- Kids have lots of free time in the summer to do painting crafts.Summer image by cartho from Fotolia.com
When schools close for summer and kids have lots of free time on their little hands, crafts are a popular activity. Painting is one way to teach children how to express creativity. There are many painting crafts ideal for the hot summertime weather, and some of them utilize summer staples, such as water and Kool-Aid. - Kool-Aid painting is a creative activity to do when you're out of standard painting tools. All you need is paper, unsweetened Kool-Aid powder and ice. Sprinkle the Kool-Aid powder on the piece of paper and give your child a piece of ice. Instruct him to move the ice all over the paper and watch the powder turn into liquid. He can make different designs, and he may even want to lick the artwork once it's completed.
- Sandbox painting is a unique way to keep younger kids occupied during a hot summer day. Fill up several spray bottles with colored water (using food dye), and instruct your little ones to spray the sandbox with them. The paint spray will change the color of the sand until the kids dig it up or cover it with new sand. This painting craft can also be done on a beach vacation.
- It's just not summer without pesky flies and mosquitoes, and most people have their flyswatters out permanently during summertime. These pest control tools can be used for art as well. Hang a large piece of white poster board on an outdoor fence. Pour different colors of tempura paint into several pans, and instruct the kids to dip the flyswatters into the paint. Let them swat the poster board with the paint-soaked flyswatters and see what types of art creations they come up with.
- July is National Blueberry Month, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Take your kids to the nearest blueberry patch and pick your own if you live in one of the 35 states they grow in. If not, go to the local supermarket and pick up a fresh carton of them. Boil the fresh blueberries on the stove top for five minutes and then let your kids mash them up. Give the kids paintbrushes and the blueberry juice to create unique paintings. Teach them about the health benefits of this berry, such as its antioxidant properties that help prevent cancer and heart disease, while they're painting.
- This a good craft for older children who have mastered painting on paper. Give them inexpensive clay pots, paintbrushes, and tempura or oil paint. Instruct them to use their creativity to decorate the future flowerpot however they choose. If they need creative inspiration, suggest they paint seashells, flowers or butterflies on the pot. When they've completed painting the pot, let them help you plant a flower in it.
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