Fun Art Project: Summer Beach Scene

Summertime is fast approaching and the kids are getting excited! This is a great art project to do with the kids – a summer beach scene. The little artists will learn about textures with this lesson. Let them have fun being creative.

You will need ...

Watercolor Paper
Colored Cardstock
Brown Newsprint / Packing Paper
Colored Pipe Cleaners
Colored Markers
Watercolor Paints
Scissors
Glue
Pencil

Step One

First, take the pencil and draw a light line across the watercolor paper to represent where the water and the sand meet. This is just a guide. You don’t need to do this if you do not want to.

Then, use the watercolors to paint the water. Remind the kids that the viewpoint here is the shore. It is not looking out at the horizon or under the water, but down at your feet at the shoreline. Explain to the kids that they can use the rough texture of the watercolor paper to create texture in the ocean water.

Set it aside to dry.

Step Two

Next, draw the flip-flop shapes onto the colored cardstock. I created a template for the kids so that they could easily trace the shape onto the paper. This just made the process quicker.

Then, cut out both flip-flop shapes. Remind the kids that their flip-flops have a distinct right and a left. Once the right and left are face up, let the kids design their flip-flops.

Step Three

Next, take the pipe cleaners and make the straps for the flip-flops. Use a hole punch to make three holes in each flip-flop.

Then, take the pipe cleaner and fold it in half. Snip it at the fold to create two equal halves. Then take each of those halves and fold them in half, but do NOT cut at the fold this time.

Take one pipe cleaner and stick the ends from the bottom up through the “top” hole of one flip-clop. then, make a small bend on the underside to keep the pipe cleaner in place.

Next, take one side of the cleaner and poke it down through one of the side holes in the flip-flop. Tuck the end down to secure. Repeat with the other side.

Be sure to leave some slack in the pipe cleaner so that the straps can be “puffed up” a bit to make them realistic looking.

Step Four

Next, crumple up the piece of brown newsprint / packing paper. Remind the kids to be gentle as they do no want to tear the paper. The more crumples, the more texture.

Then, uncrumple the paper. Glue the crumpled paper onto the watercolor paper at the shoreline. Gently press the paper onto the watercolor paper to stick, but do not press out the texture.

After that, turn the watercolor paper over and use the scissors to trim the excess brown paper away.

Step Five

Then, take the glue and glue on the flip-flops to the sand. Add the glue to the “heels” of the flip-flops. This makes it easier to stick on as the pipe cleaners on the back will make it difficult to stick on. Plus, it adds dimension.

Now you’re all set! If the kids want to, they can add details to the water of the beach. Some kids added seashells or starfish to the sand. Others drew tiny fish in the water.

The Mom Touch