Patriotic Crafts for Kids

With the 4th of July right around the corner, it’s time to break out the red, white, and blue crafts. Our kids love creating for this fun holiday.

Do you have fun traditions for Independence Day? We love to grill up some burgers or hot dogs, break out the deviled eggs, and serve up an easy dessert.

Of course, you have to have fireworks. From simple snakes to the spectacular shows.

But a lot of the fun happens in the evenings. Patriotic crafts are a fun way to kill time before the main event.

Don’t forget, you can also make these crafts in May for Memorial Day!

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, we may receive an affiliate commission.

Firework Crafts

Create the effect of firecrackers with this collection of firework crafts. 

Mess-Free Glitter Fireworks // Twitchetts
Create sparkling firework art with this mess-free technique.

Sparkler Firework Craft // Kids Craft Room
We love these fun sparkler crafts. Use them as decorations or play with them before the show begins.

3D Firework Craft // Twitchetts
Use paper tubes to create these fun 3D fireworks.

Patriotic Rockets Craft // Happiness Is Homemade
To get your home ready for the holiday, create these fun Independence Day rocket decorations from some basic supplies and recyclables.

Firework Art Project // Arty Crafty Kids
Have some messy artsy fun with this firework art project.

Fidget Spinner Fireworks // Twitchetts
Dust off those fidget spinners to create this fun firework art.

Flag Crafts for Kids

What patriotic roundup would be complete without some fun flag crafts? 

Popsicle Stick Flags // Ginger Snap Crafts
Turn your flags into a banner! Love how festive & fun it makes the mantel look.

Straw Flag Craft // I Heart Crafty Things
It’s a perfect little craft to keep kids occupied while you are preparing a holiday meal or attending a party.

Paper Plate Flag // Crafts on the Sea
This cute 4th July craft for kids is super easy to make and looks fantastic too.

Stick Flag Craft // Non-Toy Gifts
Let the kids clean up the yard, then they can create this fun stick flag!

American Flag Cootie Catcher // Red Ted Art
The kids will love playing with this fun Cootie Catcher printable!

More 4th of July Crafts

These red, white, and blue crafts will get everyone into the holiday spirit! 

Giant Patriotic Flower // Twitchetts
Create patriotic paper flowers with this easy construction paper craft for kids.

Patriotic Coloring Pages // KingsleyPublishing
Nothing is better than a good coloring page. This set is perfect for the 4th of July!

Red White and Blue Felt Wreath Craft // 7 On A Shoestring
Let the kids help decorate by creating this fun wreath for the front door!

DIY Patriotic Window Clings // Chica Circle
Decorate the windows with this fun puffy paint activity.

Patriotic Recycled Tin Can Wind Chimes // Creative Green Living
This craft takes the tin can wind chime up a notch!

Statue of Liberty toilet roll crafts // A Little Pinch of Perfect
Grab the template and create this lovely lady!

Patriotic DIY Bubble Wands // I Heart Crafty Things
Kids will love using their creativity to create a custom DIY bubble wand and then the fun really begins when they get to use it for some summer bubble blowing fun!

Patriotic Kids Blowers // Natural Beach Living
Whether you are having a Summer party or you are just looking for a great craft to make with your children. This one will blow them away.

Popsicle Stick Star Streamers // Happiness Is Homemade
The sky’s the limit for these red, white, and blue stars!

Statue of Liberty Crown & Torch // Buggy and Buddy
This craft is perfect for a unit on American symbols or for the 4th of July.

Patriotic Cupcake Liner Flowers // Fireflies And Mudpies
These cupcake liner flowers are a fun and quick craft for kids

Patriotic Prairie Point Star Ornaments // Super Mom No Cape
Grab some fabric scraps and create these fun star ornaments!

Bead Kit // AuntJennysBeads
If your kids like to create necklaces, they will love this craft kit!

Patriotic SVG Files // TjCutStudio
Get the perfect look with this collection of cut files on Etsy! It’s a great deal too!

Pin these crafts for Independence Day to your favorite Pinterest board.

