4th of July Craft Ideas For Kids

Fourth of July is a great time to break out the crafting supplies. Kids of every age level can participate in making festive crafts that celebrate Independence Day and they can even gift them as Fourth of July gifts afterwards!. Here are some ideas you might try.

There are so many variations on the decorative t-shirt. You can make them for every holiday. But for the very special 4^th of July version, consider having kids paint their shirts with eagles, the symbol of American independence. Or you can have them do red, white, and blue top hat motifs on their shirts in honor of Uncle Sam.

Get some t-shirt paints from the craft store and have white t-shirts at the ready. Place a piece of cardboard between the front and the back of the t-shirt so the paint doesn’t soak through. Then, have kids add their own brand of uniqueness to the designs of their shirts. You can have foam stampers at the ready so kids with less dexterous hands or patience can make their shirts look lovely, too.

Another option when decorating t-shirts is to tie-dye them. Fourth of July lends itself well to tie-dying because it’s such a fun thing to do and the results are so colorful.

Prepare shirts by tying rubber bands around sections. Any section that has a rubber band will remain white (or the original color of the shirt).

Use white t-shirts for best results. You’ll want a contrast between the undyed and the dyed portions.

Next, get a few five gallon buckets from the hardware store. Fill them with hot water. Add in red dye to one bucket, and blue dye to another.

Follow the dye package instructions for how much dye to use. It’s best to use a dye intended for fabrics such as Rit.

The crafts store will have a few types to try. Find them in the shirt decorating aisle. While you’re there, you might also grab some apron or hat blanks so you can dye those as well.

Dip the t-shirt (or whichever item you’re dying) into the vat. Adults should supervise as the water may still be hot. Dip in as much as you’d like on one area of the shirt. Then, using rubber gloves, wring out the shirt so there’s no dripping.

Turn the shirt to the next portion and dip into the next color dye vat. It’s best not to dunk the whole shirt at once in one color as there won’t be much contrast. You’ll end up with a purple shirt if you mix all red and then all blue by dunking fully in both vats. It’s cute, but not exactly red, white, and blue.

After the shirts have been wrung out, allow them to dry in the sun. Don’t unband the rubber bands, as they are needed to ensure the white parts of the shirts stay white. When the shirts feel dry to the touch, you can undo the rubber bands and lay the shirts out to dry the rest of the way.

This is a fun craft to do with kids of all ages. The results are almost immediate (except for drying time) and they can wear their creations proudly in the Fourth of July parade or just at the family barbecue.

Is it too rainy or cold outside to attempt a messy craft? Then don't underestimate the power of making cookies and then assembling Independence Day cookie gift baskets! Kids always love to help in the kitchen, so why not make a festive dessert that you can all enjoy?

Here are a couple recipes that will be well worth the efforts:

• Berry-Topped Cookie Stars Recipe
• Double Dip Sugar Cookies

Now get out there and have some fun! Enjoy the holiday and celebrate your country's freedom.