Spring is the perfect season to engage in fun and inspiring craft projects, and yes, even with your middle and high school students. Making crafts can offer older students an opportunity to express themselves, develop new skills, and create something beautiful in the process. Whether the craft is to decorate their space, to be given as gifts, or simply as a way to relax, these crafts can be just the thing with your middle and high school students. The following are 15 spring crafts for middle and high school students that they will love!
- Pressed Flower Art
- DIY Birdhouses
- Tie-Dye T-Shirts
- Egg carton Planters
- Butterfly Mobiles
- Watercolor Resist Art
- Springtime Wreaths
- Seed Bombs
- Springtime Terrariums
- Rainbow Wind Chimes
- Fruit Slice Stamped Tote Bags
- Upcycled Bottle Planters
- Origami Tulips
- Nature-Inspired Dream Catchers
- Suncatchers
Pressed Flower Art
Gather colorful spring flowers and press them between the pages of heavy books for a few days until they’re flat. Use the pressed flowers to create beautiful artwork by arranging them on cardstock or canvas. Students can get creative with their designs, making floral patterns, landscapes, or even abstract compositions.
DIY Birdhouses:
Hang them outside and observe as birds make them their new homes, bringing a touch of nature to the schoolyard.
Tie-Dye T-Shirts:
Celebrate the vibrant colors of spring by hosting a tie-dye party with your students. You can either provide the plain white t-shirts, rubber bands, and a variety of dye colors or you can opt to have your parents purchase the t-shirts and material for this colorful extravaganza. Students can experiment with different folding and tying techniques to create unique patterns on their shirts.
Egg carton Planters:
Have your students create egg carton planters. Save egg cartons after using them. Have your students carefully clean them. Next, you can get artsy by having your students paint the egg cartons in their favorite spring colors. Afterwards, they can fill the egg cartons with potting soil and plant small herbs or flowers. These mini planters make adorable decorations for windowsills or desks and teach students about recycling and gardening. And, this can teach your students about saving money since they used old egg cartons instead of purchasing planters.
Butterfly Mobiles:
I love butterflies, and I think they are one of the most beautiful things about spring and summer. So, a butterfly mobile is on my list of spring crafts for middle and high school students. You begin creating this fluttering craft by having your students cut out butterfly shapes from colorful paper or cardstock. Then, have them decorate the butterflies with markers, glitter, or stickers. Next, attach the butterflies to strings of varying lengths and hang them from a hoop or branch to create a whimsical mobile that your middle school students will love.
Watercolor Resist Art:
Another spring themed craft for your middle and high school students is creating watercolor resist art. Have your students start by draw spring-themed designs or patterns on watercolor paper using white crayons. Then, encourage them to paint over their drawings with watercolor paints. The wax from the crayons will resist the paint, revealing their drawings in vibrant colors.
Springtime Wreaths:
Confession…I am a wreath girl. I love wreaths for all seasons and holidays. And, spring provides me with another opportunity to showcase them. And, you can get your students involved in wreath creation. You can start with this simple wreath creation. You have them begin by using a base of cardboard, grapevine, or wire to create wreaths. Some of your older students can gather natural materials like flowers, twigs, and leaves to decorate their wreaths.
Once your wreaths are finished, be sure to display your students’ work. You can take pictures of these wreaths. You can host a craft show where your middle and high school students can show off their work. And, you may even consider letting your students sell them.
The following is a simple step-by-step table for creating a spring wreath suitable for middle school and high school students:
| Step | Instructions |
| 1 | Gather materials: Wreath base (such as a foam or wire wreath) Artificial flowers (in spring colors like pink, yellow, and lavender) Ribbon (optional) Scissors Hot glue gun and glue sticks Decorative accents (such as faux butterflies or ladybugs) |
| 2 | Prepare your work area by covering it with a protective surface like newspaper or a crafting mat. |
| 3 | Arrange your flowers and decorative accents in a way that you like before gluing them onto the wreath. This will help you visualize the final design. |
| 4 | Start attaching the flowers to the wreath base using hot glue. Apply a small amount of glue to the bottom of each flower and press firmly onto the wreath base. Space the flowers evenly around the wreath. |
| 5 | Continue adding flowers until the entire wreath base is covered, or until you achieve the desired fullness. You can overlap the flowers slightly to create depth and texture. |
| 6 | If desired, add ribbon to the wreath by tying it around the top or bottom or creating a bow to attach to the wreath. |
| 7 | Once all the flowers are attached and any additional decorations are added, let the wreath dry completely. This may take a few minutes for the hot glue to cool and set. |
| 8 | Once the wreath is dry, hang it on a door, wall, or window to display your beautiful spring creation! |
Seed Bombs:
Seed bombs are another consideration for those spring themed crafts for middle and high school students. You have your students begin by mixing together clay, compost, and wildflower seeds to form small balls. Instruct your students to let them dry, then distribute them in areas that could use a splash of color such outside your classroom window or neglected gardens.
