Looking for the perfect summer crafts for preschoolers? These 25 colorful and creative projects are packed with summer fun, easy to make, and designed for little hands. Best of all, they use simple supplies you probably already have at home.
1. Popsicle Stick Beach Hut
Materials:
- Popsicle sticks
- Craft glue
- Brown and tan paint
- Raffia or yellow yarn
- Markers
Lay several popsicle sticks side by side and glue them together to form a square base for the walls.
Let your child paint the sticks in sandy tan or brown tones, then build up the walls by layering sticks horizontally with glue.
For the roof, arrange sticks in a triangle shape and glue raffia or yellow yarn across it to mimic a thatched look. Once dry, use markers to add a door or windows.
2. DIY Windsock Craft
Materials:
- Paper towel roll or cardstock
- Streamers or crepe paper strips
- Paint or markers
- Hole punch
- String
Decorate a paper towel roll or rolled cardstock with paint or markers in bright summer colors.
Once dry, glue or tape colorful streamer strips to the bottom edge so they dangle freely.
Punch two holes at the top on opposite sides, thread string through, and tie a knot to create a hanger.
3. Seashell Picture Frame
Materials:
- Wooden or cardboard picture frame
- Assorted seashells
- Craft glue
- Sand (optional)
- Paint
Paint the frame in ocean-inspired blue or sandy beige and let it dry completely.
Help your preschooler arrange seashells around the frame in any pattern they like, then glue them in place.
For extra texture, spread a thin layer of craft glue on sections of the frame and sprinkle sand over it before it dries.
4. Handprint Palm Tree
Materials:
- Green and brown paint
- White cardstock or canvas
- Paintbrush
- Sponge or fingers
Paint your child’s palm and fingers green, then press their hand firmly onto the paper near the top to create palm fronds. Repeat two or three times, fanning the prints outward.
Use brown paint and a wide brush (or a cardboard strip) to stamp a curved trunk below the handprints.
Let dry, then add yellow or orange fingerprint “coconuts” nestled among the fronds.
5. Fish Puppet
Materials:
Materials
- Brown paper lunch bag
- Googly eye
- Black marker
- Sequins or stickers (optional)
- Pipe cleaner, twist tie, or ribbon
- Scissors
Stuff a brown paper lunch bag with crumpled paper or tissue paper until it forms a rounded fish shape. Gather and twist the open end, then secure it with a pipe cleaner, twist tie, or ribbon to create the tail.
Fan out the tail and trim it if desired. Glue on a googly eye, then use a black marker to draw a smile, scales, and simple patterns on the body and tail.
Finish by adding sequins or stickers for extra sparkle. Let everything dry before displaying your colorful fish craft. Slide a hand inside the bag to bring the puppet to life.
6. Paper Roll Binoculars
Materials:
- 2 toilet paper rolls
- Paint or washi tape
- String or yarn
- Hole punch
- Stickers or markers
Paint or wrap two toilet paper rolls in your child’s favorite colors, then let them dry.
Glue or tape the two rolls together side by side. Punch a hole on the outer edge of each roll, thread a piece of yarn through both holes, and tie the ends to create a neck strap.
Decorate with stickers or marker doodles.
7. Watermelon Paper Fan
Materials:
- Green, white, and red cardstock
- Scissors
- Tape or stapler
- Black marker
- Craft stick
Cut a large half-circle from red cardstock, a slightly larger one from white, and an even larger one from green to create the watermelon layers.
Layer and glue them together, then draw black oval “seeds” on the red section. Accordion-fold the whole piece from bottom to top, then pinch the bottom and secure it with tape or a stapler.
Glue a craft stick to the bottom as a handle and wave it to cool off!
8. Summer Nature Collage
Materials:
- Cardstock or canvas board
- Craft glue or Mod Podge
- Leaves, flowers, twigs, grass
- Watercolor or acrylic paint (optional)
- Brush
Take a quick nature walk and let your preschooler collect leaves, small flowers, grass, and twigs.
Back at the table, arrange the natural items onto cardstock in any design they choose — a sun, a garden, or just a beautiful pattern.
Brush craft glue or Mod Podge over everything to seal it in place. For extra color, let them paint the background before arranging the items.
9. Pineapple Paper Craft
Materials:
- Yellow and green construction paper
- Scissors
- Glue
- Black marker or brown paint
- Brown paper (optional)
Cut a large oval from yellow paper for the pineapple body and several long leaf shapes from green paper for the crown.
