Summer Holiday Arts and Crafts for Kids That Actually Keep Them Busy
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Summer Holiday Arts and Crafts for Kids That Actually Keep Them Busy
- Quick Ideas If Your Kids Are Already Saying “I’m Bored”
- Arts and Crafts for Younger Kids
- Creative Building Toys
- Painting Kits for Kids
- Messy Crafts Kids Love
- Colouring Books and Activities Kids Actually Enjoy
- Final Thoughts
- FAQs
Summer Holiday Arts and Crafts for Kids That Actually Keep Them Busy
If you’re looking for summer holiday activities for kids that actually keep them busy, this list will help. The six-week summer holiday is brilliant… until day three when the kids say “I’m bored.” Over the years I’ve found simple, creative activities that genuinely keep kids entertained for more than five minutes. These are easy crafts for kids at home that my own children enjoyed. Some kept them busy for hours, while others worked well for rainy day crafts or quiet time while I worked from home. I have a boy and a girl, so this is a mix of ideas that worked for both.
Quick Ideas If Your Kids Are Already Saying “I’m Bored”
If you need something quickly, here are a few easy ideas:
Colour your own cardboard rocket playhouse
Playdoh and cutter tools
Paint your own dinosaur craft set
Foam glider planes to build and fly
Magnetic building toys
Straw construction kits
Sports car colouring books
Princess colouring books
Slime craft sets
Arts and Crafts for Younger Kids
Cardboard Rocket Playhouse (Age 3+)
These were some of my kids’ favourites when they were smaller. They would spend ages colouring them in and then playing with them afterwards. This rocket playhouse arrives flat and kids colour it in themselves before turning it into a little playhouse. It’s labelled for younger children, but my kids enjoyed it when they were about 6 and 3. Once decorated, they kept it in the living room for days and used it for pretend play.
Colour Your Own Gingerbread House
This works in the same way as the rocket but with a gingerbread house design. Kids colour the outside and then use it for pretend play. It’s a simple craft that keeps them busy for a good while.
Creative Building Toys
Play-Doh Creative Sets for Little Hands (Age 2+)
Some children love building things and seeing how they work. Toys like this are great because kids can build something, use their imagination, break it and then build something new again. It’s good for your bank account as you spend once and can use it multiple times. Play-Doh was always a favourite in our house when the kids were younger. A big pack in the link below is great if you have more than one child or if your kids like mixing colours and creating lots of different ideas.
Dough Tools and Cutters Set
The accessories make a big difference because some tools are much easier for little hands to use than others. With the right tools, kids can roll, cut, press and shape the dough in lots of different ways. My kids loved Play-Doh and the accessories made it much more fun. It’s worth choosing a simple set so they don’t get frustrated with tools that are too hard to use.
Tip: If Play-Doh dries out slightly, add a small amount of water and knead it back together.
Image description: A child using a playdough roller to create shapes. It’s a fun example of simple crafts for kids that keeps little hands busy at home.
Straw Construction STEM Building Kit (Age 3+)
Construction toys like this are great for encouraging creativity while helping kids develop problem-solving and fine motor skills. The straws connect together so children can create towers, houses, or whatever they can imagine. My kids used these at playschool and loved them.
Magnetic Building Blocks (Age 5+)
Some children love building and experimenting and magnetic toys are brilliant for this. Kids can connect the pieces in different ways to build towers, shapes and structures. My kids were fascinated with magnets and loved sticking these to radiators and other metal surfaces. They would build shapes and towers, then pull them apart and start again. I’ve adjusted this to age 5+. If you have younger children or babies in the house, it’s safer to wait as magnets can be dangerous if swallowed.
Glider Planes Craft Kit (Ages 5+)
These were a firm favourite in our house. On these designs kids can colour the foam pieces before building their own glider planes. You may need to help with building, but once they’re made, kids will happily spend time flying them around. I’d give one or two at a time to make the activity last longer.
Painting Kits for Kids
Painting kits are brilliant for creative activities for kids at home, especially on rainy afternoons or quiet days. It doesn’t matter if the results are messy, the goal is to keep kids engaged and off screens. While they’re painting, you can cook dinner, get some work done, or sit and join in.
Paint Your Own Wooden Racing Car (Age 5+)
This is a great hands-on activity. It doesn’t come with paints, which can actually help reduce mess. Felt tips could work well instead. Younger children may need help assembling it, but decorating it is simple and fun.
Paint Your Own Wooden Airplane Kit (Ages 6–12)
This is a great mix of building and creativity. Younger children will enjoy painting but may need help with assembly. I’d give one plane at a time so it lasts longer over several days instead of being done all at once.
Dinosaur Painting Craft Set (Age 6+)
We didn’t have this at home, but if your child loves dinosaurs, this is a great option.
It looks fiddly, so I’d recommend 6+. Give one or two at a time to stretch the activity out.
