Summer has finally arrived… say goodbye to school and hello to fun! To help you make the most of it, we’ve teamed up with Target to bring you a collection of summer party crafts and recipes. The entire family can get involved with these sweet summer classics.

Let’s get started!

Pictured: Kid Made Modern Ukulele Kit ($19.99, in-store only), Xhilaration Girls’ 1-Piece Ruffled Swimsuit ($14), Heart-Shaped Sunglasses ($5.99, in-store only), Girl’s Circo Hadison Flip Flop ($7.99).

We totally flipped when we saw this DIY Kid Made Modern Ukulele kit at Target. Inspired by Target’s Summer Up! color palette, we taped off the different sections and let the kids paint in-between the lines. We love the way it turned out and our kids double love playing the ukulele!

We live on a lake, so my kids basically stay in their swimsuits all summer long. Let’s face it—nobody has cuter swimsuits for kids than Target! We picked up the little blue number pictured above along with a pair of neon flip flops and heart-shaped shades for our six-year-old, Charlotte.

Pictured: Flour Sack Kitchen Towels ($4.99, set of 6, in-store only), Dispenser Bottles (in-store only).

Are you ready for the fail-proof, easiest method ever for making tie-dyes? If you’ve never made them before , you’ll thank us later when your hands aren’t covered in dye :)

First, mix the dye colors that you’d like to use in easy-to-pour containers (we used Rit dye for long-lasting color). We found the perfect flip-lid bottle at Target—the opening is just the right size for pouring measured amounts of dye onto the fabric.

We chose to use flour sack kitchen towels for the perfect sarong, scarf, or bandana, but you could use white cotton t-shirts as well (for the classic summer tee). Next, we found the center of the towel, pinched it in the middle, made three or four twists, and then tied it in a knot.

We followed by pouring the dye over the towel (don’t worrying about overlapping). Last but not least, we untied our creation and hung to dry in the cool summer breeze. That’s all there’s is to it!

Pictured: Threshold Vasaio Oval Platter ($14.99), Octopus Snack Cup ($2.99, in-store-only), Evergreen Splatter Dinner Plate ($16.14, set of 8), Spritz Disposable Straws.

Turn the tiny hands in your house into bakers! I had no problem baiting the kids to make this fresh catch. We used an easy-to-follow recipe and instructions from the super fab Cakes! magazine and bought all of the necessary supplies in the grocery department of our local Target.

Pictured: Drink Dispenser (in-store only), Spritz Disposable Straws ($1.99), Evergreen Splatter Dinner Plate ($16.14, set of 8).

Everyone needs a great summer punch recipe, and this incredibly easy and yummy orange dream summer punch fits the bill perfectly. All you need are three ingrediants and you’re on your way to thirst-quenching bliss.

We popped a fun straw that we picked up at Target through the center of an orange slice for an added touch of fun. The kids can pop the orange slice into their mouth to make orange lips once they’re finished :)

Orange Dream Summer Punch Recipe
Adapted from Allrecipes. Makes 30 (4 ounce) servings.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 gallon orange sherbert
• 1 (6 ounce) can frozen orange juice concentrate
• 1 (2 liter) bottle ginger ale

Directions:

Place sherbet and frozen orange juice concentrate in a punch bowl. Allow to thaw for 10 to 15 minutes and then stir in ginger ale. Enjoy!

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This summer inspiration is brought to you by Target. Find more fun and surprises all season long on Target’s #SummerUp Pinterest board. Link to: http://pinterest.com/target/summerup