Boredom is a gift in disguise. It gives young minds the freedom to get creative and it’s often the catalyst for magical open-ended play. However, summer break also gives us the opportunity to engage kids in some really fun activities.
Whether you’re looking for some summer activities to send home with your students at the end of the year or looking for crafts you can do with your own kids while school is out, these guided activities come with an extra dose of fun because they come without the pressure of school expectations and assessment. They’re just good, clean, wholesome fun … and oh yes, they help kids develop their fine motor skills, practice coloring, and even give them a perfect excuse to take a bite out of a good summer read.
Here are five printable craft activities that are perfect for kids on school break, and each has the instructions they need to get them done at home! Some require a few items they may not have at home such as brads and googly eyes. Others require nothing more than paper, scissors, crayons, and of course their imagination.
(1) Puppy Dog String Puppet
This adorable puppy dog string puppet is so simple to create! All you need is this printable Dog String Puppet Template, six brass brads, some string, and two craft sticks or a ruler.
The puppets can be made using regular paper or cardstock.
- Decorate and cut out each part of the puppet.
- Punch holes through each of the small circles on the template.
- Fold the body of the dog along the two dashed lines (the fold becomes the dog’s belly).
- Glue the ears onto each side of the face. Use brass brads or glue to attach the legs, the head, and the tail to the body.
- Tape one piece of string to the back of the head and another piece of string to the back of the body near the tail. Attach the other end of each string to a wooden ruler or craft sticks.
A decorative version of this resource was created for Lunar New Year! You can download the Year of the Dog String Puppet Template as well.
(2) Create a Creature Cut-Outs
Another fantastic craft printable, these Create a Creature Activity Cut-Outs can be used in a few different ways!
- Download and print the cut-out templates (kids can share one print out between two if needed).
- Choose the body shape and other body parts needed to make a crazy creature.
- Cut out the template pieces and assemble the creature either on the paper body or on a 3-D object such as an empty tissue box.
- Students can decorate their kooky creatures any way they would like to!
(3) Paper Bag Pirates
Avast, me hearties! Why not make some paper bag pirates during the time away from school? Download our Paper Bag Pirate Template to create a whole pirate crew for some seriously fun imaginative play to pass away those summer days!
- Fold a regular-sized, brown paper lunch bag in half vertically and glue the two sides together.
- This forms a long, rectangle shape with a hole at the bottom for students to use as a puppet.
- Color in the cut-outs on the template.
- Design your pirate’s outfit.
- Cut out all of the pieces you need.
- Glue the template pieces and clothing pieces onto the paper bag!
(4) Jellyfish Craft Activity
Did you know that the collective noun for jellyfish is a smack? Kids can use this Jellyfish Craft Template to create a smack of jellyfish to hang in their bedroom or to keep them occupied when it’s too rainy to go outside and hit the beach to look for the real thing.
- Color in the jellyfish.
- Cut out the jellyfish and fold on the center line.
- Staple the edge of the top half of the jellyfish, leaving the bottom open.
- Scrunch up the scraps of paper to stuff inside the jellyfish.
- Use streamers, ribbons, colored paper, yarn, or any other suitable material as tentacles.
- Staple along the bottom of the jellyfish and hang to make a fun Under the Sea-themed display!
(5) Monster Corner Bookmark
This is another of our school break craft activities that kids really enjoy! These monster corner bookmarks look SO effective and are deceptively easy to make.
- Print the Monster Corner Bookmark template.
- Cut along the outside of the template design.
- Fold each triangle on top of each other and paste the two triangles together, creating a pocket.
- Decorate your design by coloring the template or by printing it onto colored paper and adding googly eyes.
Looking for more goodies to send home with your class this summer? Check out our easy and inexpensive gifts for students.
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