22 Summer Decor Crafts for Kids That Are Fun and Easy
Summer and crafting go together like sunshine and lemonade. These fun, easy projects turn into real home decor pieces your kids will be proud to display.
Every idea on this list uses simple supplies you likely already have at home. Get ready for a creative, colorful summer with your little ones.
1. Painted Watermelon Flower Pots
Terra cotta pots plus watermelon colors equal pure summer magic. Kids paint the pot green at the base, red or pink in the middle, and dot on little black seeds.
Once dry, pop in a small plant or some fresh flowers and set it on the porch. Seal with clear varnish so the paint survives watering all season long.
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2. Seashell Wind Chime Craft
Got a bag of beach shells sitting in a drawer? Thread them onto twine, hang several strands from a driftwood stick, and you have a beautiful wind chime.
Add wooden beads between the shells for extra color and a soft, pretty sound. Hang it near an open window where the summer breeze can work its magic.
3. Paper Plate Sunshine Wall Decor
A yellow paper plate, some paint, and cut paper strips are all you need for this cheerful wall piece. Kids glue the strips around the plate like sun rays and draw a happy face in the center.
This one dries fast and looks adorable hung in a kids bedroom or playroom. Use metallic gold paint on the rays to give it a little extra glow.
4. DIY Friendship Bracelet Display Jars
Kids can fill a clear glass jar with colorful friendship bracelets they made over the summer. It doubles as a cute desk or shelf decoration that actually means something to them.
Layer the bracelets by color for a rainbow effect inside the jar. Add a ribbon around the lid to finish the look and make it feel intentional.
5. Popsicle Stick Beach Hut Decoration
Stack and glue popsicle sticks together to build a tiny beach hut shape. Kids can paint it in tropical colors and add a little fabric or paper roof on top.
These look adorable lined up on a windowsill or used as a centerpiece on a summer tablescape. It is a surprisingly satisfying build even for older kids.
6. Painted Rock Garden Markers
Collect smooth rocks from the yard or a dollar store bag and let kids paint them with herb or flower names. Place them in the garden or in potted plants to mark what is growing where.
Use paint pens for neat lettering or let younger kids go free with brushes for a more playful look. Seal with outdoor Mod Podge so the paint lasts through rain and sun.
7. Ocean Inspired Mason Jar Lanterns
Fill mason jars with blue and green tissue paper scraps to create a sea glass effect. Drop a battery-powered tea light inside and the glow looks just like light filtering through ocean water.
These are stunning on a summer dinner table or lined along a porch railing at night. Kids can customize each jar with shells or starfish stickers on the outside.
8. Handprint Sunflower Canvas Art
Dip kids hands in yellow paint and press them in a circle on a canvas to form sunflower petals. Add a brown painted center and a green stem below and you have a piece of art worth framing.
Write the child’s name and the year on the back so you remember exactly when it was made. These make genuinely beautiful keepsakes that look great on a gallery wall.
9. Colorful Suncatcher Window Hangings
Cut shapes out of black cardstock and fill the cutouts with tissue paper in bright colors. Tape them to a sunny window and watch the colors dance across the walls.
Kids love choosing their own color combinations and shapes like stars, hearts, or butterflies. The effect is like having staied glass without any of the cost or complexity.
10. Paper Straw Summer Wreath
Glue colorful paper straws in a sunburst pattern onto a cardboard circle base. Add a ribbon hanger at the top and a few paper flowers or leaves around the edges.
It is lightweight, budget-friendly, and genuinely looks festive hung on a front door or wall. Use straws in your theme colors to match your existing summer decor.
11. Mini Bird Feeder Craft for the Garden
Coat a pine cone in peanut butter, roll it in birdseed, and tie a ribbon through the top. Hang it from a tree branch and watch the garden come alive with visiting birds.
Kids feel so proud when the birds actually show up, and it turns into a fun nature observation activity too. Replace it every week or two to keep things fresh for your feathered visitors.