Glue the green leaves together at the base and attach them to the top of the yellow oval.
Use a black marker or brown paint to draw a crosshatch diamond pattern across the yellow body.
10. Beaded Sun Catcher
Materials:
- Plastic pony beads (clear and colorful)
- Metal cookie cutter or silicone mold (sun shape)
- Parchment paper
- Oven
- Ribbon or string
Place a metal sun-shaped cookie cutter on a parchment-lined baking sheet and fill it with colorful pony beads in a single layer.
Bake at 400°F (200°C) for about 20 minutes until the beads melt and fuse together. This step is for adults only. Let it cool completely, then pop it out of the cutter.
Tie a ribbon through one of the holes and hang it in a sunny window to catch the light.
11. Popsicle Stick Sailboat
Materials:
- Popsicle sticks
- Craft glue
- Triangular piece of paper or foam
- Wooden skewer or straw
- Paint or markers
Glue several popsicle sticks flat side by side to form the boat’s hull, then glue two sticks across the top and bottom to hold them together.
Let it dry, then paint or color in nautical stripes or ocean colors.
Poke a skewer or straw through a triangular paper sail and glue the mast upright to the center of the boat.
12. Paper Plate Shark
Materials:
- Paper plate
- Gray paint
- White and black construction paper
- Scissors and glue
- Googly eyes
Paint a paper plate gray and let it dry.
Fold the plate in half to form the shark’s mouth, then cut a jagged row of white paper teeth and glue them inside the fold.
Cut a triangle from gray paper for the dorsal fin and glue it to the top. Add a googly eye on each side and draw gills with a marker. Open and close the plate to make your shark “bite”!
13. Ice Cream Cone Garland
Materials:
- Cardstock in pink, white, tan, and assorted colors
- Scissors
- String or twine
- Hole punch
- Markers or paint
Cut cone shapes from tan cardstock and round ice cream scoops from pink, white, or any fun flavor color.
Draw a waffle pattern on each cone with a brown marker. Glue each scoop to the top of a cone, then punch a hole at the top and string them all along a piece of twine.
Hang across a bedroom, classroom, or party table for the sweetest summer decoration!
14. Coffee Filter Butterflies
Materials:
- White coffee filters
- Washable markers
- Water spray bottle
- Pipe cleaners
- Clothespins (optional)
Let your preschooler color all over a flattened coffee filter with washable markers in bright, summery colors.
Lightly mist the filter with water and watch the colors bloom and blend together — this part is pure magic for kids!
Once dry, pinch the filter in the center and twist a pipe cleaner around the middle, then curl the ends up to make antennae.
15. Camping Lantern Craft
Materials:
- Mason jar or plastic cup
- Tissue paper (yellow, orange, red)
- Mod Podge or watered-down glue
- Battery-operated tea light
- Twine or pipe cleaner
Tear tissue paper into small pieces and brush a layer of Mod Podge onto the outside of the jar.
Press tissue paper pieces all over the jar in overlapping layers, then seal with another coat of Mod Podge. Allow to dry completely.
Drop a battery-operated tea light inside and place the handle (made from twine or a bent pipe cleaner) over the top.
16. Paper Bag Beach Tote Decoration
Materials:
- Plain paper gift bag
- Foam stickers or construction paper cutouts
- Markers or paint
- Glue
- Sequins or glitter (optional)
Start with a plain paper gift bag and let preschoolers go wild decorating it with a beach theme!
They can stamp on starfish and shells using foam stickers, paint waves along the bottom, or glue on construction paper crabs and fish. Add glitter or sequins for some shimmer.
Once decorated, it becomes a fun “beach tote” they can use to collect treasures on a real or imaginary trip to the beach
17. Kite Craft with Streamers
Materials:
- Cardstock or foam sheet
- Scissors
- Hole punch
- Crepe paper or ribbon streamers
- String
Cut a classic diamond kite shape from cardstock or foam and let your child decorate it with stripes, dots, or a rainbow design.
Punch a small hole at the bottom point and tie on several long streamer strips in fun colors. Punch another hole at the top and attach a longer piece of string for holding.
