13 July 4th Crafts for Toddlers, Preschoolers and Kindergarteners

Growing up, my cul-de-sac crew and I always spent the week leading up to July Fourth making crafts and decorating a float for our neighborhood parade. Researching Fourth of July crafts has brought me right back to painting on the pavement while drinking pink lemonade and talking about “cooties” and boy bands—peak ’90s suburban summer.

While my neighbors and I came up with some pretty spectacular star-spangled masterpieces back in our day, I know we would’ve loved to get our hands on the next-level July Fourth crafts below.

Want to help your kids make some patriotic crafts? We’ve rounded up the best July Fourth craft ideas based on different ages and stages to help your little ones celebrate Independence Day. Scroll below for July Fourth crafts for toddlers, preschoolers, kindergarteners and big kids.

July Fourth Crafts for Toddlers

Summer is the best season to make crafts with toddlers because you can easily take the mess outside. We’ve gathered some low-lift, age-appropriate July Fourth crafts for toddlers below—all emphasizing the process over the final product and requiring not too much grown-up help.

Handprint fireworks

This project by Claire Shaffer of Childhood Magic will tickle your tiny crafter’s senses and result in a lovely end product. “These Fourth of July handprint crafts are the perfect way to celebrate because they’re a fun and patriotic activity but also are a keepsake parents will treasure long after the fireworks are over,” says Shaffer.

Materials:

• Blue and red washable paint
• Sturdy white paper
• Blue and red colored pencils or markers
• Paintbrush

Instructions:

• Squirt red and blue paint onto separate trays.
• Paint one of your child’s hands red, and have them place it on a piece of white paper.
• Repeat with a blue-painted hand on the same sheet of paper.
• Once dry, add lines and stars with red and blue markers or paint to help depict fireworks, and add a Fourth of July message like in the example photo.

Symmetry star painting

There’s nothing quite like an activity that sparks awe and wonder in your toddler. This symmetry painting project by Karimah Henry of Crafting a Fun Life does just that. “When kids unfold the paper, they’ll be surprised by the cool pattern—my favorite thing about this activity,” says Henry.

Materials:

• Blue and red washable paint
• Sturdy white paper
• Scissors
• Pencil

Instructions:

• Draw a large star on a piece of sturdy white paper, and cut it out.
• Fold the star in half lengthwise.
• Open the folded star, and help your toddler squirt paint onto half of it.
• Encourage your toddler to close the star and reopen it, revealing a symmetrical work of art.
• Set aside to dry.

Toilet paper roll fireworks

Your little artist will love the process of making this craft by Kim Staten of Life Over Cs. It’s both fun to make and Earth-friendly! “We love using toilet paper rolls (cardboard tubes) for crafts because with just a few tweaks you can create something beautiful and sparkly out of something that would otherwise be trash,” says Staten.

Materials:

• Two toilet paper rolls
• Sturdy white paper
• Blue and red washable paint
• Glitter (optional)

Instructions:

• Cut even slits halfway up a toilet paper roll.
• Press the toilet paper roll on a hard surface to create a firework -shaped “stamp.”
• Repeat the process with a second toilet paper roll.
• Squirt blue and red paint onto separate trays, ensuring that the paint is all over the plates.
• Add glitter to the paint if desired.
• Encourage your child to dip the firework stamps into paint and then place them onto a piece of white paper.
• Have them repeat the process to create a composition of fireworks, and set aside to dry.

Handprint sparkler

This fun project by Claire Shaffer of Childhood Magic celebrates my favorite July Fourth activity: sparklers! See the how-to below.

Materials:

• Yellow and gold paint
• Sturdy white paper
• Black marker
• Yellow marker (optional)
• Paintbrush
• Small dowel or popsicle stick
• Liquid glue

Instructions:

• Squirt paint onto a tray.
• Paint one of your child’s hands yellow, and have them place it on a piece of white paper.
• Once dry, glue a dowel or popsicle stick to the center of the handprint so it looks like a sparkler handle.
• Finally, add lines and stars with gold paint (or a yellow marker) to represent a sparkler, and add a festive phrase if desired.

