Summer is just around the corner and soon the kids will be out of school for their Summer vacations. You might be asking yourself, "How will I keep the kids busy?"

I think these craft ideas are great for bible school, girl scouts, cub scouts, daycare arts and crafts projects and even to keep your little ones entertained if you are a busy mom who works from home.

Photo Refrigerator Magnet

1 plastic lid from a potato chips canister
scraps of construction paper or scrapbooking paper
all-purpose white craft glue
scraps of ribbon, yarn, lace, rick-rack, buttons, beads, sequins
2" piece of magnet
child safety scissors
pencil
mini-wallet size photo

Have the kids trace around the lid onto a piece of colored paper and cut out the round shape slightly inside the traced line. Glue the paper onto the lid making sure that about 1/8" of the lid shows around the edges. (you want the lid to frame the paper shape). Take the mini-wallet sized photo and glue it in the center of the lid frame. Glue ribbon, yarn, lace or rick-rack around the edges of the lid and a piece of magnet on the back. Kids can also add additional embellishments such as buttons, beads and sequins if desired.

Walnut Shell Mouse Magnet

empty and clean walnut shell halves
2 tiny wiggle eyes
brown colored felt scraps
1 1/2" brown chenille stem (pipe cleaner)
2 mm pink pom-pom
scrap of cardboard
1" piece of magnet
all-purpose white craft glue
child safety scissors

Cut out two 1/4" diameter circles from brown felt. Cut one piece of brown chenille stem to measure 1 1/2" in length. Take a piece of scrap cardboard and trace around the walnut shell shape and cut just inside your traced line. Place the walnut shell down on the table or work surface with the ridged side up and the shell running vertically (like an oval egg shape). Glue pink pom-pom on front-top side of edge for the mouse nose. Take one of the felt circles and pinch the edges together to form an ear and glue one onto each side of the mouse head; glue the wiggle eyes onto the shell to form the mouse eyes. Let dry for 10 minutes. Flip over the mouse and glue the mouse tail (chenille stem) under the walnut shell leaving 1" of it showing. Glue the cardboard shape to the under belly. Finally, glue your magnet onto the cardboard and let dry.

Index Cards Art-Work Magnets

Clear Contact Paper or Laminating Sheets
3 x 5 blank index cards (no printed lines)
markers, crayons, colored pencils, water paints, stickers, etc.
2" piece of magnet

Have the kids draw and color on the blank index cards or have them write a poem or a story. When finished, you will want to seal the index card by using clear contact paper or self-stick laminating sheets (office supply store). Glue a magnet piece to the backside and you have an instant refrigerator magnet.

Recycled Game Piece Magnets

dominoes, playing cards, plastic coins, dice, miscellaneous game pieces, etc.
all-purpose white craft glue
magnets (round disk shaped ones work best)

Collect miscellaneous game pieces that are no longer needed and recycle them into refrigerator magnets. All you need to do is glue the magnet onto the back sides and let them dry for 30 minutes. If you are using paper bills (money) from games, you will first want to laminate them or cover them with clear contact paper before gluing the magnet onto the backs.