There are all kinds of ways to celebrate Independence Day. An excellent way to spend quality time bonding with your kids is to make decorations together for the upcoming Fourth of July celebration. If you’re looking for inspiration to make crafts with children of all ages, from toddlers to teens, keep reading for some festive ideas!
Independence Day Craft Ideas for Toddlers
Many toddlers love crafts. Why not introduce them to the holiday this way? Here are some ideas for celebrating this Fourth of July with toddler crafts.
1. Patriotic Top Hats
Let your toddler sport this homemade hat proudly!
Supplies:
* White poster board
* Red and blue construction paper (large sheets)
* Scissors
* Glue and/or staples
* Pencil
Note – you can use white poster board instead of construction paper for the tube and the rim.
Directions:
Roll a piece of poster board into a tube and secure with glue or staples. Make sure the tube fits your toddler’s head.
Cut strips of red and blue pieces of construction paper, wrap them around the tube, and glue into place. Leave white between them so there will be red, white and blue stripes.
For the hat’s rim, lay a piece of poster board on a flat surface, and set the striped tube in the middle of it. Trace around the tube to make a circle. At four equal points around this circle, draw four square tab shapes facing into the ring. You will cut out this circle but leave the tabs. When you cut, don’t cut in from the sides; start in the middle.
Once the center circle is cut out, cut a larger circle around it – that’s the hat’s brim. You will have a large ring shape with tabs around the center circle. Set the striped top of the hat into the cut-out circle, and fold the flaps inward and glue them.
2. Patriotic Star Wand
Let your toddler pretend to make the fireworks happen with this “magic” wand.
Supplies:
12- to 18-inch wooden dowel in the thickness of your choice (1/2″ or 1/4″ works well)
White craft foam
Glitter glue in red, white and blue
Loose glitter in red or blue
White glue
Scissors
Directions:
Coat the dowel in white glue and roll in the glitter color or colors of your choice. Lay it aside to dry – a wax paper-covered tray should work.
While it’s drying, cut two equal star shapes from the white craft foam. You might want to use a pre-cut star pattern, or cut one star and use it as a pattern for the second.
Put white glue around one of the star’s five points, leaving a glue-free place between one set of points (this is where you will insert the dowel later). Lay the second star on top and lay flat to dry.
Decorate the stars with glitter glue, or with white glue and glitter sprinkled on. Once the stars are dry, carefully find the non-glued spot. Make sure the dowel will fit, then fill the area with glue and insert the dowel. Let dry overnight.
There are other crafts you can do, too. Think of star-spangled centerpieces for your table or picnic, or decorated cups to hold treats. And have fun!
Independence Day Craft Ideas for Teens
Crafts aren’t just for little kids! Teens can get in on craft-making, and it’s an excellent way to celebrate Independence Day with your teens. You have to move beyond the simple crafts of childhood, but there are all kinds of sophisticated and creative activities that teens can enjoy. Here are some ideas.
1. Necklaces
Boys and girls both wear necklaces, and they can also make great gifts for teens to give each other. Fabric necklaces are a way to make an accessory that is not necessarily gender-specific. Here’s how to do it.
Supplies:
A piece of old clothing or cloth, about 2 feet long and 1 inch thick.
Beads in Fourth of July colors and/or designs
Scissors
Needle-nosed pliers
Directions:
First, lay out your design of beads in a row. Then, fold the end of the fabric strip into a point and poke it through the beads. String them on the fabric in the order of your choice, using the pliers as needed. The beads will be tight on the cloth, so you can space the beads however you like. When you’re finished, tie the ends.
2. Bracelets
Use stretchy fabric and a smaller strip of cloth to make an Independence Day bracelet.
3. Headband
For a festive headband, your teen can make the above necklace using stretchy fabric that’s a bit wider, and with thicker beads.
4. Tote Bags
There are so many tote bag ideas for teens. You can use anything from duct tape to old tank tops to make a tote bag. Here is one idea for a patriotic tote bag for your teen to make using duct tape (the resulting waterproof tote can be used for the rest of the summer for trips to the pool or beach).
Supplies:
Duct tape (you’ll need about 20 yards) in blue, red, and silver (or white if you can find it)
Scissors
Directions:
What you’ll be doing is making duct tape “sheets” by attaching the sticky sides of multiple strips of duct tape. Begin by laying eight pieces of duct tape, 16 inches long, sticky-side-up on a table or clean floor. Make sure the strips overlap slightly. Repeat the procedure, but this time lay the pieces sticky-side-down onto the previous strips. When you’re finished, there won’t be any sticky part showing.
Do the same thing to make two duct tape sheets with rough edges.
Lay one sheet on top of the other, and trim the edges so that they are even equal squares.
Attach three edges of these squares using strips of duct tape folded over the edge. On the fourth side, which will be open, you can add a piece of duct tape on either side of the opening so that all four sides have a stripe.
For two handles, use a 20-inch piece of duct tape folded in half lengthwise, sticky-side-in. Then tape the ends of this folded strip to the inside of the bag’s opening.
If you like, cut decorations from colored duct tape and stick them to the outside of the bag.
