Brighten your solstice celebration with these sun-themed ideas for all ages. Art projects, science experiments, sensory fun, and crafty sunshine decor, these are all of our favorites!
The summer solstice – our longest (and hopefully sunniest) day of the year – is a beautiful invitation to slow down, play outside, and soak up the warmth of the season.
For kids, it’s a perfect time to celebrate the magic of sunshine through art, creativity, and discovery.
If you’re looking for easy, no-prep ways to mark the day (or planning a full sunshine-themed afternoon of making and learning!), you’re sure to find an activity that’s a hit among these fun sun crafts and activities.
Creative Low-Prep Ways to Celebrate the Sun (and Summer Solstice) with Kids
You don’t need much more than the sun itself to celebrate the solstice! These simple activities are perfect for spontaneous moments or quick summer fun…
- Chalk a sunshine message on your sidewalk to “greet the sun” in the morning.
- Play shadow tag or a special “solstice edition” of follow-the-leader
by tagging only shadows, or having kids take turns being the “sun” while others follow and copy their movements. - Make a sun snack by cutting fruits like pineapple, oranges, and mango into rays or circles to create sunny plates.
- Have a sunrise or sunset watch party, heading out early or staying up late to observe the changing colors of the sky and talk about what the solstice means.
- Dance in the summer sun! Put together a kid-friendly summer solstice playlist or sing sun-themed songs like “You Are My Sunshine,” “Here Comes the Sun,” or make up your own.
- Write a sunshine wish on yellow paper and hang it in a window to catch the light.
- Make it a ‘wear yellow’ day!
- Host a mini sun-themed picnic outside with yellow and orange plates, napkins, food, etc.
- Create a “sun circle” by gathering in a circle outside at sunrise, midday, or sunset. Take turns sharing something you’re grateful for, like light, warmth, nature, or each other.
- Invite kids to go on a sunny-themed nature color hunt, finding items in nature that match the colors of the sun (shades of yellow, orange, red). Lay them out to create a “sun mandala.”
- Read a sun or summer solstice-themed book outside. Choose stories about light, warmth, or the solstice and discuss the changing seasons.
Kids’ Sun Art Projects for the Summer Solstice
Celebrate sunlight, color, and creativity with these art projects inspired by the sun and sky.
Celestino Piatti-Inspired Kinetic Garden Art – Build sunny spinning art for the yard with simple materials and kid-created designs. Make your own moving sun sculpture.
Spin Art Suncatchers – Create sunbursts using a salad spinner and paint. See the full process here.
Sun Monoprints – Roll out paint and use found materials to make print art with sunny flair. Get the instructions.
Sun and Moon Weavings – Create woven art that celebrates balance and brightness. Learn how from Cassie Stephens.
DIY Sun Ray Wreath – Craft a radiant wreath from recycled materials for summer solstice art you can hang up anytime! Visit the lovely project here.
Sun Prints – Arrange natural objects and let sunlight create prints in varying shades of beautiful blues and whites. Try this art-making method from Art Bar.
Solar Print Fairies – Another take on sun art, use the sun-sensitive paper to make magical fairy silhouettes. Watch the (sweet) how-to.
Pop Art Sunsets – Use bold colors and patterns to design a graphic-style sunset. Try the pop-y project from ART CAMP.
Mosaic Sunshine Art – Cut colorufl paper to create a collage full of sunshine-inspired art and patterns. Follow along with Mme Marissa.
More Sun Print Ideas – Yet another variation of sun paper art using different materials and layering. Find it on Purple Twig.
Fun Kids Sun Crafts and Activities
These playful activities and solar-inspired science experiments are great for curious makers and outdoor learners.
Sun Suncatcher – Use sunny nature items to craft a glowing sun to hang in your window. Find the tutorial here.
Positive and Negative Space Suns – Explore shapes, contrast, and design with this eye-catching paper project. Follow the steps at Pink Stripey Socks.
You Are My Sunshine DIY Cards – Make sweet handmade cards to share sunny summer solstice wishes. Find them at Lisa Fyfe’s fabulous site.
Shadow Sidewalk Art – Trace full-body shadows outside and decorate with chalk. See more at Rhythms of Play
3D Nature Suncatchers – Preserve June’s flowers and leaves in sunny, see-through frames. Learn how from The Artful Parent.
Sun Art Paper Lanterns – Say goodnight to the solstice with a set of kid-crafted glowing lanterns. See how via Little Pine Learners.
Sun Flags – Make bright flags with kid-designed suns and symbols you can hang outside for a festive summer solstice decoration. Make your own with Red Ted Art.
DIY Solar Oven – Build your own oven with foil and a cardboard box, then bake a treat using sunlight! Make your own with The Craft Train.
Cereal Box Sunglasses – Create bright, retro-style sunglasses using printable templates and recycled cardboard. Visit the DIY sunglasses tutorial.
DIY Sundial – Use a few simple supplies (plus the sun, of course) to build your own time-telling tool. Make one with KiwiCo.
Sunset Slime – Mix up a stretchy batch of slime in swirling sunset colors. Get the recipe here.
3D Paper Suns – Fold and layer paper into a full-circle paper sun craft. Get the instructions from Twitchetts.
Follow the Shadow Drawings – Trace toys or nature objects to show how shadows shift. Try this science-meets-art idea.
Sunshine and Rainbow Paper Blocks – Craft a set of playful, colorful building blocks (that double as an emotion activity). Find everything you need here.
Shadow Experiments – Learn about how light and angles affect shadows. Find more activities on Science Sparks.
Sunshine Piñata – Make a cheerful piñata for a party (or just because!). DIY it with The House That Lars Built.
More June Activities for Kids
For even more ways to get creative this June, explore our collection of summer-themed creative kids prompts or download our free printable mini summer coloring books – great entertainment for warm days!
Invite kids to design their own ice cream-inspired creations or turn recycled items into a mini pool for small worlds.
For more summer nature play, our bug search printables and beach day search pages offer screen-free fun on the go.
GETTING READY TO TRY this?
I love seeing all the ways people make these ideas their own! If you're sharing the results of one of our projects, mention or tag me with @barleyandbirch, or share it in the comments of one of our Pinterest project pins.