18. Rainbow Fish Craft
Materials:
- Paper plate
- Paint (blue, purple, silver, rainbow colors)
- Metallic or holographic paper
- Scissors and glue
- Googly eye
Paint a paper plate in shimmery blue or teal tones for the fish body.
Cut scales from metallic or holographic paper in a variety of colors and glue them all over the body in overlapping rows.
Cut a triangle from the paper plate to form the tail, reattach it to the back, and add a googly eye near the front. Inspired by the beloved picture book, this craft shines on any wall!
19. Sand Art Bottles
Materials:
- Clear plastic bottles or jars
- Colored sand (store-bought or DIY with salt and chalk)
- Funnel or rolled paper cone
- Craft glue or cork
- Spoon
If making DIY colored sand, rub colored chalk over coarse salt until it’s fully tinted, then let it dry.
Layer different colors of sand into the clear bottle using a funnel, alternating colors for a striped or swirled effect. Pour slowly to keep the layers distinct.
Seal the bottle with craft glue around the lid or cork to preserve the design. These make lovely little keepsakes or table decorations!
20. DIY Beach Memory Box
Materials:
- Small wooden or cardboard box
- Blue and sandy paint
- Shells, pebbles, or sequins
- Mod Podge
- Stickers or foam letters
Paint the outside of the box in ocean blue with a sandy strip along the bottom.
Let dry, then glue on shells, pebbles, or sequins in a decorative pattern. Use foam letters or stickers to spell the child’s name or “Beach Memories” on the lid.
Seal everything with a coat of Mod Podge. Kids can fill the box with collected treasures from summer adventures — ticket stubs, pressed flowers, or real shells!
21. Paper Plate Snail Craft
Materials:
- Paper plate
- Paint (green, yellow, brown)
- Construction paper
- Scissors and glue
- Googly eyes and pipe cleaners
Cut a paper plate in half and set one half aside for the shell.
Coil the other half by cutting in a spiral pattern from the outside edge toward the center. Paint the spiral in a swirly shell pattern and let dry. Cut a simple oval body shape from green construction paper and glue the spiral shell on top.
Add googly eyes and bend two short pipe cleaners into antennae.
22. Flip-Flop Door Hanger
Materials:
- Foam sheets or cardboard
- Scissors
- Markers or paint
- Ribbon or string
- Stickers and foam cutouts
Trace and cut two flip-flop shapes from foam sheets or thick cardboard.
Decorate with tropical patterns — flowers, pineapples, or polka dots — using markers, paint, or stickers. Cut two small ribbon straps and glue them across the top of each flip-flop.
Tie both flip-flops together with a longer ribbon and add a loop at the top for hanging on a door or wall.
23. Egg Carton Caterpillar
Materials:
- Egg carton (one full row of 6 cups)
- Paint in bright colors
- Pipe cleaners
- Googly eyes
- Markers
Cut a single row of six connected cups from the egg carton.
Paint each cup a different color and let dry completely. Poke two pipe cleaners through the front cup to create antennae and curl the tips.
Glue googly eyes to the front and draw a smile with a marker.
The caterpillar can sit on a shelf, be used as a puppet, or become a pencil holder with a tiny hole poked in each segment!
24. Ocean-In-A-Bottle Craft
Materials:
- Clear plastic bottle with a tight lid
- Baby oil
- Blue food coloring
- Water
- Small plastic sea creatures or shells
- Strong waterproof glue
Fill your bottle about halfway with baby oil. Mix water with several drops of blue food coloring in a separate cup.
Pour the blue water into the bottle until almost full. Drop in small plastic sea creatures, glitter, or tiny shells.
Seal the lid tightly and secure it with a ring of waterproof glue on the inside of the cap. Tilt the bottle back and forth and watch the ocean waves roll!
25. Summer Flower Crowns
Materials:
- Green pipe cleaners
- Silk or paper flowers
- Ribbon or extra pipe cleaners
- Hot glue (adult use only)
- Beads or butterflies (optional)
Twist two or three green pipe cleaners together end-to-end to form a long chain, then shape it into a circle to fit your child’s head.
Attach silk or paper flowers along the crown by wrapping their stems around the pipe cleaner base. Use a dab of hot glue (adult step) to secure any flowers that won’t stay.
Weave in ribbon or add beads for extra flair.
These summer crafts for preschoolers are more than just fun activities. Each project sparks creativity and builds fine motor skills. Enjoy every wonderfully messy moment with yur kids!
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