The summer solstice celebrates the longest day of the year and is generally the kickoff for summer. Depending upon where you live, it may fall in June or in December. The northern hemisphere is in June, while southern denizens celebrate at the opposite point of the calendar. It’s a fun idea to mark the occasion with crafts for the first day of summer. Summer solstice craft ideas are great for kids and the whole family.
Keeping kids busy and entertained is important to their health and well being. Creating art for the solstice is just one way to teach them about the seasonal change while also keeping them occupied. Drawing is a simple craft, or you can get more creative and develop more intricate summer solstice projects. Solstice with kids is an opportunity to celebrate the best part of the year and make art that will last for years.
Crafts for the First Day of Summer
A visit to the craft store will give you plenty of material to keep kids happy. Marking solstice with kids could also be garden themed. Having them plant a little veggie or flower garden engages children and gives them something to watch grow. Making decorative stepping stones is a lasting project that will remain in everyone's memory. Crafting a representation of the sun is a perfect way to honor the day. Whatever craft you choose, make sure an adult is present, and all materials are kid-friendly. Then just let their imaginations go wild.
Summer Solstice Craft Ideas
Summer solstice projects run the gamut from simple to more complex. Make art for the solstice to praise the sunny days and warm temperatures.
- Pick flowers and fashion them into a crown
- Make handprints and turn them into seasonal representations
- Draw or paint the sun
- Make decorative lanterns out of old glass jars
- Turn a paper plate into the sun or into a sundial
- Get sidewalk chalk and brighten the paths of your home
- Have kids make decorative plant stakes for the garden
- Use the sun to melt crayons and make new ones or turn them into candles
Other Summer Solstice Projects
Since the weather is nice, visit a garden, park, or other place of nature. Have kids bring sketch materials and draw something they see. Tell them the names of plants and insects. Make a picnic and imagine cloud shapes while you dine. To illustrate the length of the day, wake them up early and let them stay up until the sun goes down. Make a solar oven with a cigar box, aluminum foil, and plastic wrap. Preheat in the sun for half an hour and make s'mores.
Just spending the day together is a simple, yet memorable, way to mark the occasion.