Caterpillar Crafts: Fun Summer Art Projects for Kids

Summer is the time when there are all sorts of bugs creeping around, and you can turn those creepy crawlies into great ideas for summer crafts that your kids will love. These caterpillar crafts are easy to create, and they do not cost a lot of money; in fact most of these ideas can be completed using things found around your home. Here are some fun, crafty ways to create caterpillars that your kids will enjoy!

Caterpillars can be made easy from old paper towel rolls. Simple gather a bunch of toilet paper rolls and cut them into three tubes. Next paint them green or whatever color you would like your caterpillar to be, and poke holes in both sides of each tube. Using thread or yarn tie the tubes together in a long chain, and paint the first one with a face. You can also use wiggly eyes if they are available. Add some cardboard or pipe cleaners to the head for antenna and your caterpillar is complete!

Paper chain caterpillars are great and they can be made using left over pieces of junk mail and magazines. Simply paint the paper you are going to use and cut it into strips that are 2 inches wide and 5 inches long. Next make a circle with the first strip and glue it together. Using the next strip loop it through the first and make another circle. Continue until you have a long chain. Next glue wiggly eyes onto the last circle and curled pieces of paper or pipe cleaners, and you will have an awesome caterpillar to hang around your house.

Egg cartons also make great caterpillars and this is a perfect way to recycle the egg carton instead of throwing it away. To make this caterpillar just cut a straight strip off of your egg carton and paint it green. Add a face on one end and some pipe cleaners for antennas and your caterpillar is ready for fun.

Pompoms make great fuzzy caterpillars and these caterpillars can be attached to barrettes or key chains. All you need is some green pompoms, but you can also use other colors if you like. Wiggly eyes and some round sequins are nice for this project, and some pipe cleaners are perfect for legs. Glue the pompoms together in a chain so that they form a body, and cut tiny pieces of pipe cleaners for legs. Bend the legs into L shapes so they have feet and attach them to the body of the caterpillar. Next glue the sequins to the head and the eyes on to so that the sequins looks like eye lashes. Add antennas and this fuzzy friend can be attached to all sorts of things.

Making caterpillars with your kids is a fun way to keep them occupied during the summer, and it will make them familiar with nature's wonders.

Lady Bug Crafts: Fun Summer Art Projects for Kids

Lady bugs are a popular summer insect, and it is said that lady bugs bring good luck with them. So making lady bugs with your kids can be a fun project, but it can also bring good luck to your home. Here are some ideas on how to create fun lady bug crafts with your kids.

Lady bugs can be easily made using old egg cartons and this is a good way to recycle your egg cartons. Cut one round pod out of the egg carton and paint it red. Now paint the first quarter of the pod black, and add eyes. Paint some black dots on the body, and give your lady bug antennas using pipe cleaners and glue. This lady bug is a great recycled craft and a nice edition to your home.

A lady bug apron is a simple kid's project that is also a lot of fun. Simply find a red dinner napkin, fabric glue, black felt, and black ribbon at our local craft or home store. Now cut the ribbon so that it is long enough to tie nicely around your child's waist, and glue it to the napkin. Cut black circles from the felt and glue these to the apron. This apron is ready to wear as soon as it is dry.

A lady bug crown is really cute and easy to make. Simply cute a red strip of paper long enough to fit around your child's head and glue it into a circular crown. Have your child decorate it with black dots, and wind 2 black pipe cleaners into spirals. You can use a pencil to make a nice spiral. Next cut 4 hearts from black construction paper, and sandwich one end of the pipe cleaners between 2 hearts. Glue these hearts together with the pipe cleaner in the middle. Repeat for the second pipe cleaner. Finally tape the pipe cleaner end without the heart to the inside of the crown in the center or on the sides and your crown is complete.

A great lady bug Wind chime can be made easily using an old flower pot, or tin can. Simply paint the tin can red and add black polka dots. With the pot facing upside down paint eyes onto it and a smile. Next add some strings to the inside of the pot and attach some black hearts made out of cardboard or the tin can lid to the strings. If using the tin can lid remember to have an adult cut the tin and sand the edges so it is not sharp. Attach a cord to the top of the pot or can and when it is all dry you can hang your lady bug wind chime outside.

Lady bugs remind me of childhood, and creating these crafts with your children will give them great memories and a good time.