Where I live, school breaks for summer right around Memorial Day. That means, sometime near the second week in June, my kids begin their “I’m bored” mantra. If this sounds familiar, then do what I do, entertain your children by having them work on 4th of July craft projects. Not only will this help them stay entertained, but it will allow them to be part of the 4th of July festivities. When your children are part of the 4th of July party planning and decorating, the pride and satisfaction they gain will encourage them to understand what the 4th of July is all about.
Tips for Choosing and Planning 4th Of July Crafts for Kids
Keep it simple. If you want your children to feel successful and proud, make sure the craft project is appropriate for your child’s ability and age. Your child will lose interest quickly if the project is too difficult.
Don’t make it too simple. You should choose a project that you and your child do together. If you simply give them a craft task and then walk away, you are missing a golden opportunity to spend quality time with your children.
Prepare in advance. If there is any complex cutting or any step of the craft that requires great concentration, do it in advance. Kids will want to do much of the craft “by themselves.” If you do the parts they can’t in advance, you can avoid a conflict.
Shop at a craft store. Shopping at a large department store may be tempting, but craft stores often put seasonal items on deep discount. You will probably be able to get the best possible prices at a craft store.
4th of July Craft Idea – Craft Stick American Flag
This craft is a great idea for door hangers, table settings, or party invitations. It is very simple, and with the exception of the cutting, every step can be accomplished easily by a child.
Materials:
Craft sticks (popsicle sticks)
Craft glue
Paint brushes
Scissors or wire cutters
Red paint
Blue paint
White paint
Pre-cut wooden star shapes or star stickers
Step 1 – Prepare your craft sticks:
Have your child paint the craft sticks. He / she will need to paint 6 craft sticks red, 3 craft sticks white, and 2 craft sticks blue. If you are using wooden star shapes instead of star stickers, these should be painted white as well.
Step 2 – Cut your craft sticks:
With parent supervision, your child (or you) should cut two red craft sticks into 2 1/2″ lengths. On the blue sticks, you should cut 1 1/2″ away from the rounded edge; you will end up with four 1 1/2″ blue pieces with rounded edges.
Step 3 – Assemble the flag:
Lay out your 4 full length red and 3 white craft sticks in an alternating pattern. For best results, use a flat surface. You should end up with 7 sticks in the following order, red, white, red, white, red, white, and red. To hold your flag together, use the 2 1/2″ red pieces. Glue them to the flag perpendicular to the flag sticks. The short red pieces will serve as supports for the flag.
After your flag base dries, turn it over to the side without the red supports. In the upper left corner, glue the 4 blue pieces with the rounded side down. This will create the blue section of the flag. In the blue section, glue your wooden star cut-outs or adhere your star stickers.
4th of July Craft Idea – Red, White, Blue Hand Print Wreath
This is a great idea for a door wreath or table center piece. What makes this craft special is that you can personalize it every year as your children’s hands grow. You can use these wreaths to chronicle the passing of time. If you have created the Craft Stick American Flag, you can combine the two for a child’s patriotic masterpiece.
Materials:
Red construction paper
White construction paper
Blue construction paper
Craft Glue
Scissors
Ribbon or craft stick flag
Step 1 – Create your hand prints:
You will need 9 hand prints, 3 of each color. Simply trace your child’s hand on each color of construction paper, then carefully cut them out. If you have more than one child you can mix their hands on one wreath, or create a wreath for each child.
Step 2 – Create your wreath:
You will want to glue your hands together in a wreath shape with the fingers pointing out and the heal of the hands connected. If you are having trouble getting your wreath shape, you may want to get a small plastic lid (from a chip can or butter dish) to serve as a circle template.
After your wreath shape is made, tie a bow with the ribbon and secure it to the bottom. If you have created a craft stick flag, mount it in the center of the ribbon. Make sure to date the wreath and add a 4th of July welcome.
4th of July Craft Idea – Star Parade Wands
My family has a tradition of attending a 4th of July parade every year. My children love to wave flags and wands to celebrate. We create these star wands for them so that they can have a way to join in the festivities.
Materials:
Scissors
Craft glue
Red, white, and blue felt or construction paper
Red, white, and blue ribbon
3/8″ Dowels 18 – 24 inches long
Step 1 – Create your stars:
Using your felt or construction paper, create a series of concentric stars in various colors. Each wand should have two 6″ stars, two 4″ stars, and two 3″ stars. The pairs of stars that are the same size should be the same color. Each wand should have a different color pattern. I recommend creating a star template for each size star out of paper and using it as a guide.
Step 2 – Assemble the stars:
Using the craft glue, attach the 3″ star to the center to the 4″ star. Attach that star to the center of the 6″ star. You will end up with two matching star sets for each wand. Make sure them dry fully before you continue.
Step 3 – Assemble the wand:
Using the craft glue, sandwich a dowel in between a matching concentric star set. Take care to match the points of the star perfectly. When the stars are dry, tie ribbon to the dowels.
4th of July Craft Idea – Flag Fans
This is a great craft. Not only is it easy and fun, but it is also very practical. These fans are quite useful at keeping party guests or parade watchers as cool as possible in the hot 4th of July sun.
Materials:
Craft Glue
Scissors
Blue and white card stock paper
Paint stirrers
Sticker stars
Red craft tape (red painter’s masking tape works great)
Step 1 – Prepare your fan:
Cut your card stock paper into 8″ squares. You will need one white square and one blue square for each fan.
Step 2 – Create your fan:
Using craft glue, sandwich a paint stirrer in the center of the card stock. You will want to leave at least 5″ of paint stirrer stick out for a handle. Make sure to let them dry fully before you continue.
Step 3 – Decorate your fan:
On the blue side of the fan, attach star stickers in a pattern that resembles the American Flag. On the white side, use the red tape to create read and white stripe that resemble the stripes on the American Flag.
