Kool-Aid Fireworks

Here's a quick and fun craft for Independence Day. You'll need Kool-Aid, Q-tips, a spray bottle filled with water, and thick white paper. We used construction paper, but it curled when it got wet so card stock paper might be better.

I chose red and blue Kool-Aid for the holiday, but any colors would look great. First you take pinches of Kool-Aid powder and drop them on your paper in small mounds.

Then you use a Q-tip to spread the powder out into several small lines.

Just start in the center and pull it out. Add a slight curve to the line to make it resemble a firework bursting. Then spray your paper with water from about a foot or two away. The colors burst to life! (Pun intended.)

The more water you use, the more it will blend and dissolve so it's up to you how much you want to use. I don't like using a lot because the powder gives it some texture. I have a mixed age-group in my care so for the older ones (3 and 4 years), I told them to try to make the bursts. They did great!

This was after one spray:

This was after two:

I ended up doing about four sprays, making sure all the powder got wet.
For the younger child (2 years old), I just let him sprinkle the Kool-Aid on his paper and then I sprayed it with water. Still cool!

And it smells great! But it will stain the fingers, so keep that in mind. Because it's made with Kool-Aid and it's summer, this isn't a project you want to hold on to for long. It's sticky and ants will be sure to find it. So enjoy it for awhile and then toss.

Here are some other projects we made with Kool-Aid!
Kool-Aid Art
Kool-Aid Rainbows

Footprint Rocket Pop

I'm sharing a super easy, super fast, super cute craft with you! And just in time for the Fourth of July! Do you remember Rocket Pops? I know they are still around today, but I haven't had them since I was a little kid. We would always get one when we visited the museums in Chicago. They were sold from sidewalk carts outside the buildings. Great memories! My daughter hasn't had one yet, so we made a craft instead. I painted her foot red, white and blue.

I made a print on white paper, so I probably didn't have to use white paint. I could have just left the middle of the foot unpainted. Once it was dry, I cut it out and taped a craft stick to the back. So simple!

My daughter has high arches, so I didn't cut around the foot exactly. I made it a little wider in the middle. I like that it has almost the same shape as a rocket pop, plus the toes remind me of it dripping as it melts!

July Fourth Party Shakers

I really don't know what to call these things, but this is how we made them. (These are similar to our Pom Poms from last summer with a little added "bling.")
You need contact paper and either construction paper or regular paper. Because we were making ours for Independence Day, I chose red, white and blue construction paper. I also found some star garland at the dollar store, but it isn't necessary.

Cut some of the paper into 1/4-inch strips, or use a paper shredder if you have one. Save some paper to cut directly in half. And cut the contact paper to be the same width as the regular paper. If using garland, cut that into strips as well. Take off the cover of the contact paper and stick on the strips of paper and garland.

The more you use, the better it will look, in my opinion. But don't fill it up completely. You need to leave some of the contact paper open so it can stick to the half-sheet of paper, which is the next step -- flip the contact paper over and stick it to the paper.

Then you just roll it up and tape it closed!

We took ours on a walk, along with some red, white and blue musical instruments, so it was like a little parade!

Neon Fireworks

Here is a fun Fourth of July project that's easy enough for the little ones. I bought some neon paint at Michaels and brought in my Martha Stewart crystal glitter.

I put small blobs of paint on black construction paper and the kids used a Q-tip to spread the paint from the center of the blob outward.

They could make it look like a starburst or curve the lines a bit to make it look more like a firework. This was much easier than when the kids made them with a glue bottle. They have more control with the Q-tip.

As pretty as they are just like that, they needed a little sparkle. I didn't want to cover up the neon colors so we sprinkled on some clear glitter.

Beautiful, right?

Once dry, I hung them in the hallway.

If you don't have neon paint, you could use glue and spread it with a Q-tip. Then just sprinkle colored glitter on top!
Have a wonderful and safe Independence Day!

Patriotic Collages

Today's art project really needs no introduction. Keeping with our Independence Day theme, I went through all my art supplies and got out the red, white and blue ones.

Then I set out red, white and blue paper and some glue bottles. The kids made collages!

I think we'll have to do collages more often. It's easy on me, the kids enjoy it, and it's great fine motor practice!

Another Glittery Firework Display

Last year we made the typical glitter fireworks, using black paper, glue and glitter. I loved it. The kids loved it. But I wanted to try something different this year. It didn't really work like I had hoped, but I'm sharing it anyway. It all started when I saw this wonderful painting made with cut straws over on Putti's World. But instead of using paint, we used glue. I cut the straws at one end into 4 strips. The kids dipped them in glue and dabbed their paper with the straw.

I was hoping it would make little starbursts, but it didn't. The straw strips were too flimsy. But the kids didn't seem to care at all! They just happily poured the glitter on the glue.

We got some pretty art and the kids were very proud about their fireworks, showing anyone who came in the room.

And the kids had a blast making them.

So I guess it really doesn't matter what I think! Although, I do think this next one most closely resembles what I had in mind:

The best part about it was that the straws controlled the amount of glue so we didn't have huge globs that would take days to dry. I was able to send them all home at the end of the day!
(If you want to make some Fourth of July party hats, check out the ones we made last year here!)

July 4th Party Hats

Can you believe it's July 1st already? And a hot one to boot! Whew! The kids made party hats for the big Independence Day weekend.

First I took big construction paper (in red, white and blue) and cut some strips from the top half, leaving every other strip.

It looks like a birthday cake, I know. Notice what a terrible job I did cutting. It doesn't have to be perfect. Or even almost close to perfect. I could have taken the time to measure each cut, but why? Anyway, the kids glued some star cut-outs onto the tops of the strips. This is necessary to weigh the strips down. Notice these stars are glued to the BACK of the hat, where the children write their names. Then they flip it over and decorate the front.

I had written out "Happy 4th of July" on a piece of paper for the kids to copy (if they wanted to). Then they could glue on more stars and decorate it. Those smaller stars were made with hole punches. Once the glue was dry, I added a small piece of paper on the side (because they weren't quite long enough to fit around the kids' heads) and stapled it. Now those strips bend down, almost looking like fireworks (I think) and even bounce as the kids move.

If they don't seem to be bending enough, just roll them down and hold for a few seconds, then let go. That should do it.

The kids had fun making these and wore them most of the day.

And now, a three-day weekend. Ahhh......