When the weather heats up, nothing says summer like juicy watermelon, and these Watermelon Day activities are the perfect way to celebrate. Whether planning a themed day or looking for seasonal fun, these ideas will keep kids happy, learning, and engaged.
From sensory play to simple crafts, there’s something for every interest and age. Best of all, many projects sneak in skill-building along the way. For even more warm-weather inspiration, check out our summer crafts for kids. Any sunny day is an excellent day for watermelon fun.
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Watermelon Day Ideas
Best of all? You don’t need fancy supplies or hours of prep time. Most of these ideas use stuff you’ve already got on hand. Ready to dive in? You’ll find silly games, quiet-time activities, and even some learning tools tucked into the mix.
Watermelon Slime Recipe
Mix up a batch of watermelon slime for squishy summer fun. This easy recipe uses basic ingredients like school glue and saline solution, tinted a juicy pink, and sprinkled with black glitter "seeds" to look like a watermelon. Kids will go wild stretching and squishing this fruity-themed slime!
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www.fantasticfunandlearning.com
Watermelon Sponge Painting
Who knew you could paint with a kitchen sponge? In this fun activity, kids dip sponge pieces (cut into watermelon shapes) into paint and stamp out a page full of juicy watermelon slices. They even use their fingertips to dot on black seeds, turning art time into playtime.
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kidsactivitiesblog.com
Paper Plate Watermelon Suncatchers
Brighten up the window with a watermelon paper plate suncatcher. Kids paint a paper plate edge green for the rind, then stick on pink tissue paper squares and little black paper "seeds" to make the fruity center. Hang the finished slice in the sunlight and watch it glow.
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Easy Watermelon Craft
Bring a splash of summer fun to craft time with this adorable watermelon activity! It’s quick, simple, and perfect for kids to make with just a few basic supplies. Grab the free template and get started on this sweet seasonal project today!
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abcsofliteracy.com
Watermelon Beginning Sound Puzzles
Each of these puzzles looks like a watermelon slice cut in two. One half shows a letter, and the other has a picture that starts with that letter's sound. Kids match the halves to complete each slice, practicing their beginning letter sounds while playing a simple matching game.
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gluesticksgumdrops.com
Watermelon Paper Plate
Turn a plain paper plate into a slice of watermelon. Cut a plate in half, paint the middle red and the outer rim green (leaving a white stripe in between), and add black spots for seeds. It's an easy summer art that looks good enough to eat!
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parentingchaos.com
Homemade Watermelon Play Dough
You can even make play dough smell like watermelon! This easy recipe uses a packet of watermelon drink mix (like Kool-Aid) to give the dough a sweet, fruity scent and a bright pink color. The result is a soft, squishy dough that kids will love molding and squeezing.
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www.projectswithkids.com
Watermelon Painted Rocks
Turn ordinary rocks into adorable watermelon slices. Kids paint smooth stones a juicy pink, add a green rind along the edge, and dot on a few black seeds. The finished watermelon rocks make cute decorations and are a fun little blend of art and nature.
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www.craftymorning.com
Puffy Paint Watermelon
Make a cool 3D watermelon painting using homemade puffy paint. Kids mix shaving cream and glue to make fluffy paint, then spread it on paper in a watermelon slice shape. They dab on black paint for seeds, and when it dries, the paint stays puffed up and fun to touch.
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www.thebestideasforkids.com
Watermelon Handprint
Kids trade their handprints for a slice of watermelon in this cute art. They trace a hand on red paper and cut it out, glue a strip of green paper along the bottom for the rind, add a few black seeds, and finish with googly eyes and a smile. It's a precious keepsake that's super cute.
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www.fantasticfunandlearning.com
Torn Paper Watermelon
Kids make a watermelon collage by tearing red and green paper into pieces and sticking them onto a watermelon shape (green on the bottom, red on top). Then, they dip a fingertip in black paint to dot on a few seeds. It's a little messy but engaging.
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www.coffeecupsandcrayons.com
Watermelon Paper Plate
Here's a super simple watermelon activity using a paper plate. Kids paint the plate red with a green border for the rind, then add black seeds (they can paint them on or even glue real seeds!). It's quick, it's cute, and it's perfect for preschoolers.
