summer Ideas [Archive] - Kids Crafts Forum

Diane

03-09-2001, 11:46 AM

Here are a few great ideas for summer time themes:

Summer
Water
Water sports
Island vacation
Camping
Insects
Creepy crawlies
Splish-splash!
The sun
Rivers, lakes and oceans
Under the sea
These are just a few, to get us started!

For insects and Creepy crawlies:
** Eric Carle has MANY great books for these themes! Like, "The Very hungry Caterpillar", "The grouchy ladybug", "The quiet Cricket", "The busy Spider"... and so on. Check bookstore websites for MORE Eric Carle books!
Integrate these books and then make corresponing bug to go with it.

LADY BUGS:
Take 2 small white paper plates. Paint one plate black and let dry. Cut the other 1 in 1/2, and use hole puncher and fastener to attach the 2 halves on top of the whole plate (2 halves will over lap, a bit) Have children paint the top plates red, and add black dots by using cut construction paper. Add 2 pieces of black pipe cleaners to the top, for antenaes!

Spiders
1) use 1 section of an egg carton and, paint black, add pipe cleaners for legs.
2)paint a styrofoam ball black (try adding glue to paint, if its not sticking!) Add pipe cleaners for legs
** Make a "web" on the wall by putting up black construction paper and stapling up white string in a web design.... add "spiders" to it!

Caterpillars
There are several ways to do caterpillars. One is to use 3 or 4 sections of an egg carton, let the children paint it and add 'googlie' eyes (or make eyes, or paint on eyes, depending on the age and ability of your class) You can add pipe cleaner pieces for antanaes.
OR- cut out circles and let children glue the circles together on paper, and draw faces on one end.

Butterfly
Have children dip a coffee filter into different color tempera paints (or food colorong - but food coloring will ruin clothes!) This will give almost a tye-dye effect. when they are dry, children push the coffee filter into a clthes pin. You can add eyes, and pipe cleaner antenae. I always put a piece of magnet strip on the back. The parents love these refridgerator magnet butterflies!!

Bumble Bees
Let children glue back and yellow strips of tissue paper to a bumble bee picture. If able, let them cut out the bee, after it is dry. Use wax paper for the wings.

"Island Vacation".~
Line up a bunch of chairs and pretending we're flying to Hawaii! Then we make paper leis, parrots (that we put on a palm tree we make from construction paper - brown paper rolled into a tube, with big green palm tree shaped leaves.), I bring grass skirts to the class and Hawaiian music. On Friday, we have a Luau, full of tropical fruits, and I make my "Hawaiian Chicken" for the class. We also make slushy drinks (Complete with the little 'umbrellas'), cut-up a pineapple, and break open a coconut. The kids have ALWAYS enjoyed this week. An all time favorite! It's such a great learning experience, seeind the milk from the coconut, and cutting up a pineapple! Don't forget to add the 'tropical' music! (I have Elvis' "Blue Hawaii" album! What ever gets the children dancing in grass skirts is great!!)

-SUNSHINE PAINTING:
Spread yellow, white and orange paint onto paper with Q-tips.

-BAREFOOT PAINTING:
Use long piece or roll paper. Let children step in paint and walk up and down the paper. (have a bucket of water, or hose ready to clean off their feet.) Add sand all around the foot prints and it's a "walking on the beach" or glue green paper all around for grass.

POPSYCLES:
Give each child a rectangular peice of paper (size of a popsycle, approximate) Let them paint it with vanilla or peppermint extract. Add a popsycle stick to one end.

-PAPER PLATE SUNS:
Have children cut triangles all around the edge of a paper plate. (this will give it points all around) Let them paint with yellow and orange paint.

SHINING SUNS:
Use medium size styrofoam balls. Cut the balls in 1/2 first. You'll also need some of that strofoam packing that comes in shipped boxes ( S shaped) Children glue the half ball to the center of paper, and then glue styrofoam pieces all around. Let them paint the sytrofoam yellow, or orange. (adding glue to the paint will help it stick better)

- Place objects on a piece of black paper and leave in the sun for several days. When you remove the objects, you'll see where the sun faded the paper.

-Make snowcones
-Make lemonade
-Freeze juice to make popsycles.

And a great idea from a visitor!
Here is a rhyme I made up for the summer.
I have colorful beach ball pictures that I have contac papered and put magnets on the back (we have walls that magnets stick to).
Here goes:

Five little beach balls laying on the shore,
Along came a wave and now there are four.

Four little beach balls rolling happily,
Along came a wave and now there are three.

Three little beach balls red, white, and blue
Along came a wave and now there are two.

Two little beach balls laying in the sun,
Along came a wave and now there are one.

One little beach ball floating all alone,
Along came (CHILD'S NAME) and took it home.
- Brenda Banks

BOOKS:
Summer Noisy Book
City in the Summer
On a Summer Day
The Day We Saw The Sun Come Up
Wake Up, Sun
One Fine Day

Here is a wonderful story to do with your children! This was sent to me from Jodi in California!!

Summertime Summertime..What do you see?
by Jodi Kulzer

Summertime summertime what do you see?
I see the sun shining bright as can be...
Bright sun Bright sun what do you see?
I see a swimming pool cool as can be...
Swimming pool swimming pool what do you see?
I see a watermelon, juicy and sweet...
Watermelon watermelon what do you see?
I see lemonaide sweet as can be...
Lemonaide lemonaide what do you see?
I see a popsicle, a yummy frozen treat...
Popsicle popsicle what do you see?
I see a kite flying high and free...
Kite kite what do you see?
I see a picnic basket for friends and family...
picnic basket picnic basket what do you see?
I see kids at the beach and playing in the sea...
Kids at the beach kids at the beach what do you see?
I see the 4th of July, fireworks and the Statue of Liberty!