We’re feeling extra patriotic with these fun craft for kids. We hope you’ll share this with your friends by pinning or sharing to your Facebook page. Happy 4th of July!

The post 25 simple and amazing patriotic crafts for kids to make appeared first on Twitchetts.

Climbing Construction Paper Spiders

We love creating crafts that you can play with after! We have quite a few of these climbing spiders hanging on our windows in our home.

It is always the first thing my daughter shows her friends when they come over.  It’s a fun and cute Halloween craft that is perfect for fall!

While you’re here, check out the witch, ghost, and bat that use this same technique. You can have a whole Halloween collection!

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, we will receive an affiliate commission.

Supplies for your spider craft:

• Black Construction Paper.
• A Cardboard Tube.
• Yarn or String.
• Hole Punch.
• 2 Beads. You want ones with bigger holes for threading and ones that are bigger than the hole punch.
• Googly Eyes.
• Black Marker.
• Glue Stick.
• Tape.

How to make a Halloween spider

See the whole process in under 2 mins in the video at the end of the post!

Start with creating an oval and 8 legs from your black construction paper.  The oval needs to be large enough to cover your paper tube.

Glue the legs on either side of the body.

Flip the construction paper spider over and add on some googly eyes and a little smile.  Look how cute he is!

Punch 4 holes in the paper tube.  2 holes, across from each other, on both sides.

Related Craft: Check out our newest spider craft. He can hang anywhere!!

Cut a long piece of string/yarn.  You can make your string as long as you want, however, the spider will only climb as far as your child can pull the strings apart.

Use a small piece of tape to create a “needle” on one end of the string.  (check out the video below to see how we did it.)

String on one bead and pull all it all the way to one end. Then tie a knot around the bead.

Thread the string through both holes on one end of the tube and then back through the other side.

Finally, add the second bead and tie off that end.

Glue your spider to the front side of the paper tube.

Hang him from the top of the string. Make sure it’s low enough for your kiddo to reach it.

To play, take one bead in each hand and pull out to the sides (not down).

You are sure to have loads of these climbing construction paper spiders all-around your house by Halloween!

Check out this fun video to see all the steps in action!

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My kids have loved creating fun 3D flowers… Ever since we made rainbow flowers we have done them every possible way you can imagine… except Giant! Until now.

Supplies for giant construction paper flowers:

• Construction Paper. 2 sheets each of Red, Blue, & White.
• Something Circular to Trace. A plate works well.
• Scissors.
• Glue Stick.
• 1.5″ Circle Punch. Or something smaller to trace and cut out.

How to create red, white, and blue paper flowers

These are really quite easy to make. We made ours using colors for the 4th of July, but you can make these any way you like! Watch this quick 2-minute video to see just how easy they are to create!

Step by step patriotic flower tutorial

Start by tracing something to create six large circles. I used a plate. Then cut out the circles and fold each one in half like a taco shell. Use the 1.5-inch circle punch to create a center circle. Line up 2 of the same color pedals across from each other.

Next, start adding in your other pedals. Try to space them as evenly as you can. Glue down your center circle, this will help hold them in place to glue the backside. Flip over your construction paper flower and lift up the back petals and glue them to each other. Once you have worked your way around the whole flower you’re done!

Whether you are decorating for the 4th of July or you want some beautiful flowers for spring decorations these are sure to be a winner. Even younger children can help with a lot of the prep and construction of these!

You can also make these flowers small. Perfect for an afternoon craft or a card. These are the patriotic flowers V and I created. For step by step instruction on these just head here to our rainbow flowers post!

You can Pin these Independence Day Crafts Too!

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After some digging I found (I think) the original idea over on Skip to my Lou.  However, I wanted to get the whole family in on it… and of course, make it into a fun craft too. Getting your kids to find things they love about each other can sometimes be like pulling teeth, so this Valentine’s activity is aimed for them to see there is plenty. Our hearts tend to stay up far longer than I will admit, but you could easily add them to a key ring and save them to reference when your kids might be fighting.

What you need for your Watercolor Hearts:

• Watercolors. I love liquid watercolors. They are vibrant and last a long time.
• Paper. We used a large roll of paper, but any thicker paper will do.
• Paintbrush.
• Water (in a dish)
• White crayon.