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thekindergartenconnection.com
Paper Fan Watermelon
Help kids make a folding fan that looks like a watermelon slice. They paint a half-circle of paper, fold it accordion-style, and attach a popsicle stick as a handle. Now they have a working watermelon fan, and kids love using their art to beat the heat.
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www.craftsonsea.co.uk
Simple Watermelon Activity
This painting idea uses bubble wrap to create a fun watermelon texture. Kids brush pink paint on the bubble wrap and press it to paper for a dotted watermelon pattern. Then, they add a green stripe for the rind and a few black seeds. It's messy fun, and kids love it!
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thekindergartenconnection.com
Watermelon Counting Activity
This clever activity mixes counting practice with fine motor play. Kids have numbered watermelon paper slices and use their fingers or tweezers to place that number of "seeds" (like black beans) onto each slice. It feels like a simple game, but it helps them practice counting and build hand-eye coordination.
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booksandgiggles.com
Watermelon Name
Kids cut out a paper watermelon slice and write each letter of their name on a black paper "seed." Then, they glue the seeds on correctly to spell it out. It makes a cute summer decoration and sneaks in some letter practice.
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abcsofliteracy.com
Alphabet Sensory Bin
Turn alphabet practice into watermelon-themed sensory play. Fill a bin with watermelon-colored sensory fillers (like red and green rice or crinkled paper) and toss in plastic letters as "seeds." Kids will have a blast digging to find letters and practicing their ABCs through tactile play without realizing it.
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www.giftofcuriosity.com
Watermelon Oobleck
Mix up a batch of watermelon oobleck for some science-meets-sensory fun. Oobleck is a simple cornstarch-and-water goo that you can tint watermelon pink. Kids will have a blast getting messy with this odd liquid one moment and solid the next – a fascinating way to play!
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happytoddlerplaytime.com
Pom Pom Painted Watermelon
In this watermelon painting activity, kids trade brushes for pom-poms by clipping one to a clothespin to use as a paintbrush. They dab on a red semicircle with a green rind border, then use another pom-pom dipped in black paint to stamp the seeds—a fun and creative way to paint!
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www.livinglifeandlearning.com
Paper Plate Watermelon
A plain paper plate transforms into a slice of summer fun with some paint and imagination. Kids paint the rim green and the center red, then add black "seeds" with a marker or glued bits. The result is a cheery watermelon that boosts creativity and fine motor skills and looks good enough to eat!
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www.preschoolplayandlearn.com
Watermelon Squish Bag
A watermelon squish bag is an instant hit: squishy, squelchy, and completely mess-free. Fill a zip-top bag with dyed-red gel and a sprinkle of "seeds" (like buttons or beads), then seal it with green tape. Kids can trace letters or shapes on the squishy "watermelon" and enjoy an incredible sensory experience without any cleanup, making learning feel like play.
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www.momsandcrafters.com
Watermelon Fan
Beat the summer heat by creating an adorable handheld watermelon fan from paper. Kids cut and glued pink and green paper strips to make a watermelon pattern with drawn-on seeds. After some simple accordion folding, they'll have a working fan that's as cute as it is functional – perfect for keeping cool and showing off their art skills.
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littlebinsforlittlehands.com
Kusama-Inspired Watermelon Art
Bring a pop-art twist to art time with a Yayoi Kusama-inspired watermelon art project. Kids use a free printable to color a big watermelon picture in bold hues and cover it with lots of playful polka dots, just like Kusama's famous artworks. It's a simple coloring and cutting activity that feels like a mini art lesson, sparking creativity and introducing children to a renowned artist's fun style.
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frugalfun4boys.com
Watermelon Fine Motor Tray
Who knew a real watermelon could become a whole activity center? In this pack of fine motor adventures, kids scoop melon balls with a special spoon and thread them onto skewers to make fruity patterns, hammer golf tees into a watermelon rind like a pretend construction project, and even play with watermelon-scented play dough (using black beans as "seeds").It's a hands-on summer extravaganza that sneaks in skill-building (like hand strength and coordination) while the kids are having a blast.
