The long summer holiday brings with it weeks of freedom to shake off the daily routine and instead spend quality time with the little ones. And, as the days stretch out before us, the idea is to keep their minds whirring with ideas and making projects – and thus away from screens for as long as possible, as well as swerving eye-wateringly expensive activities and the attendant instantly coveted merch.

If you can, do get outside in nature to collect the raw materials for your crafts, or simply to get inspired, all while gulping down a lungful of air and getting some exercise in the name of imagination and creativity. Here are a few craft projects ideas that have caught our eye.

Shell People


Let’s Do Something Crafty
Shell Crafts
Inspecting shells while you walk along the beach with small merfolk in tow is compulsory. But when they insist on bringing their beachcombing bounty home, what to do with it? Let’s Do Something Crafty has the perfect plan: shell people. You’ll also need glue, a lolly stick, string, pens, glitter, tape and shiny button stickers. Even better, once made they’re great for imaginative play too. Make it.


Stamped Dish Towels


JOANN
Stamped Dish Towels
Block printing is all the rage, whether you’re into making projects at home with some paint and a potato, or you just like eyeing up the wares of those who are championing the craft professionally. It’s great for kids too, and tea towels make an excellent choice for experimenting. They’re in frequent use, meaning that children get to see their creation daily, plus they’re not precious; the odd smudge really won’t matter. JOANN suggests making the shape with foam to create your fruit stamp – then simply go, whether you stick to one shape or mix it up. Make it.


Make A Recycled Bird Feeder


RSPB
MAKE A BIRD FEEDER
We all know that single-use plastics are bad news for the environment. If you do have some bottles hanging around, why not ensure that you give them new life by turning them into a bird feeder, and thus give back to nature too? All you’ll need is a bottle, an empty yogurt pot or milk carton, wire or string, scissors and bird seed. Once you and your little ones have made it, string it up and see if you can count how many breeds of bird you can spot. Make it.


Make A Bee Hotel


WWF



This is a no brainer of a summer project. Solitary bees, unlike their Bumble cousins, build single nest cells for their larvae so providing the right conditions for them can help to do just that. Use recycled materials to create the perfect bee hotel and, if you can, do make use of items that might otherwise have gone to landfill (you can watch a video tutorial online too). You’ll need three tin cans, bamboo canes, non-toxic PVA glue, wood glue, paint and some wood. A total buzz of a make. Make it.


Wild Weaving


Community Playthings
Wild Weaving
If your little ones need an incentive to go out on a nature walk, how about a wild weave? Simply make your frame using sticks tied together with twine, weave the string around it to form a loom and then through thread your finds, from leaves to flowers. The best things is that anything goes and everything becomes treasure – and, by the end, you have a little artwork that is testament to a moment in nature. Make it.

By Nancy Alsop
July 2023