Your students will love the idea of guerrilla gardening and watching their seed bombs bloom into beautiful flowers.
Springtime Terrariums:
Have students bring in glass jars or containers of various sizes.
Provide potting soil, small plants, moss, and decorative rocks.
Let your students use their creativity to design and assemble their own miniature ecosystems.
Rainbow Wind Chimes:
Another simple spring themed craft that your middle and high school students can create are rainbow wind chimes. They should begin by cutting out colorful shapes from cardboard or heavy paper.
Next, have them punch holes in the top of each shape and string them together using yarn or fishing line. Last but not least, have your students hang the wind chime outdoors where it can catch the breeze and make cheerful sounds.
Fruit Slice Stamped Tote Bags:
Don’t let that old fruit go to waste. Instead, use it to create spring themed crafts. Have your students collect left over fruit. (These can usually be easily found in the school cafeteria.) Then, have them cut fruits like apples, oranges, and lemons in half. Next, they should dip the cut side of the fruit into fabric paint and use it as a stamp to decorate canvas tote bags. Students can experiment with different fruits and colors to create their own unique designs.
Upcycled Bottle Planters:
Teach your middle and high school students about the importance of preserving our earth while allowing them to create beautiful spring themed arts and crafts. One way to do that is by creating these upcycled bottle planters.
Plastic water bottles harm the environment in many ways. When thrown away, they often end up in landfills or oceans where they harm our marine animals and polluting the water. Marine animals have been known to mistake these plastic bottles for food, and they have gotten tangled in them. Some animals, like sea turtles or seabirds, may ingest plastic bottles, leading to internal injuries or blockages in their digestive systems which can be fatal. Making this spring themed craft idea another wonderful way to make our middle and high school students more environmentally conscious.
Your students start by collect empty plastic bottles and cut them in half.They can thendecorate the bottoms with paint, markers, or washi tape.Next,they fill the bottom halves with soil and plant small flowers or herbs thus creating a colorful display for windowsills or outdoor spaces.
Origami Tulips:
Teach your students how to fold origami tulips using colorful origami paper. (And, if you aren’t quite sure how to create origami designs, the internet/YouTube is a great place for inspiration and instructions.) These paper flowers make delightful decorations for desks or windowsills and are a fun way to explore the art of origami.
Nature-Inspired Dream Catchers:
Dream catchers are a fun and easy spring themed craft for your middle and high school students. You begin by having them gather twigs, feathers, beads, and yarn. These items can be grabbed while out on a nature walk, from their own backyards, or purchased from a craft store. Next, have your students weave the twigs together to form the base of the dream catcher and decorate it with the feathers and beads.
Suncatchers:
Another one of my favorite spring themed craft ideas for my middle and high school students are suncatchers. These simple to make crafts are cute and fun. Your students should begin by cutting out shapes from colorful tissue paper or translucent plastic sheets. Next, they should coat one side of the shapes with clear glue and arrange them on a piece of clear contact paper. Once these are dry, they should cut out the shapes and hang them in windows to catch the sunlight and create beautiful patterns of color. Easy Peasy!
Spring is a time of creativity and growth, and these craft projects are the perfect way for middle and high school students to celebrate the season. From pressed flower art to tie-dye t-shirts to nature-inspired dream catchers, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. These crafts not only provide an outlet for self-expression but also teach valuable skills like creativity, patience, and resourcefulness. So have your students gather their materials, embrace their imagination, and let the crafting begin!
Happy Teaching!!!
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