Creating your Watercolor Hearts:

Place out your paper and draw all over it with your white crayon. Swirls, little hearts, etc. This really helps your little one paint the whole paper because they are finding the pictures. When you are done drawing your design set up your kiddo with their paint, water, and brush.  If you have younger kiddos, check out our tips for painting with toddlers. Only give them one or two colors per sheet of paper. We want pretty hearts, not brown ones. When they are done with one page give them another with different colors. Continue this until your child is “done” with it. I did this over the process of a couple of days. Let your paper dry then cut into hearts!

Valentine’s Activity for the Family:

Place all of your watercolor hearts in a bowl or on a plate accompanied by a marker and tape. Each morning everyone picks a heart to write something on for another member of the family. Like a conversation heart. Then have them place it on that family member’s door! We always start on February 1st so that we have two weeks of adding hearts. Every day as they go into their room they will see all of the nice things that their family members think of them. It is really quite endearing to see. I hope you enjoy this Valentine’s tradition with your family!

The post Watercolor Hearts a Valentine’s Day Craft for Kids appeared first on Twitchetts.

Christmas Morning French Toast

I am a huge fan of making Christmas brunch. It’s become a family tradition. A fun spread that I can place out, to munch on, while we play with our presents and enjoy each other’s company.

This fun french toast platter is perfect because it’s a way to make your food special for the morning and is an easy recipe to pull off! This is a perfect recipe for kids to help make too!

This Fun French Toast is perfect to serve for Christmas morning breakfast! It’s much easier than a french toast bake and can be eaten all day long.

I pair it up with some slices of bacon, fruit, and tasty mini frittatas.

Everything is finger food. Perfect for a few quick bites between playing. Perfect for Christmas morning.

I like to pair up our Christmas morning french toast with tasty toppings. A light dusting of powdered sugar, homemade whipped cream, and a simple strawberry sauce!

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, we may receive an affiliate commission.

No time to make this breakfast? Pin it for later!

If you’re currently in the middle of holiday planning, save this pin to your favorite Pinterest board! That way you’ll be able to grab the recipe when you’re ready!

Tips for making these Christmas brunch finger foods

Choose your shapes wisely. I went with bulbs, stockings, and elves this year. Snowflakes are cute, but leave a lot of waste.

The recipe makes 4 slices of French Toast. I plan on 2 pieces of bread per child. I usually eat the edges.

This is a great recipe for kids to try and make. With a bit of adult supervision on the griddle of course. Kids love choosing their shapes and helping with the dipping.

You can use this french toast recipe for any special occasion. Just switch up the cookie cutters to match your event.

Other foods for your french toast platter:

• Cinnamon Rolls
• Fresh Berries or other fresh fruit
• Pure Maple Syrup
• Egg Casserole
• Bacon or Sausage

Yield: 2 servings

Christmas French Toast Recipe

Print

This French toast recipe is perfect for Christmas morning brunch!

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 Slices of Bread
• Whipped Cream
• Powdered Sugar

French Toast Mix

• 2 Eggs
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons Milk
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon Cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon Ginger

Strawberry Sauce

• 1/2 Cup Frozen Strawberries
• 1/2 Tablespoon Sugar

Tools

• Christmas Cookie Cutters

Instructions

1. Preheat a griddle to medium heat.
2. In a small saucepan, add your strawberries and sugar. Place on low heat and let the strawberries warm through until you can smash them with a fork.
3. Continue to simmer as it reduces to a nice sauce consistency.
4. While the sauce is simmering, whisk together the French Toast mix in a large bowl.
5. Dunk a slice of the bread into the egg mixture, letting the excess drip off.
6. Place onto the hot griddle and cook both sides evenly.
7. Move to a cooling rack.
8. Repeat with the rest of the bread.
9. Use the cookie cutters to cut the bread into shapes.
10. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
11. Serve with whipped cream and strawberry sauce.

More snacks you will love!

If you loved these creamy cheesecake treats, you’ll love these other great dessert ideas.

