A sun craft is a fun way for kids to welcome spring and summer. This painting activity uses corrugated cardboard and craft sticks to make a bright morning sun that will help you rise-and-shine with a smile!

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Let's get glowing with an easy summer sun craft. Add this fun activity to your spring and summer theme in the classroom. Or why not enjoy it on a rainy afternoon at home?

This sun craft uses basic supplies like cardboard and craft sticks and glue. It's a simple activity that invites kids to create without special materials. 

Budding artists don't need expensive brushes, special art paper, or a paint easel to enjoy painting activities. Sometimes the simplest activities - like this sun craft - have the most amazing play value.

• Kids exercise fine motor and creative skills as they design their sun.
  
  
• Kids build language skills as they engage in conversation about the sun, the weather, or other topics that might be introduced as they work.

Related: Painting and Drawing on Cardboard

Easy cardboard sun craft

Our instructions for this craft provide options that allow flexibility for you and your child to create a bright sun. 

While this post shares a how-to activity, the process should be child-led, with kids making choices, and interacting with materials at their own pace.

Set out the materials, and guide kids along as they decide how to make their sun craft.

Here's what you need to make this craft.

• corrugated cardboard

• yellow paint
  
  
• paint brush
  
  
• wooden sticks (affiliate links)

We used 10 craft sticks for our sun but you can use more or less. If you don't have coffee stir sticks or craft sticks, you can use other recycled options such as broken clothespins or sticks from frozen treats.

Corrugated cardboard provides a nice texture for the sun - just as it does for this flower craft we made. If it's not available, use regular cardboard.

Another option is to cut a circle from yellow construction paper and glue it to a cardboard base.

Here are the simple steps to make a sun craft.

1. Cut a 7 inch (18 cm) diameter circle from corrugated cardboard.

2. Paint the circle and craft sticks with yellow paint. I only had yellow finger paint which may not give as bright a coating as other types of kids paint. But it did lead to actually finger painting the sun instead of using a brush!

You could also dip crumpled paper in paint and dab it onto the cardboard.

3. Shake paper confetti or gold glitter over the paint while it is still wet.

Related: How to make paper confetti

4. When the paint is dry, turn the sun over and glue the 'rays' of the sun to the cardboard. Allow the glue to set to make sure the sticks stay in place. You can use a glue gun or tape the sticks in place to secure if preferred.

You can finish your sun craft with other options.

• Tape or glue a loop made with string or yarn to the back of the sun for a hanger.
  
  
• Glue on craft eyes and make a smile with a marker.

Bright yellow sun craft

One of the most rewarding results of arts and crafts for grownups is seeing kids get hands-on and creative with everyday materials. Getting to explore and observe the world around us is the best result of a successful activity, not a finished product.

Display your bright glittering sun in the classroom, or hang it so it is visible when your preschooler rises in the morning or after a nap. It will surely put a smile on your faces!

Follow our Crafts board on Pinterest for more hands-on activities.

More sun crafts!  20 Fun and Easy Sun Crafts / Look We're Learning