Summer Camp Craft Projects for Kids
The following craft projects are perfect for summer camp. Kids love doing craft projects, especially if their projects turn out to be valuable keepsakes. Try these craft projects while planning activities for summer camp. These craft projects are fun, easy, and they are well worth creating.
Bark Picture Frames
Pictures from summer camp are wonderful reminders of good times shared with friends, and kids that attend summer camp cherish pictures of special friends and activities. Consider having summer camp kids make bark picture frames.
While taking a nature hike, have the kids pick up interesting looking pieces of dead bark from the forest floor. Make sure they understand the importance of picking up dead bark as opposed to peeling bark from live trees. After the hike, set up a craft project session, and have the kids make the following picture frame trimmed in bark.
Necessary Supplies
Heavy cardboard
Precut mat frame
Tree bark
Hot glue gun
Glue Sticks
Masking tape
Procedure
After the kids have chosen pieces of bark, have them glue the bark to a precut mat frame. To fully fill the frame with pieces of bark, it will probably be necessary to make smaller pieces of bark by breaking apart larger ones. After all the frames are complete, set them aside to dry completely.
Take a digital group photo of the kids, and print pictures on photo-quality paper. Trim the pictures to the proper size, and attach a picture to the back of each bark frame by placing a small piece of masking tape across each corner.
Summer Camp T-Shirts
Everyone loves a comfortable t-shirt, and a t-shirt is a great souvenir of summer camp. The following t-shirts are very easy to make, and the designs are printed with stamps provided by nature. What better way to remember summer camp than with a t-shirt made using natural items found in the woods? Kids at summer camp will love making these t-shirts, and most of all, they’ll love wearing them.
Necessary Supplies
White cotton t-shirts
Acrylic craft paint
Sponge
Natural objects
Paintbrush
Procedure
While taking a nature walk, have the kids look for items to use as stamps for their t-shirts. Leaves, wild flowers, acorns, seed pods, bark, and other natural items found on the forest floor make fantastic stamps.
Brush dirt from the items found on the ground, and dampen a clean sponge. Place the sponge inside the first t-shirt, brush paint on the first item, and carefully position the item and stamp the t-shirt. The sponge will help the t-shirt absorb the paint from the nooks and crannies of the stamp. Continue painting and stamping the t-shirt, and if desired, paint a special sentiment or phrase as well. Allow the paint to dry completely before wearing.
Lightning Bug Flashlight
Remember catching lightning bugs when you were a kid? Kids love catching lightning bugs, and they love watching them light up a jar on a hot summer night. Kids at summer camp can make a lightning bug flashlight that is sure to light up the night, and this lightning bug flashlight can be used for fun and exciting nighttime hikes. Bugs aren’t required for this summer camp flashlight. This flashlight is powered by a florescent light stick. You can find florescent light sticks in stores that sell camping supplies.
Necessary Supplies
16-ounce plastic green bottle with lid
Box tape
Black and yellow construction paper
3 black chenille stems
2 small black pom-poms
Wiggly eyes
Craft glue
1 florescent light stick
Procedure
To create the lightning bug’s thorax, cut a sheet of yellow construction paper about four inches wide, and long enough to wrap around the top of the bottle. Attach the paper with a piece of tape. Next, you need to wrap a black chenille stem around the neck of the bottle and shape it into antennae. The antennae should be fairly short, so trim off excess pieces if necessary. The other two black chenille stems should be cut into thirds to create six short legs. Trim the legs if necessary, and tape them to the bottle as well. Draw and cut out lightning bug wings from a sheet of black construction paper, and glue them to the top of the thorax. While the glue is drying, glue two small black pom-poms to the lid of the bottle, and glue two wiggly eyes to the pom-poms.
When you’re ready to take the kids on a nighttime nature walk, activate the florescent light sticks and place them inside the bottles. The sticks will light up this crafty flashlight and make a fun night at camp even more fun.
