With summer just around the corner, parents are on the lookout for fun and creative craft and engaging activities to do with kids. Much as we would love to throw a beach towel and flip flops in our tote bags and head to the beach every day, it is not always possible. While summer holidays are a pleasant respite from the drudgery of the year, it can be quite challenging to keep the children entertained and engaged all day every day.
If you, like me, don’t believe in spending a fortune and a half enrolling kids in activity camps or designer summer courses, and don’t want your kids to send the summer glued to their screens either, I have just the thing for you. Here is a short list of craft ideas that make for perfect indoor activities for kids.
4 Creative Craft Ideas to do with your Kids this Summer
Origami
Origami, or the Japanese art of paper folding, is a complex activity steeped in history and tradition. It is a wonderful activity for children of all ages. All you need are some paper squares, and with the help of numerous free tutorials on the internet, you and your children can make beautiful 3D paper models and designs.
Origami can also be used to make competitive games at home like Cockroach Climbers, Jumping Bunnies, Caterpillar Race, or to put on a show with Origami Puppets. Origami is a precise art form, and once you and your kids master the simple folds, you can go on to make complex structures. Origami also has multiple cognitive and physical benefits for children, not the least of which is developing patience and focus.
Painting
Painting is my favourite activity hands down. There are endless possibilities to what you and your children can make or create. In addition to typical painting on paper and canvas, diversify your mediums and create something fun this summer. You can paint on rocks, fabric, old clothes, tote bags, old furniture, and even walls to spruce up a tired old space or make something handmade and useful.
Sculpture
Nothing beats creating something with your own hand. Play Doh sculpture is great for little kids, and if your children are older, consider polymer clay crafts. You could also get some earth clay and make some sun-dry clay creations. Sculpture is limited only by your imagination and if you and your child like to build, work on big projects, and create 3D structures, you can even make sculptures using cardboard, recycled home waste, nature items, and wood blocks.
Sewing
You can easily involve children over the age of seven in sewing projects. Not only will it be an exciting activity for them, learning the basics of sewing by hand will give your children a life skill that will be useful for them throughout their lives. You may use old or discarded clothing for materials, or get new fabric, the choice is yours. Children love to make Teddy Bears or Rag Dolls, or clothes for their existing dolls. Starting with easy sewing projects will teach them the skills they can use to tackle more complicated projects later. You can teach the basics of hand sewing, and “graduate” older kids to a sewing machine.
Try these out, and you will find that these are far more useful and engaging than kids movies on Netflix. Scale them up or down based on your child’s age and skill level, and you’re all set!
Creative crafts and your kids
Do you have any other creative craft ideas for kids over the Summer? We’d love to hear them in the comments section below. As always, if you’ve enjoyed this article we’d love for you to share it with your friends, family and across social media.
