One of the best ways to make use of all the pretty shells you collected on a beach day is to turn them into adorable, kid-friendly crafts. There's nothing like getting a little messy with some glue and paint, regardless of whether you're a kid or just a kid at heart. From mermaid accessories to fishy friends, these ideas will bring all the magic of the ocean into your craft time.
Here are nine kid-friendly crafts that use seashells.
- 01 of 09
Seashell Necklace
Moms and Crafters
Turn your shell collection into fashionable kid-designed statement pieces. Air-dry clay works best to create these pendant necklaces. And this tutorial from Moms and Crafters includes easy tips on how to add texture to bring your pendants to the next level.
- 02 of 09
DIY Mermaid Crown With Seashells
Creative Green Living
Creative Green Living offers a tutorial for a magical mermaid seashell crown that you'll never want to take off. This seashell crown is easy to make and fun to customize. You can add glitter to your shells for an extra sparkly touch on your crown.
- 03 of 09
Tropical Seashell Fish Craft
Crafts By Amanda
In the spirit of the classic children's book "The Rainbow Fish," this DIY from Crafts By Amanda makes for a colorful and adorable way to put seashells to good use. Your kids can choose whichever colors they want to paint shells to create their fish friends. Use small shells for the fins, and add a plastic eye.
- 04 of 09
Mermaid Necklaces
Mama Papa Bubba
These mermaid necklaces from Mama Papa Bubba are truly a jewel of the ocean. To make these necklaces you'll need a shell, a glass gem, hemp cord, and glitter glue. You can't really go overboard on the sparkle here, so let your kids add glitter to their hearts' content.
Continue to 5 of 9 below - 05 of 09
Seashell People
Fun Crafts Kids
This is a creative and cute use of seashells from Fun Crafts Kids. Make some paper or cardboard cut-out people, and glue on shells for their clothing. See how clever you can get: The shells can make for great skirts, and they can also be cute hats, pocketbooks, or shoes.
- 06 of 09
Seashell Turtle Craft
Easy Peasy and Fun
If your kids are animal lovers, this is the seashell craft for you. This idea from Easy Peasy and Fun uses a shell to, well, create a shell—for a turtle that is. Your kids can pick a shell and paint it green. Then, use green paper to decorate the shell and add a head, legs, and a tail.
- 07 of 09
Seashell Mosaics
Alpha Mom
This DIY from Alpha Mom can be a special keepsake. With just shells, quick-setting cement, and a baking pan, these easy seashell mosaics become adorable decorative pieces. You can arrange the shells in pretty designs, pictures of your favorite sea animals, in an abstract manner, or anything else you can dream up.
- 08 of 09
Handprint Shell Keepsake
Arty Crafty Kids
This seashell craft from Arty Crafty Kids offers a twist on the classic handprint keepsake. It could be a great way to remember a beach trip with your kids. Simply press a hand into air-dry clay that's been rolled out to roughly 1/2 inch thick, fill the handprint with shells, and cut a circle around the handprint to remove the excess clay.
Continue to 9 of 9 below - 09 of 09
Seashell Jellyfish
I Heart Arts n Crafts
This seashell craft for kids from I Heart Arts n Crafts has you making a colorful and sparky jellyfish. You'll need shells, yarn in various colors, glue, paint, and glitter. Simply paint the shells and add glitter if you wish, and then glue strips of yarn to the shells for the tentacles.