• Fruit Cones – Use up those ice cream cones with this delicious fruity snack.
• Pick your pink – Create a DIY lemonade station for your next summer party.

If you loved this Christmas French Toast, share it by pinning or sharing it on Facebook.

This site wouldn’t be here without shares from people like you, and we are so thankful that you took the time to visit Twitchetts.

Know a friend who is looking for a Christmas morning French Toast? Please share it on Facebook or save it to your favorite board on Pinterest.

The post Christmas Morning French Toast Platter: An easy family tradition appeared first on Twitchetts.

gift wrap.

Fun Christmas gift wrapping ideas

Finding fun gift wrap is one of my favorite parts of Christmas shopping. I know that people are just going rip it off, but it’s a fun tradition that I’ve been doing for years.  This year I found inspiration in a role of twine strung with red and green wooden beads.  The twine itself seemed like a little much, but the beads got me thinking.I love how simple this idea was to pull off.Plus, you could change up the beads for something brighter and have a whole new look!I personally love the more rustic looking wrapping paper.  It matches with my rustic Christmas garland.

How I created my Christmas gift wrap

For the is gift wrap, start with some simple brown wrapping paper.  Add some red and green twine.  Quick tip, don’t wrap the twine all the way around the box.  It saves on twine and it makes it easier for people to unwrap your gifts.Next, tie on another string of twine and string it with beads.  Finally, string on a gift tag and you’re done!  Super simple!As much as I love pretty gift wrap, it has to be easy.  Otherwise, it isn’t worth it.  If you liked this gift wrap, you should check out the Christmas gift wrapping from last year.  It was simple, fun, and inexpensive.

Don’t forget to pin these Christmas gift wrapping ideas to your Christmas board! Have fun wrapping presents!

The post Christmas Gift Wrapping Ideas ~ Fun Holiday Gift Wrap appeared first on Twitchetts.

Our tree has always been a pretty good mixture of purchased and homemade ornaments. I have had a lot of fun picking out some Etsy ornaments to give out as gifts, but I also like to make some of my own. These ornaments were actually pretty relaxing to make. Once you get in a good rhythm you can whip out half a dozen while watching your favorite show.

What you need for you Washer Ornaments:

• A washer. Use any size you have lying around the house.
• Yarn. Any color you like. Personally, I like the look of thicker yarn, but any size will do.
• Scissors.

How to make Washer Ornaments:

Cut about 3 feet of yarn and tie around the washer leaving a little extra hanging out. Pull the long end of string around your pointer finger. Then stick the yarn up through the hole in the washer and through the loop being held open with your finger. Pull tight creating a second knot. Continue this process until you have worked your way all the way around the washer.

When you get near the beginning trim off the extra yarn of the first knot. Finish tying your knots over the extra yarn until you are all the way around your washer.Then make a loop to hang the ornament.Tie your string one more time around the base of your loop then cut off the extra yarn.

Then start another one! These are so fun you will definitely make more than one!

If you like these you will love these Snowmen!

The post Washer Ornaments – Easy Homemade Decoration appeared first on Twitchetts.

What you need to make your Rustic Christmas Wreath:

• Sticks. You will need quite a few in 3 main sizes.
• Wet foam floral blocks.
• Hot glue and gun.
• Paint in color of choice.
• Glitter in color of choice.
• Paint cup.
• Natural colored string or hemp.

How to make your Rustic Christmas Wreath:

Start by gathering a bunch of sticks. Sort through them to get them into 3 main size groups. 8 large, 8 medium, and a handful of smaller twigs. Break off any branches hanging to the sides etc so they are straight. Save these pieces for later. I chose to paint the tips of my sticks. I love the sparkle and pop of color.If you choose not to paint them skip down to how to assemble the wreath below. To paint your sticks, dip each stick into your paint. Use a floral block to stick your sticks into paint side up. If you have any little ones at home this is great for them to help with! Next, bring your block and sticks outside and sprinkle with glitter while the paint is still wet.

