Has your toddler or preschooler experienced contact paper? It is the perfect amount of sticky to make whimsical suncatchers and keep them entertained. If you have little ones at home, the best part about suncatchers is that they are a great hands-on activity for kids that is super simple and fun to make! These 9 easy DIY suncatchers for kids are easy to design, beautiful to hang, and offer many wonderful hands-on learning opportunities!
RELATED: Don’t miss out on all of our favorite summer activities for kids this season!
How do you make suncatchers for kids?
Make suncatchers for kids by placing contact paper (sticky side up) on the window or table for your child to decorate. Include art supplies such as tissue paper, washi tape, or sticky beads that are transparent or translucent for the sun to shine through.
Making suncatchers is an easy art activity for kids. With so many ideas out there, creating suncatchers for kids will leave your child’s creative brain active and excited. So, what is a suncatcher? Suncatchers simply catch moments of sunlight that reflect off them and create beautiful colors, spectrums, and rainbows. Watch your kid’s eyes light up when they see the magic from their masterpieces.
RELATED: Summer activities for toddlers, preschoolers, and big kids are an important tool for parents to have on hand for those long summer days!
Materials
As always, supplies are kept simple. Here are the most used supplies when making suncatchers. Here is a quick link to my favorite supplies used on Days with Grey.
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Contact Paper
You can use this contact (sticky) paper again when you decorate the pumpkin in the fall and go on a sticky nature hunt.
Tissue Paper
Yes! They make tissue paper SQUARES! We love these precut tissue paper squares in assorted colors.
9 easy DIY suncatchers for kids
There are so many different ways to make suncatchers for kids. Check out these simple, fun, and colorful ways to catch the sunlight this summer!
Sticky Sun Suncatcher
A suncatcher that also looks like a sun? Simple, yes. Inviting, also yes. Gather your yellow, orange, and red tissue paper to start today!
Nature Suncatcher Craft
(Messy Little Monster)
Send your kids outside to collect some leaves, buds, and flowers that will catch the sunlight in this simple hanging suncatcher craft.
Washi Tape Heart Suncatcher Craft
(Kids Craft Room)
Grab some colorful washi tape to create these easy heart suncatchers for kids that stick right to your window! These heart suncatchers would be a cute and festive craft to do in February for Valentine’s Day.
Leaf Suncatcher Craft
(The Best Ideas for Kids)
This easy suncatcher for kids’ craft is great for spring or fall, when new or old leaves are everywhere! Teach your child about different types and shapes of leaves with this cute leaf-inspired suncatcher craft.
Suncatcher Craft for Kids Using Crayon Shavings
(Buggy and Buddy)
This is the perfect way to use all those leftover crayon shavings at the bottom of your craft box. Recycle small bits of crayons to create the most colorful suncatchers for kids.
Fused Bead Rainbow Suncatcher Craft for Kids
(Fireflies & Mud Pies)
These beautiful rainbow suncatchers will help your kids practice color sorting and strengthen their fine motor skills through beading.
Sweet & Colorful Paper Plate Watermelon Suncatcher Craft
(Kids Activities Blog)
This simple craft uses paper plates, tissue paper, and paint to create colorful and summery watermelon suncatchers for kids.
Sea Animal Coffee Filter Suncatcher for Kids
(A Little Pinch of Perfect)
Coffee filters are a great way for kids to observe and experiment with color mixing in these simple ocean-themed suncatchers for kids’ crafts.
Sequined Suncatchers
(Playground Park Bench)
Combine contact paper and sequins for this no-fuss, simple DIY suncatcher for kids’ craft that your kids will love to make!
What do kids learn from making suncatchers?
Making suncatchers offers so many learning opportunities for kids. Studies have shown that making art for young children is essential and can help develop their expression, creativity, exploration, and experimentation. Kids will strengthen their fine motor skills through art and play by creating colorful and vibrant suncatchers.
- Color mixing
- Color recognition
- Creativity
- Cutting
- Gluing
- Hand-eye coordination
- Science
- Shape awareness
RELATED: Looking for more ways to encourage creativity and color with your kids outside this summer? Check out these sidewalk chalk activities!
Catch this summer’s magical rays with suncatchers!
Add a little color and shine to your home this summer with these simple and fun DIY suncatchers for kids. They will not only spread a little joy as a proud artwork display, but your child will love learning about colors, shapes, and science as they observe their suncatchers sparkle and shine in the window!
What will your kids DO this summer?
Take the guesswork out of your days with the Summertime Bundle.
- Startup Guide creates your summer routine.
- Activity cards have easy activities.
- The PDF calendar puts your plan in place.
FAQ
Suncatchers catch sunlight and reflect many different colors. Kids love to watch, observe and learn how the sun causes various colors to mix and shine through early scientific exploration.
Make suncatchers for kids by placing contact paper (sticky side up) on the window or table for your child to decorate. Include art supplies such as tissue paper, washi tape, or sticky beads that are transparent or translucent for the sun to shine through.
Making suncatchers strengthens fine motor skills and creativity. Through early science learning, kids can also learn about how the sun catches and creates various color patterns.