Rock Painting Kit – Glow in the Dark (Age 6+)
My daughter really enjoyed this set. She was around 8, which felt like the right age as the rocks are quite small and detailed. I’d give 2–3 rocks per session to make it last longer and it’s even better as it is glow in the dark paint.
Tip: Put a plastic tablecloth down and use sturdy cups for water, it saves a lot of mess and stress.
Messy Crafts Kids Love
Slime Mix’in Slime Bucket
If your kids love getting hands-on, this is one of those simple crafts for kids that keeps them busy for ages without turning your house upside down. The slime isn’t as messy as you’d think. It comes off hands and surfaces easily, which makes it a lot more parent-friendly than some other craft activities. This set comes with mix-ins and decorations, so kids can customise their slime, change colours and experiment with textures. My daughter was obsessed with slime when she was younger and would spend ages squishing, stretching and adding all the bits. Even now she’s older, she still enjoys mixing slime together.
Image description: My daughter stretching and mixing colourful slime with decorations, a fun example of simple crafts for kids that keeps them busy.
Elmer’s Colour Changing Slime Kit
I’ve included a slime kit because my daughter was obsessed with making her own slime. She used this when she was older (around age 11) and really enjoyed it. You do need to follow the instructions properly and mix it exactly as directed, otherwise it won’t work, because of that, I’d say this is better suited to older children, or something you do together with younger kids.
Check the latest price on Amazon
Colouring Books and Activities Kids Actually Enjoy
Velvet Colouring Posters
Velvet colouring posters are a great option because the raised black lines help kids stay within the shapes, which makes colouring much less frustrating. Both of my kids loved these and would happily sit for ages colouring them in. The links below are for larger packs, so you can spread them out over weekends or school holidays. These are a slightly more premium option, but worth it if your child gets frustrated with standard colouring books. They also work well as a simple activity if you have a birthday party for your child.
Take a look at the options below:
Monster Cars and Trucks Fuzzy Velvet Posters
Animals, People and Pattern Fuzzy Velvet Posters
Colouring Pens for Kids
Before you start these summer holiday activities for kids, it’s worth having a good set of colouring pens. Cheap ones run out quickly or don’t colour properly, which just frustrates kids and ends the activity early. A decent set makes a difference and keeps them engaged for longer. These washable Crayola pens are a great option as they come in a good range of colours.
Creative Colouring Books Kids Love (Princess, Fashion & Cosy Themes)
One thing I learned quickly is that kids are very particular about colouring books. If they don’t like the pictures, they lose interest fast. I used to tear out a few pages at a time and give them a couple of sheets rather than the whole book, otherwise the whole book gets scribbled in within minutes. These are the types of colouring books my daughter would have loved at this age and what I’d recommend if you’re buying now.
Disney Princess Simply Colouring
Fashion Colouring Book (great for older kids)
Vehicle Colouring Books (Great for kids who love anything with wheels)
These were a huge hit with my son. Take a look at a few options below:
Diggers, Dumpers and Dozers Colouring Book
Construction Trucks Colouring Book
Detailed Colouring Books for Older Kids
Older kids tend to enjoy more detailed designs that take a bit longer to complete and feel more rewarding. These are worth a look:
Relaxing Flowers Colouring Patterns
Amazing Animals Colouring Book
Final Thoughts
The summer holidays don’t have to be full of expensive days out. With the right summer holiday activities for kids, you can keep them entertained at home without stress. Most of these ideas are simple with little mess and based on what my own kids genuinely enjoyed. Having a few go-to activities ready can turn a long day at home into something calm, creative and manageable.
FAQs
Q: What are easy crafts for kids at home with little prep?
Easy crafts for kids at home include colouring books, Play-Doh with cutters, foam glider planes and painting kits. These activities need very little setup and can be used straight away, which makes them ideal when you need something quick.
Q: What are good arts and crafts for younger kids?
Younger kids enjoy simple arts and crafts like colouring playhouses, Play-Doh sets and dough tools. These are easy to use, help develop creativity and keep little hands busy without becoming frustrating.
Q: What are the best indoor crafts for kids on rainy days?
Indoor crafts for kids like painting kits, slime sets, colouring books and velvet posters work well on rainy days. They keep kids busy at home, are easy to manage and give you time to get things done while they’re focused.
Q: How do I keep bored kids busy at home without screens?
To keep bored kids busy at home, it helps to have a mix of simple crafts for kids ready to go. Activities like building kits, colouring, slime and painting give kids something hands-on to focus on, which keeps them engaged without needing screens.
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Summer Holiday Arts and Crafts for Kids That Actually Keep Them Busy
- Quick Ideas If Your Kids Are Already Saying “I’m Bored”
- Arts and Crafts for Younger Kids
- Creative Building Toys
- Painting Kits for Kids
- Messy Crafts Kids Love
- Colouring Books and Activities Kids Actually Enjoy
- Final Thoughts
- FAQs