*Let Them Dry Completely*

Assembling your Rustic Christmas Wreath:

Cut up your floral blocks. You want one to be a nice square to be the center of your wreath. The rest just cut into slices to use to hold pieces in place. Start by spreading out all of the largest pieces of your wreath around the center. Try to place one on each side and one on each corner. Cover the end of your stick in a good amount of hot glue and stick it into your floral block. You want it to be in the center top to bottom of your block. Using your extra pieces of foam block, prop up the painted end of the stick. Work your way around until you have them all in. Now spread out your medium sticks. Using the same processes place all of these sticks into your floral block a little closer to the surface. Last grab your little sticks. These you will press right into the top of your floral block.I ended up using a few of the broken pieces from before to fill in any open gaps. Cover the whole center with a good amount of glue and allow to dry. Flip over and check for any loose sticks. Add more glue to any that need it and let dry.

Starting on the back, take your string and wrap around the center of your wreath. Slowly rotate and go between each of the sticks until you have covered all of the blocks edges and you like the look of your wreath! Make sure to save enough string to make a loop for hanging it up!It is ok if the block is still showing in the back. Tie off your loop on the main vertical stick. If your wreath won’t lay flush on your door take your loop and wrap it around your vertical stick. (See this in the last picture)

And you’re done! I love how the ends catch the light and twinkle. Because Christmas just needs a little sparkle, even in your rustic decor. Don’t forget to Pin This to your Holiday Decor Board.

Don’t forget to Pin This to your Holiday Decor Board.

The post Rustic Christmas Wreath a Nature Holiday Craft appeared first on Twitchetts.

Every year we display all of the lovely cards we get in the mail and every year they end up in a stack at the bottom of one of our Christmas bins. We always pick out a few to make greeting card boxes, but there are always so many leftovers! These craft stick puzzles the perfect way to use them up and make a great activity for your little ones.

What you need to make your Christmas Card Puzzles:

• Craft sticks.
• Christmas cards. (You could do this for any occasion)
• White glue.
• A box cutter or Exacto knife.
• Tape.

How to assemble your Christmas Card Puzzles:

Start by looking through your cards. Pick out ones with a good image to create your puzzle. Then cut the front off from the back. Trim the image if you like. Next, use a strip of tape to hold your craft sticks together.

Spread your glue on the back of your card. Place on your craft sticks, flip over and add some weight like a few cans to make sure the image doesn’t bubble up anywhere. Let dry.

Once dry, fold between the sticks, then cut along the created corner. Then play! V did them each separately and then mixed them all together and completed all 3. I used these colored craft sticks to make it easier for her to pick apart the puzzles. These are a great boredom buster to pull out at restaurants, doctors’ offices, or could even be done in the car on a cookie sheet! They also give a second life to those all of those Christmas cards.

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What you need to make your Paper Star Ornaments:

• Paper… Nothing too thick. Printer paper works well or scrapbook paper if you would like a fun pattern.
• Paper cutter or scissors.
• Beads.
• Fish line.
• A Needle.
• Tape.

Making your Paper Stars:

First, you need to fold your stars. Watch this video or see the steps below.

Click here to check out some beautiful holiday home decor!

Start by cutting your paper into strips. I used 3 different sizes for my stars. For the smallest, you need one strip between 10-12″ long and .5″ wide. The medium is the same length and .75″ wide. The largest star is made with 2 strips taped together 1″ wide.

Fold following the images below.

As of now, you have basically tied a knot. Make sure that you do it with the paper pattern (if there is one) on the inside of the knot.

Fold the short end back across your pentagon. Then start wrapping the long end around the pentagon using theedges to fold against. Continue wrapping around and around. The natural shape of the pentagon will make the paper wrap around each side. Once you are out of paper tuck the end inside.To turn this pentagon into a star start to pinch on the corners. You want to pop the shape open as you pinch.
This takes a little practice, but once you figure it out you will be whipping them out at top speed!Isn’t it the cutest?!

Next, let’s make our paper star ornaments:

Start by tying off the end of your fishing line on a bead. Using a needle carefully guide your fishing line up through the bottom of your star and out the top. Then tie the end off to make a loop for hanging on your tree!

Like I mentioned before once you get the hang of it, you can make them very quick… you might get carried away like I did!Make them in any color you like for your decor!

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