Cute Sun Themed Crafts for Kids
Updated on August 9, 2019
When your kids aren’t inside crafting, can they absolutely be found outside soaking up the summer sun (wearing SPF sun screen, of course)? Our little ones are outdoorsy like that too, to the point that, whenever they’re stuck in side on a rainy day, they even try to find different ways to pretend they’re out in the sun. That’s how we found ourselves looking up cute, kid-friendly sun themed crafts so we can always be prepared with a list of ideas!
Just in case you’re as interested in the idea of making cute little sun themed crafts with your kids as we are, if not more, here are 15 of the very best ideas, designs, and tutorials that we’ve come across so far in our search for inspiration.
1. Paper plate and handprint sun
Paper plate crafts are a total classic, so we always make sure to bookmark them whenever we find a tutorial that we haven’t followed before. We love the way this idea from About Family Crafts suggests not just painting your plate yellow and giving it a happy face but also tracing your kids’ handprints and gluing them all along the outside edges of the plates like rays.
2. Folded loops and tissue paper sun mobile
It’s not just paper plates that make for awesome kids crafts, of course! There are all kinds of paper that are great for crafting with, even for very young kids who need simple shapes and techniques. This fun tutorial from One Charming Party is a great example of what we mean. They suggest looping strips of paper to make the sun’s rays and also scrunching tissue paper to give your little hanging sun mobile a visually textured centre, just like the real thing!
3. Fine motor skills sun craft
In our house, some of the best crafts that are the most popular and therefore keep our kids busy the longest are the kind that develop hand eye coordination and require a bit of simple concentration but not so much they they lose their fun. This cute embellished sun craft outlined in nice, clear steps on Buggy and Buddy is the perfect example of what we mean! Between knotting the yard, stringing on the pieces of straw, and gluing the rhinestones, there are a lot of fun, simple elements to work with.
4. Squish paint sun art
If you and your kids have never tried doing squish paint art together then we’re very sorry to tell you that you’ve been missing out on something really fun! We’d suggest fixing that by giving this awesome squish paint sun idea featured step by step on Mrs. Karen’s Class a try. They teach you the whole technique, from the prep to actually moving the paint around your paper in a bag.
5. Styrofoam plate sun
Have you always loved the idea of crafting with disposable plates but sometimes you like to switch it up so your kids can play with the different textures and how they feel and behave? In that case, we’d absolutely suggest taking a look at how Artsy Craftsy Mom made this slightly stiffer sun that they painted, added a face to, and cut into the right shape using a styrofoam plate instead of a paper one!
6. Crayon sun shaped sun catcher
Sun catchers made with melted and blended wax are another awesome, classic craft that we don’t feel anyone should miss out on. They’re also a lot easier to make than people often think! Just in case you’ve never tried them before, here’s a cute sun shaped version outlined step by step on Morning Sun Rae.
7. Sunshine weaving craft
Have you actually been a huge fan of the ideas we’ve shown you so far involving elements that will help your kids with motor skills and practice hand eye coordination? In that case, we think you might get a kick out of this sunshine shaped weaving and knotting craft! Nurture Store shows you how to make it happen with string, fabric strips, or bits or ribbon (whatever you’ve got, really).
8. Tie dyed coffee filter sunshine ornaments
We’ve made plenty of tie dyed or watercoloured coffee filter projects before but, with the exception of maybe some scrunching so they look like ruffles, we’ve never created one that actually looks like a shape! That’s why our kids were so excited to come across this tutorial from Inner Child Fun for making tie dyed coffee filter suns in just a few easy steps!
9. Tissue paper sun shaped sun catcher
Did we actually really catch your attention when we started talking about the idea of making sun shaped sun catchers but you’re just not sure your kids are old enough for the melted crayon and wax paper technique yet? Then we’d definitely suggest taking a look at how All Kids Network made theirs with light yellow and orange tissue paper instead!
10. Halved paper plate sun hat craft
If there’s anything our kids love even more than crafting, it’s playing dress up. They’ll dress in just about anything and, in their minds, they’re wearing the most wonderful ballgown or the most high tech space suit. We’re always hand making them (or helping them make their own) dress up accessories, just to keep things new and fun. That’s why we made these fun halved paper plate sun hats from Fun Art and Crafts as soon as we saw them!
11. Sunshine photo holder
This particular idea from Plaid Online doesn’t actually come with a detailed tutorial to go with its inspiration photo, but the concept was so fun and easy to figure out that we couldn’t resist including it on our list anyways! Cute a piece of cork board into a circle, paint it yellow and add your features, and then glue yellow painted wooden clothes pins all around the outside edges with the pinchers facing in. Then you can clip all your keepsakes and photos around the outside!
12. Sunny monoprints
Monoprints might sound like a fancy name, but it’s really just a fun way to teach your kids about patterns while they paint! Insteaf of just giving the suns you’re painting happy faces like usual, show your kids how repeating patterns work and help them finger paint those in all different shapes all over their suns. Makes and Takes has all kinds of tips and suggestions for you!
13. Yarn and popsicle stick woven sun
Did we really catch your attention when we started talking about sun inspired projects that involve weaving but your kids are just a little bit older and can handle something slightly more intricate? In that case, we’d definitely suggest taking a look at how Naturally Educational made a basic sun shaped frame out of crafting sticks and added the centre by winding and weaving yarn.
14. Crafting stick sunshine
Were you very intrigued indeed by the idea of making a sun from simple crafting sticks because your kids are very little and that’s one of their favourite kinds of tools to work with but you think they just might need something a little less finicky? Then check out how A Spoonful of Ideas added their centre by simply gluing on a circle of yellow felt instead!
15. Cupcake liner and button sun
Just in case your kids adore using unconventional household items in craft just as much as we do, if not more, here’s an easy idea from I Heart Crafty Things that you probably already have the supplies for somewhere in your home! Check out their tutorial to see how the body of the sun was made from a yellow cupcake liner and how they added all of their rays using bright yellow buttons.
Have you made other kinds of adorable, super easy sun themed crafts with your kids before that you really enjoyed but that you don’t see here on our list? Tell us all about what you created and how you did it or link us to photos of their finished work in the comments section!