Don’t you love it when 4th of July decorations are easy to assemble? The red, white, and blue color scheme is a no-brainer, even if you do it yourself. Plus, your kids can help make all the patriotic flare.
You only get one day to transform your space into a patriotic wonderland, so to stay on budget and keep the kids busy, handmade crafts are the thing to do. From craft glue and clothespins to painter’s tape and those famous red party cups, we’ve got some useful tips. Plus, most of these crafts can be used again next year.
Get inspired with our 4th of July kids’ crafts to keep them busy. Since crafts need supplies, browse KCL’s Amazon, Michaels, and Dollar Tree coupon pages to see how you can save.
1. Decorate your table with an edible centerpiece using candy.
2. Use ribbon and an embroidery hoop to make a wind sock.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- six-inch embroidery hoop
- patriotic ribbon
- hot glue and a glue gun
- rope or cord
- swivel lobster clasp
- scissors
- Cut your ribbon to varying lengths, then use a dab of hot glue to attach each ribbon to the solid inner ring of the embroidery hoop.
- Once the ribbons are attached, string two pieces of rope or cord through the lobster clasp, and glue the ends evenly around the hoop.
- Attach the outer hoop and tighten it into place securing the ribbon and cord while giving your wind sock a finished look!
3. Make custom American flag lighting with Mason jars and Mod Podge.
4. Create an American flag clothespin wreath as a decoration for your front door.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- 12-inch box wreath frame
- clothespins
- red, white, and blue spray paint
- wooden stars
- white craft paint
- foam paint brushes
- rubber gloves
- string or ribbon (for hanging your finished wreath)
- Spray paint your clothespins by attaching them to the flaps of a cardboard box. I used three boxes — one for each color — then set them aside to allow the pins to fully dry.
- Paint the box wreath frame blue to match your theme.
- While the clothespins and wreath frame dry, use white craft paint and a foam brush to paint the wooden stars.
- Once your pieces are fully dry, you can begin assembly. Start by clipping one pin to the two center “bars,” or bar two and three of the frame. Then, place the next pin on the two bars closest to the center of the frame, or bars three and four.
- Use a hot glue gun to attach the white stars to the blue clothespins, and hang it with a wreath hook or ribbon.
5. Use paper straws to make 4th of July kids’ crafts — red, white, and blue jewelry.
Jewelry making is usually fun, but if you need more options, there are other easy and fun summer activities for kids.
6. Decorate your driveway and sidewalk with red and blue stars.
7. Create a flag photo backdrop for your social media pictures.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- long wooden dowel (48 inches will do)
- red, white, and blue felt
- fabric scissors
- white craft paint
- wooden stars
- hot glue and a glue gun
Directions:
- Begin by cutting varying width stripes of red and white fabric.
- Tie one end of the fabric to the wooden dowel (alternating between red and white to create your stripes.)
- Using white craft paint, paint the wooden stars, and hot glue them to a rectangle of blue fabric.
Use safety pins to attach the blue star-covered fabric to the red and white fabric, then hang it on a wall or fence.
8. Assemble a giant tic-tac-toe game in your backyard.
First, use painter’s tape to create stars and stripes on your wooden X’s and O’s.
Check out more cheap and fun backyard games for kids.
9. Make a rustic American flower pot using paint and stickers.
Here’s what you’ll need for this 4th of July decoration:
- terra-cotta flower pot
- painter’s tape
- star-shaped stickers
- red, white, and blue craft paint
- Plaster of Paris (for making DIY chalk paint)
- plastic cups, spoons for mixing paint
- foam brush
To make DIY chalk paint, mix one cup of acrylic craft paint with four tablespoons of Plaster of Paris and two tablespoons of warm water.
Paint the bottom stripes red, leaving the stripe at the top for blue paint. Once the red paint is dry, place star-shaped stickers around the top, and paint over them with the blue paint.
Plant your favorite summer flowers and enjoy.
10. Use red, white, and blue rice for a festive 4th of July kids’ craft.
Using your hands, mix and smoosh the rice with food coloring in the bags. Poor the red rice first, then white (uncolored rice) and then blue into Mason jars. Top it off with a tea light or sparklers.
11. Make twirlers out of red and blue Solo cups.
Use a hole punch to make a hole through each strip.
12. Use bandanas from the dollar store to wrap utensils.
13. Make red, white, and blue string lights with yarn.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- water balloons
- Vaseline
- gloves
- red, white, and blue yarn
- white school glue
- water
- rope or twine (to hang the wet balloons while drying)
- string lights
- wire
- Cover each balloon in Vaseline to prevent the glue from drying onto the balloon.
- Then, pour white school glue into a disposable container and gradually stir in a little water (you don’t want too much water — the goal is just to thin out the glue a little bit).
- Cut off the desired length of yarn, and coil it around your hand before adding it to the glue.
- Cover the yarn in glue then wring it out to remove the excess.
- Gently wrap the yarn around the Vaseline-covered balloon, and when you’ve achieved your desired pattern, use clothespins to hang your balloons from string to dry.
14. Use star garland as 4th of July decorations for your utensil containers.
15. String up your own patriotic garland.
