50 Easy 4th of July Crafts for Kids

We love these tissue paper pom poms that you can make with a preschooler (and even tinier tots can shake ’em to their heart’s content). No kids on the guest list this Fourth of July? No problem—this effortless craft is just as good for grown-ups that want to add a little holiday spirit without a huge hassle.

Fly this DIY flag at full mast on Independence Day because it’s downright beautiful. Delicate lace, colorful fabric and ribbon form a perfect union in this easy-to-replicate piece of shabby chic Americana. Grab your supplies and spend a breezy summer day sewing together a flag full of vintage charm.

Give the stars and stripes a subtle aquatic-themed makeover this summer. The starfish detail is darn cute and a perfect touch if you’re celebrating this holiday on a sandy beach (or if you wish you were). Best of all, this straightforward painting project has staying power since it’s made from wood, so you can bust it out at fourth of July celebrations for years to come.

Salt painting is such a simple way to incorporate sensory play and creativity into a single craft. This particular project allows kids to create colorful fireworks on a piece of paper, and the finished product is a festive work of art that’s fit for the fridge.

Let’s be honest, hosting a fourth of July celebration requires considerable effort. Fortunately, you can make chic table decor without breaking the bank (or your back). Chintzy disposable champagne flutes, tissue paper, and a few dollar store steals are the only materials needed to complete this quick and easy 4th of July craft—and the resulting picnic table decor is surprisingly pretty.

For the love of country, craft your own party favors. These parade sticks are the ideal accessory when it’s time to wave something in the air at your fourth of July celebration—and you’ll be pleased as punch because you’re a magician who needed nothing more than a hole puncher, colored duct tape and a tinfoil tube to make it happen.

Presenting a centerpiece that looks good and may even be a bigger hit with guests than that bucket of fried chicken you bought for the backyard feast (especially with younger groups). Stock up on M&M’s and pick a few fresh flowers for this fancy looking but foolproof patriotic craft.

Leave the door open to Independence Day cheer by adorning it with a red, white and blue wreath. You’ll have to pay a visit to the local craft store to pull this one off but once you have your wired burlap ribbon, all you need to do is pop open a bottle of wine (the cork will come in handy to make a star stamp) and watch how quickly your star-spangled craft comes together.

The main event doesn’t start until it's dark, so be sure to have a little mood lighting ready while you wait. The materials are easy to find for this painted mason jar craft and the final product will look lovely on your patio. Plus, if you scoop up some citronella tea lights then these beauties will even help keep the bugs at bay.

Wear your patriotism on your sleeve with a T-shirt decorating craft that’s fun for kids and adults alike. With a few artsy supplies and a blank cotton canvas, you can create a wearable work of art for the whole family and ring in the fourth of July with style.

You thought parenthood meant you’d never spend another afternoon flipping through magazines in the sun, but you were wrong. Good news: you can do exactly that while helping your kid make this festive mosaic flag. Even if you don’t direct the craft from the comfort of a patio chair, the creative process will hone valuable skills (like spatial reasoning and scissor grip) as your budding artist honors her homeland with an exploration of color patterns and aesthetics.

In our opinion, the best type of craft is the one you can eat. And this one isn’t just delicious but is also beautiful, to boot (with no complicated steps or baking required). Bonus: You can prepare it in advance of your celebration. We recommend adding a few candles for an extra-festive touch.

When it comes to party decorations, a pennant banner is a must—and this homemade version promises to bring out both the patriot and artist within. All you have to do is paint some burlap and enlist the help of your hot glue gun for festive stars and stripes you can string up wherever you wish.

If you’ve ever made the mistake of trying an ambitious craft with a little kid then you’ll appreciate this toddler-friendly project. (We too have felt that pain.) Perk up with something caffeinated and then grab a stack of coffee filters and some pigment—you’re ready to paint a patriotic bouquet with your babe.

If there was a party without any hats, did the fete even happen at all? We suggest you play it safe and make this absurdly cute American flag top hat with your mini. Preschoolers can handle the painting while you jerry-rig the headband. The end result? An Independence Day chapeau that looks so snazzy, it deserves a celebration of its own.

Any craft that starts with a leftover pizza box is right up our alley, and this pony bead flag project is the bee’s knees when it comes to crafting with kids. Fine motor skills get a run for their money and that bottle of Elmer’s glue will get a work out too (which is half the fun for little ones).

A DIY accessory with humble roots—this fashionable and festive cuff will jazz up your Fourth of July, and you don’t need to be a crafting pro to sport this sparkling summer bling. Actually, all you need is a toilet paper tube, construction paper, glue and glitter—so depending on the age of your child and how serious you are about the finished bracelet, this project is perfectly kid-friendly to boot.

