4 super simple toddler-prek crafts for the 4th of July

Personally, I have to craft to stay sane. Period. I think it's safe to say I am passing that trait on...

Now, the Preschool teacher inside me loves process-focused art! The kind of art without instructions where children just get to create, explore, and grow any way they please with the materials you provide for them. However, I am also a fan of product-focused projects where children follow a set of instructions for a desired outcome. My point: there are benefits to every kind of art, I promise you that! 

This post is definitely focused on the product-focused projects and I tend to use the holidays as a good excuse to craft like this. Mainly,  I am both sentimental and want to use these projects as decorations for years to come, as well as, super cheap...and want to use these projects as inexpensive decorations for years to come :) 

Here are 4 super simple toddler to preschool age crafts for the 4th of July. They are quick, inexpensive, and fun!

The tongue of concentration

1. Hand Print Flag

Materials:

• Red finger paint
• Blue finger paint
• White construction paper
• little hands :)

Directions:

1. Paint your toddler's hand (either one) blue and stamp on the upper left hand corner of the white construction paper. Wash hand after,
2. Allow them to use their fingers to paint red stripes along the paper, leaving space for the white paper to show through, mimicking that of the American Flag,
3. Left dry! 

Could it be any easier?! No way! You could do this project on a canvased bag, t shirt, towel, anything really just adjust the kind of paint so it doesn't wash off as easily. Tempera paint is good for fabric but hard to wash off hands. 

2. Red, White, and Blue Shooting Stars

Materials

• (5) Popsicle (craft) sticks
• red, white, and blue paint
• (3) paint brushes
• Elmer's glue 
• (4-5 strips) Red and blue construction paper cut into strips (substitute with streamers, tissue paper, whatever you have)
• Glue gun (optional)
• Glitter (optional)
• Wax paper (optional)

Directions

1. Lay out Popsicle sticks on a sheet of wax paper (for easy clean up),
2. Let your little one paint each stick either red, white, or blue,
3. Have them sprinkle glitter on the wet paint or let dry completely if you are opting out of the glitter,
4. Once dry, work together to arrange in a star shape and glue (I used a hot glue gun to make this part easier, but regular glue would work as well),
5. Have little ones glue on strips of construction paper to look like a shooting star (this is a good time to do a pattern).

3. Paper Towel Roll Firework Stamps

Materials

• Red and blue paint
• 2 paper plates
• A tissue paper roll cut in two
• Scissors
• White construction paper

I love the way this turned out!

Directions

1. Cut paper towel roll in two equal parts. Then cut thin vertical pieces all the way around both rolls. Pull the vertical pieces out so they lay flat. (side note: wouldn't these paper towel rolls be fun to paint as octopus'...future craft idea),
2. On one plate squirt red paint on the other plate squirt blue paint. You do not need much paint, just a thin layer on each plate,
3. Each plate gets one tissue paper roll however, feel free to mix paints the effects are really pretty,
4. Have little one dip tissue paper roll in paint and then stamp on construction paper.  

4. 4th of July Salt Painting

Materials

• Red and blue food coloring
• 2 small plastic containers
• Water
• White construction paper
• Letter/number stencils
• Red and blue sharpie
• Elmer's glue
• Table salt
• Medicine dropper (optional)

Directions

1. Fill each plastic container about half way with water add a few drops of red food coloring to one and blue to the other,
2. On white construction paper stencil the words "4th of July" (or any other holiday related words, "ooh," "ahh," "firework," "celebrate," "boom," "bang," etc.),
3. Let your little one squirt out Elmer's glue into each letter (zip zag, overlapping lines work best),
4. Have them sprinkle salt on top of glue (lots),
5. Shake excess salt into the garbage,
6. With medicine dropper, have little one add drops of colored water onto the salt. My guy loved watching the water spread through the glue and salt,
7. Let dry completely! 

Here is our "Holiday Wall" we change out with the season. My little guy helps me hang up each craft; he takes such pride in how it turns out. 

Have a great 4th and Happy Crafting!