10 Creative Things to do With Your Kids this Summer

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Being home all day with the kiddos in the summer can sometimes feel like a blessing and a curse. There are tons of activities, camps, and outings. But the down time can be hard to fill.

It's easier for me if we have a 'loose' schedule, that way we all know what to expect. Our schedule doesn't involve actual clock times, instead it is more like 'first', 'then', 'next'. So after mornings of swimming and playing outside, we are all ready to come inside and spend some time in the A/C. We have lunch, and then the girls play upstairs while I catch up on emails and house chores. Then it is "craft time"!

Craft time this summer has been all about the girls. I haven't really done any home decor crafting. But we have been creating all kinds of kids crafts from Pinterest :) Here are a few of my favorite craft ideas for kiddos.

1. Rainbow Crayons- we melted old broken restaurant crayons (you know those free ones you have floating around the bottom of your purse) in cupcake liners for 7 min. at 300 degrees. We let them cool over night (not in the freezer - they tend to crack!) and then the girls have been creating 'rainbow' madness ever since! See more here.

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2. Crazy Glasses- Print and decorate. We printed them on card stock, then the girls added glitter and buttons. Glamorous! Good practice for cutting and fine motor skills. (Gotta stay sharp over the summer right?) See more here.

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3. Kiwi Crate- For $19.95 you get a cool crate with themed activities and crafts. We were sent one to try out and I loved it! The "Nature Explorer" crate included a diy scavenger hunt, supplies to create a lantern, and fun extras like these 'kiwi' playing cards. I can't say enough good things about the quality and abundance of goodies that you get in one crate. (I think it is crafting made simple- and although we were sent a crate to review and all opinions are my own, I will be ordering another one soon. ) See more here.

4. Rock Pals- Grab a rock. Paint it, add googly eyes. Then see what happens. Ours turned into a little family. Who decided to make the Kiwi crate their home. They are almost as popular as the Polly Pockets. Go figure! See more here.

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5. Scrap Fabric Clipboard- All those old fabric scraps find a new home. Just use Mod Podge to attach them to a simple clipboard. Use the clipboard for homework, drawing, playing 'office' or a gift. See more here.

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7. Sit-Upons from Vinyl Tablecloths 
Cut up a vinyl tablecloth and let your kiddos sew through punched holes. Fill with newspaper and then tie it closed. A great craft that is also useful. See more here.

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8. Cook Something!
We did pizza on pre-made crusts the other night for dinner. I let the girls be 'in charge' of making it. Which entailed spooning on the sauce, sprinkling the cheese and adding the pepperoni. Have you ever seen such a happy pizza?

9. Sew Something
Whether it is eyes on a sock in order to make a puppet or a few straight lines to make a small pillow, every kid likes to try sewing. My girl 'drafted' a pattern then used the big machine to sew her first cocktail dresses. :) Barbie is so lucky!

10. Kids Art Bunting
Of course a lot of our crafting time is spent coloring, drawing or painting. Wondering what to do with all the doodles? I am saving ours so that we can make bunting from it. Love this idea! See more here.

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What are you doing with your littles this summer?

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