Get crafty in the kitchen and whip up an edible work of art. The recipe is a piece of cake (erm, brownie) and kids can get in on the patriotic decorating fun—as long as they’re old enough to resist the temptation to eat the red white and blue, that is.

The lead-up to the fireworks display can be excruciating, but none suffer the wait worse than the younguns. Definitely start off by encouraging patience, but when that fails just keep your kid busy with this simple rocket craft. First collect your materials: construction paper, glitter glue and a toilet paper tube. (What luck, your toddler shredded a whole roll this morning!) Then, enjoy a crafting experience that promises to make the evening easier for all parties.

Don’t toss out your kids popsicle sticks this summer. Instead, save them up for this patriotic craft. (But don’t worry if you already disposed of them—you can purchase craft sticks online.) You’ll also need some Mod Podge, paint and wooden stars to complete the red, white and blue look.

Kids will love working on this summer craft almost as much as they’ll love seeing the finished project decorate the porch, patio or garden. With just a couple of basic craft supplies (construction paper, crepe paper, ribbon and tape) plus some star stickers, you’ll keep little hands happily occupied with this patriotic activity.

An understated and decidedly chic take on patriotism, these Independence Day headbands are designed for kids, but they’re so stylish even a grown-up would want to wear ‘em. Home Ec drop-outs take note: You don’t have to be a seamstress to get an updated Rosie the Riveter look—there’s a hot glue gun hack so you can make this headband without a sewing machine.

This one requires a fancy crafting tool—an electronic cutting thingamajig—but you might be able to wing it without one. Either way, the end result is a star-spangled pouch that will look oh-so pretty holding cutlery for your Fourth of July feast. Plus, when the festivities are winding down, this place setting can double as a goodie bag for the kids in attendance.

You can give a dollar store candy dish a patriotic makeover with little more than tissue paper and sparkly mod podge. Beginners can tackle this project with ease, and older kids can absolutely get in on the craft as well.

This craft relies on a color-bleeding technique that’s super cool and fun for little kids—and incredibly simple, too. All you need is a stack of paper coffee filters and a few (red, white and blue) washable markers and a spray bottle for an art project that will inspire oohs and aahs throughout the process. The end result is a heart-shaped patriotic masterpiece that your kid will be proud to show off on Independence Day.

Another adorable, wearable craft that features red, white and blue bandanas—and for this no-sew, no-glue hair accessory, that’s just about all you need. Indeed, this festive ponytail holder couldn’t be easier to put together since the project involves nothing more than cutting strips of fabric and tying knots. (Hint: That means it’s also an excellent opportunity for kids to hone their fine motor skills.)

Like fireworks themselves, this firework pop-up toy is a favorite for all kinds of celebratory occasions, and the design is completely customizable. Even really little kids can get in on decorating the prop with patriotic accents, while slightly older ones can help with the (very straightforward) funnel-and-streamer construction. Plus, pretty much anyone will appreciate how this art project springs into action once the party gets started.

Chances are the young people in your life don’t need much help when it comes to generating noise, but the ‘making’ part of this craft is particularly rewarding. Kids of all ages will enjoy working with paint, glitter or any other supplies you have on hand to decorate these paper towel tube noise makers, and the sound effects—courtesy of dried pasta or anything else you can rattle and shake—contribute to a complete (and completely awesome) sensory experience.

No matter how you plan to dress your toddler or preschooler for the occasion, you’d be wise to complete the ensemble with some festive baubles. Here, an exceedingly easy 4th of July craft that consists of stringing cut-up pieces of patriotic drinking straws on thread to make a necklace that’s, well, stinkin’ cute. Bonus: If your kid gets in on the jewelry-making process, her fine motor skills will get a major boost, too.

Let’s be honest, when you’ve got little kids, you just can’t be too precious about your holiday crafts. Enter, the footprint flag—an art project that fulfills every toddler’s dream, (i.e., to have paint all over their body), whilst producing something festive and cute. By all means, protect your furniture or take the project outside—but once you’re all set up, you’ll be amazed by the patriotic masterpiece those little tootsies can create. (Aw.)

All your Fourth of July guests will be admiring this attractive piece of decor...and no one will suspect it’s really just a dollar store craft. Yup, ordinary clothespins make quite a patriotic statement here—and if you spring for non-toxic paint, the young ones in your life can easily get in on the creative process.