12. Tie Dye Fabric Banner Decoration
Cut fabric scraps or an old white sheet into triangle pennants and let kids tie-dye them in summer colors. String them onto twine once dry and hang across a bedroom wall or outdoor fence.
No two pennants look the same, which makes the whole banner feel artistic and unique. This craft works beautifully as a birthday party decoration that doubles as lasting wall decor.
13. Cardboard Ice Cream Cone Wall Art
Cut ice cream cone shapes from cardboard and let kids paint them in their favorite flavors. Layer tissue paper or cotton balls on top for a textured scoop effect.
Arrange several cones together on a wall in a grid or scattered pattern for maximum impact. It is playful, colorful, and looks like something straight out of a kids boutique.
14. Nature Collage Summer Frames
Head outside and collect leaves, petals, twigs, and flat pebbles with the kids. Glue them around a plain wooden picture frame to create a one-of-a-kind nature border.
Let the frame fully dry before placing a photo or pressed flower print inside. These look beautiful on a bedside table and make the sweetest handmade gifts.
15. DIY Flower Crown Display Hoop
Wrap a wooden embroidery hoop with ribbon or twine and let kids attach faux flowers around it. Hang it on the wall as a decorative wreath that feels very boho and summery.
You can switch out the flowers seasonally and reuse the hoop year after year. Add some trailing ribbon or greenery at the bottom to give it extra movement and charm.
16. Pineapple Paper Lantern Craft
Start with a yellow paper lantern and let kids add green paper leaf cutouts at the top to make it look like a pineapple. Draw or paint diamond patterns on the body of the lantern to complete the look.
Hang a few of these together in different sizes for a fun tropical cluster above a reading nook or bed. They photograph beautifully and instantly make any room feel like a summer getaway.
17. Painted Seashell Trinket Dishes
Large flat shells become the most charming little dishes for rings, hair clips, or small trinkets. Kids paint them in pastel shades or add tiny dot patterns using a toothpick dipped in paint.
Seal with a glossy finish so the colors stay vivid and the surface is smooth enough to actually use. These are especially sweet displayed in a bathroom or on a vanity tray.
18. Pool Noodle Stamp Art Posters
Slice a pool noodle into rounds and dip the flat end into paint to make circle stamps on paper. Kids can build patterns, flowers, or abstract designs by layering different colors and sizes.
Frame the finished poster and hang it in a playroom or bedroom for instant bold wall art. This craft uses up leftover pool noodle bits that would otherwise get thrown away.
19. Rainbow Bead Wind Spinner
Thread colorful beads onto wire and twist it into a spiral or starburst shape. Hang it outside where the sun can hit it and watch it spin and throw rainbow reflections around.
Kids love choosing the bead order and seeing the light effect it creates in real time. These hold up surprisingly well outdoors and look magical on a sunny afternoon.
20. Beach Themed Shadow Box Decor
Grab a deep picture frame or a small wooden box and let kids fill it with their summer beach finds. Shells, sea glass, a little sand, a tiny starfish, all of it layered together tells a story.
Add a small printed photo or a handwritten label that says where and when the items were collected. It turns a box of random finds into a genuinely meaningful piece of wall decor.
21. Paper Fan Wall Decorations
Fold sheets of patterned or painted paper accordion-style and fan them out into half-circle shapes. Tape or staple the base closed and pin several fans to the wall in a cluster or arch pattern.
Mix sizes and colors for a statement wall moment that looks expensive but costs almost nothing. Kids can paint their own paper first to make each fan completely original.
22. Upcycled Tin Can Flower Vases
Peel the labels off old tin cans and let kids paint or wrap them in twine, fabric scraps, or washi tape. Fill with fresh or faux flowers and group them together on a windowsill or table.
They look gorgeous clustered in threes with varying heights and colors. Do you have a go-to summer craft your kids come back to every single year?
