A lot has changed over the past decade or two and the way we spend summer is on that list. In the world of both parents working, giving kids the summer vacation they deserve can be a bit tricky. If there is the option of teleworking or the kids wind up at grandma’s, don’t let them waste away their time and brainpower staring at their phones! Instead, increase their creativity without increasing your budget with art and craft projects that will keep them busy and happy all summer! Keep reading to check out ten ideas to get you started!

Tidy Up With Cute Storage

Save any plastic containers like the ones Folgers coffee comes in. You’ll need a glue gun, scissors, and sisal or decorative rope. Starting at the bottom, glue the rope as you tightly and closely wind it around the container. When you approach the top, snip the rope and tuck the end. Kids will be ready for back to school with perfect storage for writing utensils, small electronic items and so much more!

Water Gun Art

You’ll need water guns with easy pull triggers. Better quality guns can be washed and used later for other activities. Put a 50/50 mix of tempera paint with water into a small Ziploc bag. Make a tiny cut in the corner and load your water gun with the mix. Use painter’s tape to make a design such as initials on an inexpensive canvas and hang or prop it outdoors. Now…ready, aim and create your masterpiece! Lay your art horizontally to dry before you remove the tape.

Ice Cream Cone Bird Treats

Summertime is filled with birds sharing their happy tunes! This appropriately shaped treat is a piece of cake to make. Snip a small opening in the pointed end of a sugar cone. Tie a knot in the end of a piece of yarn and pull it through the hole making it long enough to hang from a tree branch. Thoroughly coat the cone with peanut butter then roll in birdseed completely covering the cone. Hang them from trees then sit back and watch or teach the wonder of wildlife!

Take a Hike and Hunt for Supplies

As you read on you’ll see that many crafts can be created with free supplies from nature. Take the kids on a simple hike to collect pinecones, rocks, wood from trees, and anything that you think could create an intriguing project. A hike in itself will be fun, educational, and extremely crafty!

Pinecone Pineapples 

Pinecones are perfect for many seasons including a tropical touch to summer. Before you start, rid them of insects rooming inside. Bake on a foil-lined baking sheet in a 225° oven for 30 minutes, then cool. Simply paint the pinecones your choice of totally covered or tipped in yellow. When the paint dries, insert “leaves” at the top made from green construction paper and shaped similar to those of a real pineapple. From simple decor to tropical get-togethers, these are fun, inexpensive to make, and will last all summer.

Rock On!

Search for flat, smooth rocks and clean them thoroughly. When they are dry, paint a positive, thoughtful message on a bundle of your small boulders. When you’re out and about, place your rock-solid message in a visible place in hopes of being found to lift spirits and bring smiles to multitudes this summer!

Bottle Cap Bugs

Save, wash and dry bottle caps from just about anything such as pop and water bottles. Cut wings from transparency paper. Design the wings using sharpie markers, being sure to keep fingers out of the ink. When the wings are dry, hot glue them along with googly eyes to your bottle caps. Make your summertime bugs the cutest ever!

Something for Your Little Angels

From summer to fall to Christmas decor, there’s always a craft to create! Turn outgrown blue jeans into Christmas magic and gifts for everyone on your list. Make these blue jean angels during summer free time to be ready to bless all who receive them during the hustle and bustle of the holidays!

It’s Never Too Soon to Say Boo! 

If summer crafts are becoming dull,l get a jump on your Halloween guest list. Invite Cousin It to attend all festivities while tomato cages, natural hula skirts or raffia grass table cloths, and dollar store sunglasses are in abundance. Simply wrap the tomato cage with overlapping rows of your grassy material, securing with hot glue. Add sunglasses and a Derby hat from a thrift store or eBay for the coolest start to autumn and the spooky season ahead!

Magical Moments

This item isn’t free but well worth a small, inexpensive investment that brings mesmerizing, artistic, and creative feats with hours of fun! These pens are insoluble in water making designs magically float off the surface and into the water. This nontoxic ink works well on paper, dry erase boards, and more…but when you draw on plastic, glass, or ceramic surface, slowly place it in water and watch your design magically move to the water’s surface. Check them out here and be sure to watch the video!