For patriotic, but understated decor, try this one on for size: A blank canvas, a clothesline and some cut-out stars combine to achieve a minimalist (yet still festive) aesthetic. Kids are less likely to be entertained by this craft, but it’s definitely easy to execute and the finished product has a certain je ne sais quoi.

In case you needed more proof that empty toilet paper tubes have limitless crafting potential, this simple art project involves transforming one into a firework stamp that kids of all ages can use to create a colorful and oh-so festive masterpiece with acrylic paint.

Sidewalk chalk, a summertime staple for the little kid crowd, gets a star-spangled makeover with this easy DIY project. Only a few basic ingredients are required to pull off this patriotic homemade chalk (think: plaster of Paris and tempera paint) and the payoff is big—namely because the store-bought stuff is old hat compared to chalk that was made from scratch.

Younger kids will need a grown-up to prep the craft, since we suspect that hollowing out a raw egg is too delicate a task for preschoolers. That said, the rest of the project—dyeing eggs, turning tissue paper into confetti and smashing the finished product into pieces—is a preschooler’s dream.

Here, a budget-friendly and patriotic art project that leaves plenty of room for creativity and minimal mess. Best of all, the straightforward crafting process is an excellent way for little kids to practice their scissor skills whilst creating attractive window decor for the occasion.

Head to the dollar store to score some red, white and blue streamers for this exceedingly easy craft that requires nothing else but a star template and a pair of scissors. Bonus: Kids will get a fine motor skill boost from both the tracing and cutting steps of the process.

Basic office supplies, acrylic paint and string are all you need to pull off a patriotic purse that your kid will be pleased to make and proud to sport. And really, what could be better than a budget-friendly paper plate craft that yields a festive fashion accessory?

Red, white and blue scraps of ribbon get tied to string to make a display-worthy garland. As for the crafting process, it’s so easy even a toddler can do it—and it just so happens to be an excellent way to keep little hands occupied, too.

These patriotic star wands are pure magic—namely because kids of all ages will have just as much fun frolicking around with them during the celebration as they will making them from felt, ribbon and wooden dowels. (Psst: This one does require a hot glue gun, so adult supervision is required.)

Another festive form of mood lighting that’s perfect for a backyard bash—these eye-catching firecracker candles are a kid-friendly craft and a cinch to make with nothing more than mod podge and paper napkins from the dollar store.

Grab a kid to help put together and decorate these festive rockets—the process involves nothing more than cutting, pasting and painting—and then hang them around the yard as windsocks, so the crepe paper streamers can blow in the summer breeze.

These patriotic foam pinwheels are so easy to make that once your little one gets a hang of the folding technique, you can work together to churn out enough of ‘em to fill an outdoor space. (You know, because a single pinwheel is just ‘meh,’ but a bunch of them can make an impression.)

Here, another project that yields a pretty and oh-so patriotic piece of table decor that a kid could easily put together—namely because the process involves nothing more than stuffing some dollar store basket shred in a mason jar with a pinwheel and calling it a day. Despite the simplicity of the craft, kids will enjoy the hands-on activity and the opportunity to make it look just right, while parents will likely appreciate that this one is entirely mess-free.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, paper tubes can make crafting dreams come true. This time, the household staple is upcycled to create a realistic-looking American flag that kids can help paint and embellish before toting around with pride.

If you’re looking to create an American flag that’s seriously cool (and not kind of snoozy), this craft fits the bill. Kids can spend hours flipping through magazines for the right images to fit the colors of the flag and the creative process is really well-suited to any budding artist who’s old enough to use scissors. (And, as previously suggested, the finished flag is a downright feast for the eyes.)

Mason jar crafts reliably yield an eye-pleasing and display-worthy finished product, and this festive project is no exception. Best of all, the decoupage art can be done any which way, provided you stick to the three requisite colors, so it leaves plenty of room for creativity, too.

Score some patriotic paper straws and pull some cardboard out of the recycling and you have almost everything you need to craft this unique American flag. Since the only other materials required are scissors and school glue, and the assembly is pretty straightforward, it’s safe to say that any kid who is old enough to cut and paste is capable of pulling this one off.

This STEM craft is designed to teach kids about density by using oil, water and food coloring to wonderful effect. The end result? A nod to the highlight of the holiday’s festivities.and an eye-catching work of art that will stay suspended in the jar for years to come—provided it doesn’t get too jostled, that is.

Crepe paper, tag board and Mod Podge is all you need for this inexpensive craft, which comes together quickly and is so easy that even a kindergartener can accomplish it. Best of all, the finished flag is large enough to be displayed for a decoration that makes a bold, patriotic impression.