Get ready for some summer fun with this campfire s’mores craft! If you’re trying to get your little campers excited for an upcoming camping trip or just thinking about enjoying the great outdoors this summer season, this easy craft is a great activity for you to do at home with your kids.
It’s also a fun craft that uses simple supplies you probably already have or can pick up at your local dollar store without breaking the bank.
- Table Of Contents:
Materials
- Paper plate
- Construction paper: brown and green
- Cotton balls
- Popsicle sticks
- Scissors
- Markers
- Orange paint
- Paintbrush
- Double sided tape
- Glue
- Brown Felt
- Googly eyes or white buttons
Instructions
Step 1)
Paint a fire at the bottom of a paper plate. Start with an outline of your darkest color and make a gradient so it gets lighter towards the center. Let the paint dry before doing the next steps. You can use acrylic paint or tempera paint.
Step 2)
Cut out two tree trunk shapes from the brown construction paper and cut out tree shapes from the green construction paper.
Step 3)
Attach the trunks and trees to the paper plate with glue and use scissors to cut a slit in the paper plate for the puppet to go into later.
Step 4)
Cut two small squares from the light brown felt. Then put cotton in between them to make your marshmallows. Use double sided tape or glue to stick the cotton inside the felt.
Step 5)
Draw the s’mores smiley face using the markers on the top graham cracker and glue on the eyes. Then attach it to the popsicle stick with more glue or double sided tape.
Step 6)
Lastly, insert your marshmallow puppet into the paper plate to roast it over your campfire.
Video Instructions
Prefer watching video instructions for your crafts? Check out the YouTube channel for Crafty Kids Play and watch the full video tutorial for this Campfire S’mores Craft here!
Tips & Troubleshooting
Prep Ahead:
Lay out all your supplies and materials and protect your space from paint before getting started with this great craft. This can help with avoiding interruptions during the crafting process so you’ll have what you need while you’re crafting. You might want to lay down some newspaper or a drop cloth before painting.
Marshmallow Mishaps:
If the cotton inside the felt squares is spilling out or not staying in place, use additional double-sided tape or glue along the edges for reinforcement.
Allow for Drying Time:
Patience is key. Let the painted fire dry completely before moving on in order to prevent smudging or mixing colors unintentionally.
Variation Ideas
Campfire Logs
You can change up the look of this craft by adding brown construction paper logs to create a smaller campfire at the bottom of your craft.
Background Variations
You can change up the background of this craft to add your own personal touch. Fill it with trees to make it look like the woods. Paint it black or dark blue and add flecks of white stars or golden star stickers. Let your creativity run wild.
Alternative Materials
You could use brown craft foam instead of brown felt to make the graham crackers for this craft. Whatever simple supplies you have at home will work just fine. You can use white buttons with black marker drawn in the center for the eyes, or swap them out for googly eyes if you have them. Instead of using cotton balls, you can use cotton batting for the marshmallow inside the craft.
To make your s’mores craft feel more realistic, you can add a layer to replicate the chocolate bars with some black felt or construction paper inside the adorable s’mores craft.
You can use popsicle sticks, jumbo craft sticks or sturdy straws to make your s’mores puppets roast!
Benefits of This Smores Craft For Kids
Creativity and Imagination:
Engaging in crafts like this is a fun way to encourage children to use their imagination to create unique scenes and characters. They can invent stories, develop personalities for their s’mores puppets, and design their own campsite settings, fostering creativity and imaginative thinking.
Fine Motor Skills:
Cutting, coloring, painting, and assembling the various components of this craft help children refine their fine motor skills. Manipulating small objects such as scissors, markers, and cotton balls strengthens hand-eye coordination and dexterity. It’s a great way to build muscles that are essential for activities like writing, drawing, and buttoning clothes.
Cultural Awareness:
Making campfire s’mores can also serve as a springboard for learning about different cultural traditions and outdoor activities such as camping and bonfires. Children can explore the concept of roasting marshmallows over an open flame, learn about the origins of s’mores, and discuss camping etiquette and safety tips, promoting cultural awareness and appreciation for the natural world this time of year.
Problem-Solving Skills:
Assembling this fun summer craft involves following instructions, making decisions, and solving minor challenges along the way, such as troubleshooting attachment issues or adjusting the placement of elements. These problem-solving opportunities are the perfect way to help children develop critical thinking skills and perseverance as they work through obstacles to achieve their desired outcome and make this fun activity come to life.
Final Thoughts
This S’mores craft is such a fun summer activity for families to make together. You could also make this great craft with young children at a summer camp and pair it with making real s’mores for an unforgettable memory.
Stick around Crafty Kids Play for more sensory play ideas, free templates, and fun family crafts for kids of all ages! Happy crafting!
