Summer Crafts for Kids: Beach Bag Tote

Making a beach bag tote is a great craft for kids this summer time. Perfect for storing sunglasses, sunscreen and a beach towel, this kids summer craft will make the beach even more fun!

What You'll Need

  • canvas tote (bright colors are best)
  • fabric paint (orange, yellow, green, blue, pink, cream, white, tan, black)
  • fabric foam stamps (such as stars [for starfish], fish, shells, alphabet stamps)
  • paint brushes (liner, medium flat, large scruffy)
  • textile medium (this is necessary only if you are using regular acrylic paints

Instructions

Before starting this craft, iron canvas tote to make sure you have a flat surface for painting on.

First, stamp on the fabric foam stamps firmly. Using the liner brush, paint the stamps and add details as desired; for example, you may add fins and eyes to the fish stamps. such as fins and eyes as desired. Press down firmly onto the surface of the tote. Then gently lift off the stamp.

Next, dip the large scruffy brush into some tan paint, blotting off excess paint onto a paper towel. Create 'sand' onto the bottom of the tote for the ocean floor. You can even dab some tan paint over the feet of the starfish and over the bottoms of the shells so that they look like they're nestled in the sand.

Use foam stamp alphabet letters to spell out the letters "Beach Fun" or another fun summertime slogan. Set the letters onto the bag for placement (according to where you would like them to be placed). Once the letters are where you would like them to appear, paint then stamp each letter in place.

Next, put some blue paint onto a paper plate and dip a large scruffy brush into the paint, dabbing off most of the paint onto a piece of paper towel. Using a gentle sweeping motion, paint on the 'water' around the fish, star, and ocean floor. Add more paint as needed, dabbing off excess paint as you go along.

Source: KidsDomain.com

Looking for ideas on how to celebrate Independence Day? Find Fourth recipes, activities and crafts in our Fourth of July section.