Your little one will love making a few of these easy crafts for toddlers, made with natural or recycled materials and craft supplies.
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It can seem like doing a craft with your toddler involves a ton of prep and not much crafting. Remember that it’s more about the process than the final product. Plus, they’re learning tons of valuable skills. Toddler crafts teach fine motor skills like cutting, gluing, coloring, and painting.
If you’re looking for things to do with your 2 to 3-year-old, we’ve collected three dozen fun toddler crafts with a summer theme. Most of them use items you may already have at home, like recycled materials and paper and glue. Preschoolers will enjoy these too.
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Sunscreen painting
This sunscreen painting activity doubles as a lesson about just how important it is to wear sunscreen, via Team Cartwright.
Ice cream play dough
Kids of all ages will love making and playing with ice cream play dough. This recipe from 123 Homeschool for Me is simple (but has a lot of sugar).
Bubble painting
Set up a painting station in your backyard to try bubble panting, via Living Well Mom.
Button bracelets
If your little one always wants to wear your jewelry, make a bunch of these button bracelets at Meaningful Mama.
Clothepin catapult
Make this simple clothespin catapult from Inspiration Made Simple and your toddler will spend the afternoon testing what they can launch!
Paper plate sun
We love the happy smile of this paper plate sun craft, via Simple Everyday Mom.
DIY instruments
Visit The Educator’s Spin On It for an easy tutorial for turning empty containers into DIY instruments.
Campfire handprint art
Make a toddler-friendly campfire with paint to create this campfire handprint art via Views From a Step Stool.
Grass heads
Red Ted Art has a fun way to combine art and gardening by making grass heads together to take care of all summer.
Cardboard fairy house
Collect some natural materials and art supplies to create a cardboard fairy house, via Pink Stripey Socks.
Pom pom painted watermelon
Watermelon is a summer staple, so get your toddler painting watermelons using pom poms with Happy Toddler Play Time.
Coffee filter butterfly
Coffee filters are a great medium for watercolor paints like these coffee filter butterflies at Crafts by Amanda.
Craft stick airplane
Your toddler can help paint and assemble this craft stick airplane made by Simple Play Ideas.
Paper bag mermaid
We love this paper bag mermaid craft from Glued to My Crafts. It’s too cute, plus it’s easy to customize it just the way your child wants.
Bottle cap bugs
Visit This Grandma is Fun for a creative way to make bottle cap bugs with your kids using recycled materials.
Paper plate parrot
The trick to these paper plate parrots on Crafts on Sea is using lots of colorful feathers.
Marbled seashells
Collect a few seashells on your beach vacation to make marbled seashells, via Projects with Kids.
Toilet roll frog
Save your toilet paper or paper towel tubes to make this cute, summery toilet roll frog. This idea from Messy Little Monster makes a great hand-eye coordination activity once you’ve made it.
Melted crayon rock art
Artful Parent made melted crayon rock art in the oven, but in the summertime, you’ll probably be able to make these in the sun on your back porch.
Sand in a bottle
Make your own colorful sand for this messy, fun sand in a bottle craft, via Mother Natured.
Bird feeders
Encourage birds to visit your yard by making and hanging bird feeders made with bird see at Eighteen 25.
Tunnels and ramps
Help your car-loving kiddo set up several tunnels and ramps using cardboard and these ideas from My Bored Toddler.
Bumblebee
You just need a few basic craft supplies to make this bumblebee craft from Homeschool Preschool.
Paper plate flowers
Make a whole bouquet of these paper plate flowers with your preschooler and let them practice threading the yarn to make designs, via Kids’ Craft Room.
Yarn-wrapped rainbow
Strengthen little hands and practice fine motor skills by making a yarn-wrapped rainbow, from School Time Snippets.
DIY telephone
This old-fashioned DIY telephone is easy to make with instructions from Kids Activities Blog and your kids will be amazed that it really works!
Handprint jellyfish
Handprint jellyfish art is a fun summer craft that you’ll want to hang onto forever. Make it at Made to Be a Momma.
Paper plate emotion masks
Toddlers can’t always express how they’re feeling with words, but making these paper plate emotion masks will help them practice. Idea via No Time for Flash Cards.
Sponge sailboats
A mini pool for floating sponge sailboats is a great way to be crafty and keep cool in the summer. Learn how to make them at Easy Peasy and Fun.
Tissue paper seahorse
Grab some tissue paper to shred and crumple for this tissue paper seahorse craft tutorial on Messy Momma Crafts.
Pipe cleaner puppets
Pipe cleaner finger puppets can be used for creative play and storytelling, via The Soccer Mom Blog.
Bubble wrap art
Bubble wrap has a great texture for sensory exploration. Use it to create bubble wrap art, like Arty Crafty Kids.
Turtle suncatcher
Recycle old crayons and make a turtle sun catcher to hang in the window, via I Heart Arts n Crafts.
Paper plate sunflower
Sunflowers are the perfect flower for summer crafting. This paper plate sunflower from The Resourceful Mama even has real seeds.
Pine cone fireflies
Collect pine cones to make these adorable pine cone fireflies with Fireflies and Mud Pies.
Paper bag panda
Use this template from Simple Everyday Mom to make a paper bag panda and put on a puppet show.
Entertain your toddler and young kids by making a few of these fun crafts for toddlers. Plan a Backyard Summer Camp week of activities or just spend a day having fun and getting crafty.
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