder

With a milk carton bird feeder, you can turn an old recycled container into backyard entertainment. 

All you need is an empty milk carton, scissors, paint, a paintbrush, a permanent marker, yarn, a twig, a sharpened pencil, and birdseed of your choice. It's one of the few summer crafts for kids that keeps on giving long after the crafting is done. 

9. Coffee Can Wind Chime

Make some noise and turn recycled items into porch decor with an easy coffee can wind chime. Kids can decorate a clean can, then hang beads, CDs, buttons, keys, or other jangly pieces from the bottom to make it their own. 

This craft is fun when the breeze kicks up, and parents can even enjoy the soothing, stress-relieving sounds of nature doing its work.

10. Paper Bouquet

Paper bouquets are bright, giftable, and impossible to kill. Now that's a pretty good deal. This paper bouquet project uses colored card stock and string. 

Kids can make flowers for grandma, a neighbor, or the kitchen table. As far as craft ideas for summer go, this one is high in cheer and low in pressure. 

11. DIY Tic-Tac-Toe Game

With a DIY tic-tac-toe game, kids get two wins. First, they get to make the game. Then, they get to play the game. There are hundreds of different ways to go about making a DIY tic-tac-toe, but we’re big fans of the game boards that double as storage bags for the play pieces. 

The great thing about these easy summer crafts is that you can use anything from mancala pieces to ceramic trinkets from the craft store or the little rocks you painted earlier.  

12. Pool Noodle Wreath

The pool noodle is one of the everlasting icons of summer. And if you’re someone who likes to swap out the decorations on the front of your house each season, why not add some fun and color with a pool noodle wreath? They’re low-cost, easy to make, and can be styled in about a million ways. 

This pool noodle wreath from My Unentitled Life uses plastic leis and flip-flops. 

Make a Summer Craft Bin for the Next Slow Afternoon

Grandma was onto something with crafts. A little paper, paint, glue, string, and imagination can carry a long afternoon pretty far.

Once you’ve tried out a few of these summer crafts for kids, keep the momentum by putting together a specific rainy-day bin for indoor activities. This bin can include one quiet-time activity, one messy activity, one giftable craft, one coloring or activity pad, and one surprise supply. After all, a little mystery never hurt, right?

Get some other craft ideas for summer by stocking up at Ollie’s!

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