Spring and summer arrive and everyone begins to open their doors and windows to let in fresh air. The leaves of the trees are full and flowers abound; birds sing, build nests and take care of their chicks. I am drawn outdoors by the lure of warmer days and the call of the earth and new growth. Not to mention, as a mom, the kids are crying out for more room to play. It’s the perfect time to take out some fun family crafts outside.
Here are some easy-to-customize summer craft ideas for summer fun or to celebrate May Day, Mother’s Day, or a holiday weekend. All craft supplies can be easily found at craft supply stores or online vendors. While making these crafts is a fun family activity, some are available in pre-assembled or ready-made kits. Use your favorite search engine to find out more about various ideas; below are suggestions for keywords to elaborate on each idea.
1. Terracotta clay potted bird bath. Invert the terracotta clay pots, larger at the bottom and smaller at the top. Add a clay saucer (the part the pot sits on to catch the drained water). A waterproof saucer is necessary. Place the clay saucer on top of the inverted stack of pots. Paint or tile the pots if you’re feeling especially creative. For more bird fun, add a mister. Birds love to play in the water. Note: Make two similar supports and use one for a bird feeder.
Keywords: clay pot birdbath; bird feeder in clay pots; Terracotta birdbath.
2. Plant and cultivate an herb garden. Include herbs like basil, thyme, sage, chives, and any other favorites. You’ll have fresh herbs to add to your recipes all summer long. Herbs are easy to grow, which makes this an easy garden for kids to help. Go one step further and create a “vegetable garden”, including lettuce, spinach, tomato, cucumber or other favorite salads.
Keywords: herb cultivation; vegetable plot; easy herb gardening; garden plans; container gardening.
3. Build a toad dwelling (toad house). Use a terracotta pot and a rock. Invert a clay pot and rest the rim on a rock. If you have a chipped pot, that would also work great and require no support. Paint and decorate to your liking.
Keywords: adobe mud toad; toad house; frog house
4. A handmade trampoline. Personalize it with stones, marbles, or other memorable items. Make the project a tradition. Mark the stone with the year and include elements to remember the year; a key (of the house or the car), a toy, etc. One footprint each year could signify the path of life and it would be fun for young children to mark their growth from summer to summer.
Keywords: step crafts; handmade steps; rung kits.
5. Personalized necklaces. Letter beads (for names or initials), a few spacer beads, a charm or two added to a simple chain make a lovely and personal necklace for any mother or grandmother. For fun, make matching necklaces for mom, grandma, and daughters.
Keywords: personalized mother necklace
6. Bookmarks are a great craft for rainy days. Be creative: use paper, dried flowers, ribbons, knitting yarn. Use beads and charms attached to a chain or string to create a “book strap.”
Keywords: handmade bookmarks; handmade book thong.
7. A decorative pillow. Pre-made cushion with light colored fabric, decorated with fabric paint. Fabric glue will easily adhere buttons and other small favors. Start from scratch and decorate your fabric before you make a pillow: iron-on tie-dye color images made with fabric crayons or reverse-dye with a darker fabric and bleach provide so many creative ways to decorate any pillow or piece of fabric . Another variation would be decorating pillow covers.
Keywords: decorative pillow; throw pillow art; handcrafted decorative pillows; cloth pencils; iron transfers.
8. A tie-dye party is fun for the family or a gathering of family and friends. Supplies are readily available online and come in easy kits.
Keywords: supplies for tie dye; reverse death.
When performing a search, try searching for images as well. Often the images of a ready-made item will spark some creative thoughts.