5 Easy Fourth of July Crafts

Flags, fireworks, and barbecue -- oh my! The Fourth of July is exciting for the whole family, especially for children. Along with all the festivities, celebrate this Independence Day with your little ones by making these 5 easy Fourth of July crafts together.

Confetti Launchers

Photo Credit: Piikea Street

Materials:

• Toilet paper tube
• Glue stick
• Tissue paper, red, white, and blue
• 12-inch balloons
• Scissors
• Tape
• Construction paper, red, white, and blue

Instructions:

1. Apply glue to the outside of a toilet paper tube using a glue stick, and cover the tube with red, white, and blue tissue paper.
2. Knot the end of a 12-inch balloon, then cut it in half using scissors.
3. Wrap and tape the cut end of the balloon over one end of the toilet paper tube.
4. Cut red, white, and blue construction paper into small confetti pieces, and fill the toilet paper tube with the confetti.
5. Pull on the knotted end of the balloon and let it go to see the confetti fly.

4th of July Windsock

Photo Credit: I Can Teach My Child

Materials:

• Blue construction paper
• White tempera paint
• Paper plate
• Apple core
• Crepe paper streamers, red and white
• Glue stick
• Single hole punch
• Chenille stick

Instructions:

1. Lay a piece of blue construction paper flat on a table.
2. Pour white tempera paint onto a paper plate.
3. Dip the cut end of a sliced apple core into the paint, then stamp the paint on to the blue paper. Ideally, this will create white star shapes on the paper. Allow the paint to dry completely.
4. Cut strips of red and white crepe paper streamers to measure about 12 inches long.
5. Turn the blue paper upside down, and glue the streamers along one of the long edges of the paper using a glue stick.
6. Glue both of the short edges of the paper together, curling the paper over to create a cylinder.
7. Slightly bend a chenille stick to create a handle.
8. Punch out two holes from the top edge of the cylinder, and bend the ends of the chenille stick handle around the holes.
9. Hang up the 4th of July windsock by the chenille stick handle.

Patriotic Suncatcher Stars

Photo Credit: Mom Inspired Life

Materials:

• Coffee filters
• Tray
• Droppers
• Watercolor paint, red and blue
• Scissors
• Tape

Instructions:

1. Flatten out a coffee filter, and place it on to a flat surface.
2. Place the coffee filter inside of a tray or cookie sheet.
3. Fill droppers with watercolor paint, one red and one blue.
4. Drip the paint over the coffee filter until you've colored the entire surface. Allow the coffee filter to air dry completely.
5. Cut out a star from the coffee filter with scissors, then tape the star on to a window.

Patriotic Spirit Wand

Photo Credit: Buggy and Buddy

Materials:

• Small screw eye
• Wooden dowel, 1/4-inch in diameter
• Fabric ribbons, red, white, and blue
• Scissors

Instructions:

1. Gently twist a small screw eye into one end of a wooden dowel measuring 1/4-inch in diameter.
2. Cut pieces of patriotic fabric ribbon using scissors. Make the ribbon lengths as long or as short as you prefer.
3. Insert each piece of ribbon through the screw eye and knot it. Add on as many ribbons as you like.

Eraser-Stamped 4th of July T-Shirt

Photo Credit: Cutesy Crafts

Materials:

• Freezer paper
• Scissors
• White cotton t-shirt
• Iron
• Sheet of cardboard
• Fabric paint, red and blue
• Paper plate
• Pencil with unused eraser

Instructions:

1. Draw a star on to a piece of freezer paper, and cut it out with scissors.
2. Arrange the star on the center of a white cotton t-shirt with the shiny side facing down.
3. Iron the star into place, then allow the area to cool completely.
4. Insert a sheet of cardboard in between the layers of the t-shirt.
5. Pour red and blue fabric paint on to a paper plate.
6. Dip an unused eraser end of a pencil into the paint, then stamp the paint on to the t-shirt around the star. Continue stamping until the area around the star is covered in dots.
7. Allow the paint to dry completely, then remove the freezer paper star to reveal the beautiful patriotic design.

Along with these 5 easy July 4th crafts, why not make a delicious dessert to go with them, like these 4 indulgent oh so easy chocolate dessert recipes.