Let’s make DIY wind chimes and awesome outdoor ornaments that are easy crafts to make with kids of all ages. We have the coolest collection of homemade wind chimes, sun catchers, outdoor wind spinners and whirligigs that look so pretty reflecting light and blowing in the breeze.
Wind Chimes & Other Things to Make to Hang Outside
When it comes to crafting with kids, I’m a pushover for an easy backyard ornament that we can hang from a tree branch or in a corner of the deck or patio especially for DIY wind chimes.
All of these outdoor decorations are easy to make, and each one is crafted from every-day items you can find around your home. That means it won’t cost you a thing to add some color and charm to a cozy corner of your backyard with a new set of homemade wind chimes, lovely suncatcher or homemade windsock.
Related: Christmas Dough Ornaments
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Wind Chimes You Can Make
Today, I’m sharing 21 of my favorite DIY Wind Chimes & Outdoor Ornaments to make with kids!
1. Homemade Tin Can Wind Chimes
Have the kids make a set of these colourful, musical wind chimes to hang from their playhouse or play structure! Homemade wind chimes have their own special sound when blowing in the breeze!
2. DIY Rainbow Wind Chimes
These vibrant rainbow wind chimes, hung from a branch in the backyard, will brighten up any outdoor play space!
Make a Colorful Suncatcher
3. Easy Bead Sun Catcher
This glass bead sun-catcher looks too pretty to be homemade, but it is! You’ll love how simple, inexpensive and quick it is to make! I love how suncatcher crafts that hang on the inside of your window to bring more colorful light inside.
More Easy Suncatchers Crafts for Kids
DIY Wind Chimes Made with Found Objects
4. Hanging Stick Stars
Use your favourite colours of raffia to make these simple Summer Stars. They look so pretty strung together decorating a covered patio or porch.
5. Homemade Sea Shell Wind Chimes
These gorgeous Sea Shell Wind Chimes can serve as a lovely momento of a summer beach holiday.
6. DIY Flower Suncatcher Wind Chimes
Jar lids! The light looks beautiful shining through this natural sun-catcher/wind chime. What a pretty way to preserve the beauty of your garden.
Unique Windchime Crafts for kids
7. DIY Recycled Water Bottle Suncatcher
The weight of the glass baubles cause these water bottle whirligigs to bounce and dance when a breeze finds them. They are outdoor wind spinners that kids can make them bounce too. Kids love learning to make a whirligig out of something you likely have a bunch of at home.
8. Dinner Time Wind Chime You Can Make
An old set of forks and spoons sound wonderful tinkling in the wind. You won’t believe how easy this upcycled cutlery wind chime is to make!
Make a Temporary Suncatcher with Ice
9. Winter Day Melting Suncatcher
One for winter! Any icy sun catcher can brighten up a little spot in the yard during those cold, bleak winter months.
Making an ice suncatcher is also something fun you could do in the summertime and keep it in the freezer until you want to watch it melt in the backyard.
DIY Wind Spinner Crafts
Make a WindSock
10. Homemade Tin Can Wind Sock
A tin can becomes a festive and patriotic wind sock! Change up the colours, and display it all year ’round as the perfect wind catcher!
Make an Outdoor Mobile
11. Make a Garden Mobile
Here’s another great recycled ornament to brighten your outdoor space: an easy garden mobile dripping in a rainbow of colours!
And My Favorite…Make Wind Spinners!
12. Outdoor Wind Spinners You Can Craft
These whimsical wind spinners were one of my favourite internet finds this year. They’re a cinch to make with a few repurposed household items and then before you know it…a crazy cool outdoor wind spinner!
More DIY Wind Spinner Ideas for Kids
13. DIY Water Bottle Outdoor Wind Spinner
I am so making this water bottle wind spinner! The process looks so fun and easy. I’ll bet it’s just a blur of colour when a breeze gets it going!
Make a Wind Can Instead of a WindSock
14. Recycled Can Windsock Wind Catcher
Turn a Pringles can into a windsock in a snap with this awesome windsock idea from Happy Hooligans. You’ll love simple way we attached the ribbons, and kids will love the creative, decorating process of this homemade wind chime.
Easy Wind Chimes You Can Make
15. Make a Recycling Bin Wind Chime
This recycled wind chime puts plastic lids of all shapes and sizes to good use. I love how bright and colourful this homemade wind chime is!
16. Preschool Tid Bits Wind Chime
Put together a bunch of household odds and ends and you’ll wind up with this whimsical wind chime to brighten up your backyard space.
17. DIY Colorful Key Wind Chime
Who doesn’t have a bunch of old, useless keys hanging around. This colourful key chime is a fabulous way to give them a new life!
Simple DIY Hanging Garden
18. Easy Hanging Garden DIY
And how about this a growing, living ornament! A Kokedama is a hanging garden made up of moss and small plants!
Kids Crafts That Make Wind Chimes
19. Upcycled CD Wind Chime Craft
Java and music lovers will appreciate this coffee can and cd wind chime! And you’ll appreciate that you won’t require any tools to put it together!
20. Melted Bead Suncatcher Mobile Wind Chime Idea
Have you melted pony beads yet? We have not, but when I saw this melted bead sun catcher I immediately put it on my must-do list! Another version of a melted bead suncatcher is here at Kids Activities Blog made outside on the grill.
21. Make a Painted Washer Wind Chime
Who knew a simple washer look so cheery? I just love this garden washer wind chime made from steel washers! I’ll bet this homemade wind chime sounds pretty too!
22. Wind Chime Craft from Beads
Follow our easy steps how to make beaded wind chimes that not only sound lovely in the breeze, but look beautiful hanging outside your home.
What are the best materials for DIY wind chimes?
The best materials for DIY wind chimes are things you can find around your house or in nature. Some good materials to use are seashells, colorful beads, old keys, bottle caps, and wooden or metal pieces. You can also use things like bamboo sticks or hollow metal tubes. Remember, it’s important to choose materials that are safe and won’t hurt anyone. Then, you can use string or wire to connect the pieces together and hang them from a stick or a hoop.
How do I hang DIY wind chimes securely?
- Make sure the string or wire is long enough to hang the wind chimes. If your string is too short, your chimes won’t move freely and might prevent the sound from the wind chimes.
- Attach the wind chimes to the string or wire using knots or clips.
- Find a good place to hang your wind chimes, like a tree branch or a hook.
- If you’re hanging the wind chimes indoors, you can use a hook or nail on a wall or ceiling.
How do I make wind chimes with recycled materials?
Make sure the materials you collect are safe to use. That means no sharp edges or things that could hurt you. Second, it’s a good idea to clean the materials before using them. That way, they are nice and clean for your wind chimes. Third, try to choose materials that can be recycled again if you decide to change or remove your wind chimes later on.
Wind Chimes You Can Buy
OK, we realize not everyone has time to make a wind chime craft or make one of these other outdoor ornaments. So, here are a few we love from Amazon.
More Outdoor Crafts & Recycling Fun from Kids Activities Blog
Which outside ornament, suncatcher or Wind Chime are you going to make first?
