It’s coming towards the end of the summer holidays and you’re probably starting to tear your hair out, so I’ve put this blog together of 5 Summer Crafts / Activities.  I hope it gives you some inspiration to keep your children entertained.

Ice Painting – This is fun for all ages and also edible, but wear protective clothing as it will stain.

• Ice cube tray
• Small plastic bowls
• Plastic spoons
• Food coloring
• Scissors
• Thick paper
• Craft sticks or disposable ice cream spoons

To make the “paint”, use mix some food colouring with water and pour into the ice cube trays. The more food colouring you use the more intense the colour.  Make a selection of colours and your children can experiment mixing the colours.  Put sticks into the icecube and put them in the freezer for 4-6 hours or overnight. Once frozen lay out some newspaper or a protective cloth and put some thick paper on a tray and then let your children loose with the Ice paint.

They will love painting pictures, mixing colours, and possibly even tasting.

Potato Masher Creatures- Who would have thought you can have fun with a potato masher?

• Potato Masher
• Paper
• Card
• Poster Paints
• Glue

There are various creatures to make using a potato masher. I’m going to explain 3.

Caterpillar – Use your potato masher and some green paint and print onto paper in a “wave” shape.  Clean the potato masher and dip into the red paint and print at the end of the wave to create the caterpillars head.  Cut some circles to make eyes or you could use googly eyes if you have them and your catterpiller is complete.

Crab– Use your potato masher and use a colour of your choice to print onto paper once. Let it dry and then cut the shape out. Stick onto a piece of card.  Cut out 8 small rectangle strips and 2 small circles with a small rectangle cut out of it. Use 6 of the strips for legs and use the other 2 strips for the front legs and add the circles to make claws.  Finish off by adding some eyes googley eyes work best.

Lady Bug- Dip your potato masher in red paint and print onto some card.  Cut out some small rectangular strips out of black card and some small circles also out of black card.  Stick on the black strips to make legs and stick on the circles for the ladybug spots. Stick on some googly eyes and draw some antenna.

Dragonfly Craft- This craft is so simple but so effective.

• Dragonfly template
• Acrylic paint in assorted colors
• White cardstock
• Q-tips / Cotton Buds
• Scissors
• Paintbrushes
• Paint palettes

Print out the dragon fly stencil here.

Put various colours of paint out, so your children can get creative.  Use the Q tips and dip them in the paint and dab them onto the dragonfly, use various colours to create a unique pattern.  You could use gems down the centre of the body to add a bit of sparkle.  Cut out your dragonfly to create a neat finish.

This tutorial came from projectswithkids.com.

Nature Scavenger Hunt
A few weeks ago, me and the girls went on a nature walk with some friends.  They absolutely loved it and it was a great outdoor activity.  Don’t forgot your picnic 😉

I’ve found a website from Buggy and Buddy for free printable Scavenger Hunts here.

Bored Jar
How many times have your children said to you “I’m bored!” Hopefully this could be a solution- well for a few minutes at least.

You will need:

• A old jam jar
• Paper / lolly pop sticks
• Pens

Use the paper and write a list of things you could do when you’re children are bored (see ideas below).  Then you can cut up the paper and put the individual ideas in the jar.  Alternatively you could write the ideas on lolly pop sticks and place these in the jar.

Here’s a list of ideas for inspiration:

1. Read a book
2. Write in your holiday book
3. Tidy your bedroom
4. Do one job
5. Draw something
6. Draw an animal
7. Draw our house
8. Paint something
9. Watch a movie
10. Make a gift for someone
11. Tidy your desk
12. Make homemade bubbles
13. Have a bubble bath
14. Make cupcakes
15. Play on Moshi Monsters
16. Go on Youtube and search funny things
17. Make homemade Bubbles
18. Make Gloop
19. Make a treasure hunt
20. Make something with a box
21. Story starting – There is a monster in my garden….
22. Story starting – Yesterday I went in a spaceship to….
23. Story starting  – There once was a little girl who liked to skip….
24. Write a story about you.
25. Go to the park
26. Go to the beach
27. Find shapes in clouds
28. Create a family flag
29. Make a musical instrument
30. Do the recycling
31. Build a time capsule
32. Find something in your house that starts with every letter of the alphabet
33. Have a picnic – indoor or outdoor. Teddies allowed.
34. Have a scooter race.
35. Play with a toy you haven’t played with in a while.
36. Learn ten words in a different language
37. Play on the trampoline
38. Make homemade play dough
39. Make and decorate paper airplanes
40. Let Dad choose something to do
41. Let Mam choose something to do
42. Walk the dog
43. Make an animal out of the things in the craft cupboard
44. Make something with a box
45. Make a den
46. Play guitar
47. Tidy under your bed
48. Look through the cook books and choose something you can cook us all for tea
49. Build something out of Lego.
50. Make a list of black and white animals.
51. Write three things about every
52. Paint your nails
53. Make a sock puppet
54. Have a bubble bath
55. Play a board game
56. Make a board game of your own
57. Customise your clothes
58. Make something with your buttons
59. Play on the Xbox
60. Play on the wii
61. Draw a picture blindfolded
62. Draw a picture with your feet
63. Make a video
64. Write a poem
65. Google something to make
66. Make a card pyramid
67. Go and collect some stones and make them into bugs
68. Dance to loud music
69. Play on the trampoline
70. Start a club with your friends
71. Tidy craft cupboard
72. Sew something
73. Bake cookies
74. Play out with friends
75. Ride your bike
76. Water balloon fight
77. Wash the car
78. Play with the chalks outside
79. Make a bookmark
80. Make some homemade ice lollies