Maplewood Country Day Camp's 11 Best Crafts for Kids ...

Although birds love the outdoors, they also love to have their own little space to nest. So why not engage in a fun and entertaining outdoor project for the kids - and one that the birds will love too? That's right - painting birdhouses.

What you'll need:

- wooden birdhouses (can be found at most craft stores)
- acrylic paint (you can also opt for nontoxic options)
- a paintbrush
- bird seed (optional)

Voila! This fun and inexpensive craft will keep all birds in the neighborhood singing.

Not only are sponge sailboats super fun to make, they're also equally as fun to play with. These easy to make sailboats work best when in water and can keep a child entertained for hours.

What you'll need:

- wooden kabob sticks (cut the sharp ends off for children under 3)
- sponges (rectangular dish sponges work best)
- felt paper cut into triangular pieces

This three-piece craft is a fast and easy way to keep kids busy and entertained. Plus, who doesn’t love a good sailboat race?

Painting with ice cubes? That's right! It's also a perfect summer art activity to cool down with.

What you'll need:

- ice tray
- popsicle sticks
- watercolor paints

Mix water, watercolor paint and pour into an ice tray with a popsicle stick. Let freeze. When frozen, paint away until the ice cube melts.

Collecting seashells at the beach is a fun activity on its own, but what's even more fun is using those seashells to create fancy artwork! Whether you're making a seashell necklace, or gluing a collage of seashells together to frame, let your imagination wonder when it comes to seashell art.

What you'll need:

- seashells of various sizes
- your imagination

Combine art and the beautiful summer season with a wonderful painting of the outdoors. Perfect for a rainy day!

What you'll need:

- blank canvas (can be found at most craft stores)
- acrylic paint (you can also opt for nontoxic options)
- a paintbrush
- nontoxic finger paints (for the little ones)

There's nothing more fun than designing your own tie-dye tee. Most craft stores have tie dye kits where you can create whatever design you'd like, so why not give it a try? The kids will not only enjoy making their very own tee, but they will also be reminded of how much fun they had every time they wear it.

What you'll need:

- plain white tee
- tie dye paints
- rubber gloves
- elastic bands
- soda ash
- a plastic bag

Not only is creating a friendship bracelet a fun activity, it also creates bonds between the children. Plus, if a child made a new friend that summer, the bracelet will become a special reminder of that friendship.

What you'll need:

- color embroidery floss
- a how-to book for "bracelet making"
- scissors

Just as fun as layering sand in cute shaped glasses is, so too can be layering colorful pieces of rice. It's also a good alternative if there's no beach nearby to collect sand.

What you'll need:

- small glass bottles with cork closures (can be found at most craft stores)
- dry white rice
- gel food coloring
- hand sanitizer

Simply put a few handfuls of rice in a Ziplock bag. Add a couple of pumps of hand sanitizer and a couple of drops of gel food coloring. Seal the bag of rice and shake it up. Once the rice has dried, layer into the glass bottle. Simple, fast and fun!

Toilet paper tubes are the perfect size and shape for kid binoculars. Plus, they encourage kids to get outdoors and use their imagination when searching through nature. Toilet paper rolls can be crafted into birding binoculars with just a few supplies.

What you'll need:

- masking tape
- yarn or rope
- markers or paint to decorate

By using the solar power, you can make leaf impressions worthy of framing when you come back home. It's also a great way for kids to learn about the heat and energy of the sun.

What you'll need:

- light-sensitive paper (found in most craft stores or ordered online)
- leaves from outside
- cardboard
- plastic wrap

Fallen branches or sticks are perfect for creating colorful stick figures. Stick figures are truly the perfect nature inspired piece of art for any child's room or classroom. Plus, there's nothing better than incorporating your own child's art into your home, school or camp.

What you'll need:

- fallen tree branches or sticks
- a scrapper to scrape off any loose bark
- acrylic paint
- yarn
- pipe cleaners
- hot glue gun & glue sticks
- googly eyes

Use your imagination to create whatever stick figure creature you want.

To learn more about Maplewood Country Day Camp & Enrichment Center and the creative summer camp crafts their campers enjoy, contact them today, or follow their latest updates.