Summer and beach go together. So what can be a better, Easy Summer Craft than making a pair of “arty” flip-flops for the beach? With this craft the kids can give their imaginations free reign. Let them have fun transforming an ordinary pair of flip-flops into a fashion accessory!

What you will need for this easy summer craft:

• A pair of flip-flops of the right size
• Permanent paint pens in all the colors you want to use

 How you do this craft:

1. Use the pens according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Normally you only have to shake them and then they are ready for use.
2. Take a minute to plan your pattern before you start, so you know what you want to do.
3. Now you can doodle to your heart’s content!
4. Start with one color and let it dry completely before you start with another color otherwise the colors may run.
5. When your flip-flops are done, let them dry for at least 15 minutes before you start wearing them.

Now you are ready for a fashionable day on the beach!

Summer and parties are also synonymous. Why not make your party soft drinks more fun with these fruit ice cubes? Lemon ice cubes taste very good in ice tea, so give your imagination free reign with the combinations.

Easy Summer Craft: Make fruit ice cubes to keep your summer party drinks cold

As a knife is used for this craft, adult supervision is needed. You are also going to use plastic bags, so be aware of the danger of suffocation!

What you need for this summer craft:

• The different kinds of fruit you want to use
• A knife
• As many ice cube trays as you can find because you will have to make quite a lot of ice
• A cutting board
• Water
• Large plastic bags

How to do this craft:

1. On your cutting board, using your knife cut up your fruit into pieces that will fit into the ice cube trays. Do not do too many at one time as the fruit will spoil if you cannot work fast enough. So, do this in stages.
2. Place a piece of fruit in each hole of your ice cube tray.
3. Fill up the holes with water and place it in the freezer to freeze until solid.
4. Continue until you have filled all your ice cube trays.
5. The best way to make a large amount of these fruit ices is to de-mold the cubes as they are ready. Now you can place them in the freezer in a plastic bag. This way you can use the same ice cube trays over and over until you have used all your fruit. You can see now why I said you must not cut up all the fruit at once.

If you want to take this craft a little further, you can also make use of edible flowers to make pretty flower ices.

Related posts:

1. Crafty Ways to Keep the Kids Busy This Summer w/ Craft Project
2. School Craft Ideas – Salt Dough Buddy Pens
3. Paper Plate Turtle Craft

While all children eagerly anticipate the lazy days of summer, most parents know that early anticipation can quickly turn into the dreaded “there’s nothing to do” attitude. While keeping boredom at bay for up to three months can be a challenge, a little advance planning and a handy list of projects and activities can inspire a summer that’s educational and entertaining.

Keeping kids busy not only makes the summer special, it makes educational sense. Activities encourage imagination and exploration, while keeping kids’ brains working and ready to learn during the next school year.

The experts at Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores offer the following ideas for activities and crafts to keep kids of all ages busy over the summer:

Activities
* Start a family garden. Let young children make holes for seeds—or plants for more immediate results–and pull weeds. Older kids can plant, prune and harvest. Holey Soles shoes are perfect for gardening. Kids can personalize them with paint, and mud and dirt rinse off with a garden hose.

* Have a picnic at the local park or pool. Kids can help prepare the food, pack the basket and can even make and decorate placemats to bring along.

* Plan a show or play. Consider a puppet show. Choose a favorite story, or help kids write one of their own. Follow the simple directions for Fun Stick Puppets from Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores to make foam puppet characters, and then invite neighbors and friends to the show.

Crafts
* String beads to form necklaces and bracelets. Add wooden hearts personalized and painted, or found objects like small shells, sea glass or stones. Homemade jewelry is a favorite gift of grandmothers, babysitters and teachers.

* Create a scrapbook to highlight the school year or a summer family vacation. Glue in mementos such as tickets, trinkets and photos.

* Use colored chalk to create art on sidewalks and driveways, the rain will do the clean up for you. Very small children will enjoy “painting” the driveway with water. This is a long-term project because the water keeps drying.

* Make bookmarks for library books.

* Create and decorate stepping stones for the yard and garden.

* Embellish tank tops, t-shirts and flip flops in summer colors and designs.

* Make your own games, like a glow-in-the-dark toss for hours of evening enjoyment.

* Plan for the inevitable end of summer by picking up a canvas messenger bag. Kids of all ages will enjoy personalizing their bags with iron-on appliqués, studs, and jewels, and they’ll proudly use them throughout the school year.

For more instructions and to spark ideas for kids of all ages, visit www.joann.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Directions
1. Carefully cut away paper on back of foam shapes only where craft stick will be placed. Note: Adult supervision may be needed to cut paper from back of sticker.

2. Glue craft stick to foam shape.

3. If desired, two sticks can be glued together for a longer puppet handle.

Skill Level: No experience necessary

Approximate Crafting Time: 30 minutes

Related posts:

1. Easy Summer Craft – Arty Footwear For The Summer
2. Wood Working Projects For Kids
3. How To Choose The Right Art And Craft Supplies For Your Kids