Any Ideas, need some ideas?

Question

I am helping my school's summer program, it is just like a daycare thing, I need some summer craft ideas for kids ages 2-15. I also need ideas for decorating the rooms. Any thing good would be helpful... Please and thankyou!

Answer 1

Well...I don't know if this helps..but just check out this websites..

Crafts..

1.http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/

2.http://kidscrafts.topknacks.com/document...

3.http://www.creativekidsathome.com/summer...

4.http://www.freekidcrafts.com/summer.html

5.http://mailjust4me.com/play/summer1.htm

6.http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/summer_...

Decorations..

1.http://www.ehow.com/how_2046790_decorate...

2.http://www.craftideas.info/html/flower_p...

Hope this helps...=)

p.s. I don't know if it is summer theme

Answer 2

Are you doing the planning and room decor yourself?  When I did the summer program we had am and pm staff...teacher and assistant and those four people got together to do the room decor.  Since it was only a summer program...we pretty much kept it up that way and added children's work to incorporate the themes.  :-)  One of the years in the K-1 class we did paper plate flowers with each child's name and then added green crepe paper vines and placed them all on one wall.  Incorporating the children's name is always a hit...it's an icebreaker on the first day...gives them something to do right away!  Find their names...especially with the younger ones.

We did a weekly theme and it is nice to allow the children to help with the planning...however in our program they give you the $$$ to purchase EVERYTHING you need prior to camp starting so we had to do some pretty thorough planning :-)  

I find with the younger ages...at least up to 6 yrs...that they handle centers very well.  We had an art center with mostly open-ended art projects that were related to the theme.  We had a games/puzzle center, blocks/legos (which acted as our large group area), library, science, and dramatic play.  Now I would add a writing/fine motor center and move the puzzles there and add various fun theme related activites that focus on writing and fine motor skills.  The children loved the centers!  

Some of the themes we've done:

Bugs/Insects

Fun in the Sun

Safari

On the Farm

Outer Space

On the Go (transportation)

Book Week (each day we had a specific book and planned accordingly with special activities and projects)

Summer Food- icecream/pizza

Dancin' Around- Music and dance

Around the World- a different country a day.

We had a talent show at the end of the summer and the children signed up (every age group) at the beginning with their "plan".  Then the last week of summer camp we did the show.  The children loved it!  We "took over" an elementary school and had the stage!  How awesome!

We were lucky enough to have weekly field trips and swimming options for the families.

Of course get your outdoor time in... taking special activities outdoors is something they all love.  We created obstacle courses and had field days.  We did waterballoons one day outside.  Sprinklers are fun or those balls that the water comes out of the sides.  Chalk of course and they have all sorts of new sidewalk chalk "tools".  

Good luck!

Answer 3

I would stick to a summer theme. Like picnic or sports theme would be kewl. As far as crafts i just did a quick search for it and came up with this site you can find more if you just search for free kids craft ideas Good Luck! http://www.creativekidsathome.com/games/

Answer 4

Try Oriental trading company they have crafts kits and cheap classroom decor.  I find it easy when decorating a room to go w/ a theme i.e. camping, under the sea etc. Our public library has craft books  one can borrow. Mailbox magazine has great ideas as well.

DR. Jean's website has great ideas for children 3-5

Kids soup website has great ideas as well.

Answer 5

pinecone bird feeders are nice lol

and kids love to plant seeds and stuff like that

i helped out a thing like this and we did a camping theme

just pitch a small tent in the room then get some wood for a fake campfire then you can buy a bag of those plastic bugs and throw them all around.  younger groups enjoy learning songs. buy simple things like jumpropes and hulahoops. relay races and things like that are fun if everyone gets involved.

hope that helped

Answer 6

Try the Michael's craft store website.  For kids 10 and over try weaving, painting, etc Your are looking for a craft project that will take at least a week.

For kids 6-9,  a craft project like a pinata or making a pillow would be fun and take about a week.

For kids 5 and under, rarely go over a day and focus on less craft project and go for more experiences within their centers.  Collages and open writing with fat pencils, crayons, stamps, and brushes should be the norm.

Go with a science topic each week or two and develop your ideas from there.  Kids always like bugs. Start there.  You shouldn't plan past the first couple of week until you get to know the kids and their interests.  Otherwise, it will be too generic to keep them interested.

Answer 7

I do a summer camp with my preschoolers - I have a guest each day and kind of go with that theme.  Such as, a 4-H group is coming on Monday and doing Father's Day crafts so we'll do Father's day as well. Friday, two clowns are coming so we're of course, doing a circus theme.