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parentingchaos.com
Bubbly Watermelon Sensory Foam
Get ready for a bubbly surprise with watermelon sensory foam. With just dish soap, a bit of water, and red food coloring, you whip up a big batch of fluffy, watermelon-hued bubbles in a bin.Kids love swishing their hands through the frothy foam, which smells like watermelon candy – an entertaining, cool sensory activity that turns a summer scent into a touchable, sudsy adventure.
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www.preschoolplayandlearn.com
Alphabet Mat Printable
Make learning the ABCs extra sweet using a watermelon alphabet mat. This free printable features watermelon slice templates for each letter, and kids practice forming letters by placing little "seeds" (real watermelon seeds or counters) along the letter shapes.It's a cheerful, hands-on way for toddlers and preschoolers to explore uppercase and lowercase letters – perfect for summer theme learning without any pressure.
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funlearningforkids.com
Cover-Up Alphabet Game
Turn letter recognition into a fun game with a watermelon cover-up activity. Children get a colorful watermelon-themed letter mat and a handful of tokens (like buttons or paper seeds). It feels like a summery twist on bingo, keeping kids engaged as they happily practice their alphabet and phonics skills.
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taminglittlemonsters.com
Paper Plate Watermelon
Even preschoolers can proudly make a watermelon with this easy paper plate project. They paint a paper plate half with bright red and green to mimic a juicy watermelon slice, then press in dried black beans or pom-poms as the seeds while the paint is wet (or glue them on later).The result is a vibrant faux fruit to display—a simple project that lets toddlers and preschoolers paint, glue, and build their fine motor skills.
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www.123homeschool4me.com
Watermelon Life Cycle Spinner
Watch your child spin their way through science with a watermelon life cycle spinner. After printing the free template, kids color and cut out the pieces, then fasten them together with a brad. It's like an interactive story of nature that kids can hold in their hands, making learning about plants feel like playtime.
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homeschoolpreschool.net
The Watermelon Seed Book Activity
Extend the giggles and lessons from the beloved picture book The Watermelon Seed with companion activities.After laughing along with the story of the crocodile who swallows a seed, kids can explore playful printables – counting games with paper watermelon seeds, simple worksheets about how watermelons grow, and even a little exercise on compound words (since "watermelon" itself is two words in one).These activities blend storytelling with math and literacy practice, keeping the fun going and helping kids connect the book to the real world in a hands-on way.
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www.seaofknowledge.org
Watermelon-Themed Activities
Bring watermelon into learning time with engaging preschool activities covering names, counting, and ABCs. Kids can build their names by matching letters on printable watermelon slices to assemble a personal name puzzle—a lovely activity that doubles as a name recognition practice. It's a whole bushel of ideas that make early learning feel fresh, fruity, and fun.
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www.naturalbeachliving.com
Fizzy Sensory Science Play
Take a classic baking soda and vinegar volcano experiment, add a summertime twist, and get a watermelon volcano! The fizzing, bubbling reaction delights young scientists, and afterward, they can touch and play with the safe, fizzy foam.This sensory science activity is simple to set up and ends with squeals of joy—a perfect mix of education and entertainment on a warm day.
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organizedhomeschool.com
Watermelon Life Cycle Printable
Teach the life cycle of a watermelon with a fun printable pack that feels more like games than work. Through various mini-activities, kids will explore each growth stage—from seed to seedling to flowering vine to juicy watermelon.This multi-faceted activity set keeps children interested and helps them grasp science concepts in an age-appropriate, enjoyable way.
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littlebinsforlittlehands.com
Painted Rocks
Kids paint each rock with a green rind edge and a red center, then dot on black seeds, creating a watermelon-like lookalike. Once dry, these make entertaining kindness rocks—your child can leave their painted watermelons in parks or along trails for others to find.It's a creative art project that combines outdoor fun, creativity, and the joy of sharing smiles with the community.
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Sam is the crafter and founder of Simple Everyday Mom. She has been featured in Oprah Mag, Good Housekeeping, The Spruce Crafts, Country Living, The Bump and more. Read more.