Are you on the lookout for some summer activities for your kids? How about some process projects for your kids? Do you even know what a process project is? A process project is an activity that takes some time to complete. It isn’t usually finished in a day. How long a process project takes is usually up to the person doing the project, but, because they do take some time, they make great summer activities. I have three fun suggestions!

Cross Stitch Alphabet

Do you remember cross stitch samplers? They are traditional pieces of needlework that display the artist’s skill. My girls did this two summers ago, and it came out so nice! Since there are twenty-six letters in the alphabet, it makes for a perfect process project. Add the name of the artist, the date, and an optional embellishment and this project can be done a day at a time over the course of the entire summer. You will need a needle, cross stitch fabric, and thread. Using an embroidery hoop is very helpful, but not absolutely necessary. You will also need a pattern -free patterns are easy to find online. When the sampler is finished, you may want to display it in a frame.

Daily Journal

This is another fantastic process project idea! Ask your child or children to come up with a theme for their journal, or you can choose a theme for them. (We did a “When I Grow Up” theme. The end result was quite entertaining!) Over the summer, they should write a predetermined number of sentences in the journal each day. The number of sentences can be decided according to the child’s age and abilities. By the end of the summer, you will have a creative writing project to be treasured for years to come. The only supplies that you will need are a pen or pencil, paper or journal, and imagination!

Junk Toy Hot Glue Sculpture

I plan on giving this project a try this year. I don’t know about you, but we have a surplus of small junk toys filling the bottom of multiple storage containers in our house. I plan on sorting the toys (with the children’s help) into three categories: keep, craft, and trash. I am going to strongly encourage the last two categories! The toys that get put into the craft category will be the main supply for this project. We will also need glue of some kind. I plan on using hot glue, but with a little research, I am sure that you could find another option that doesn’t require heat. (Glue guns and sticks are very affordable.) Next, we will also need a base for our sculptures. I plan on using cardboard. Finally, spray paint is optional.

Each day that we spend time on the activity, we will glue one or more toys onto our sculpture. Over time, we will craft an incredible creation. The sculptures can take any shape that you choose. I have seen some amazing frames and lamp stands online created this way. Let your imaginations go wild and take joy as each junk toy gets repurposed!