July Fourth Crafts for Preschoolers

Preschool-age kids love making messes and being creative, so we’ve gathered some craft ideas that’ll help them do just that. See some low-lift, high-pizzazz July Fourth craft ideas for preschoolers below.

Cotton ball American flag

This craft idea by Karimah Henry of Crafting a Fun Life combines artistic play and dexterity. “This craft is a low-prep activity that uses household items and gives kids a fun way to practice their fine motor skills while making a festive keepsake for the Fourth of July,” says Henry.

Materials:

• Red, white and blue washable paint
• Sturdy white paper
• Cotton balls
• Clothespins

Instructions:

• Squirt red, white and blue paint onto separate trays.
• Attach three clothespins to cotton balls.
• Show your preschooler a sample American flag, and guide them in painting the stars and stripes with cotton balls.

Chalk pastel stars

Angela of Projects with Kids offers a fresh way to experiment with art materials with this July Fourth project. “Kids will love creating bold red, white and blue star designs with chalk pastels in this easy Fourth of July art project that’s perfect for kids of all ages!” says Angela.

Materials:

• Black construction paper
• Red, white and blue chalk pastels
• Cardstock paper
• Scissors
• Painter’s tape

Instructions:

• Draw three small star shapes in varying sizes on cardstock paper, and cut them out.
• Tape the three stars onto black construction paper using rolled painter’s tape.
• Encourage your child to outline each star with red, white and blue chalk pastels, alternating colors for each segment.
• With the stars still in place, have your child smudge the pastel lines outward.
• Gently remove the stars to see the sparkling final result.

Shaving cream fireworks

This project by Annie of Fox Farm Home is a satisfying sensory experience and unique art project in one. “We love making this shaving cream fireworks craft to celebrate the Fourth of July; with a few simple supplies, you have a fun craft that’s the perfect mix of process art and sensory play,” says Annie.

Materials:

• Paper plate
• White shaving cream
• Blue and red food coloring or liquid watercolors
• Jars or cups
• Dropper (if using watercolors)
• Sturdy white paper
• Red and blue markers
• Toothpick
• Spoon
• Paper towel

Instructions:

• Fill two jars with blue and red food coloring or a liquid watercolor solution.
• Spray shaving cream onto a paper plate or tray, smoothing it out with a spoon.
• Encourage your toddler to drip food coloring or paint onto the shaving cream.
• Help them spread the watercolor into firework shapes.
• Place a piece of paper on top of the shaving cream.
• Lift the paper off the plate, and wipe off the excess shaving cream with a paper towel.
• Write a July Fourth Message once dry, if desired.

Cupcake liner fireworks

For a less messy craft, this project by Mandisa Watts of Happy Toddler Playtime will do the trick. And a bonus: It’ll help your preschooler with their fine motor skills!

Materials:

• Colorful cupcake liners
• Scissors
• Glue
• Construction paper

Instructions:

• Flatten a cupcake liner, and show your child how to cut slits around it to make it look like a firework.
• Have them glue their completed “fireworks” onto a piece of construction paper.

July Fourth Crafts for Kindergarteners

Ready for more of a challenge? We’ve rounded up some slightly more involved Fourth of July crafts perfect for kindergarteners and older children. These projects are sure to spark joy and get those creative juices flowing.

Paper plate windsock

This painted windsock craft by Mandisa Watts of Happy Toddler Playtime is sure to be a big hit with your big kid crafters (don’t let the blog name fool you!).

Materials:

• White paper plate
• Blue washable paint
• White paper (or white paint)
• Paintbrush
• Red and white crepe paper
• Tape or glue
• Scissors

Instructions:

• Squirt blue paint onto a tray.
• Instruct your child to cut a paper plate in half and paint the convex side blue.
• Once dry, have them add stars to the painted plate using white paint or paper cut-outs.
• Instruct your child to cut large strips of white and red crepe paper.
• Have them attach alternating strips of white and red crepe paper to the back of the painted plate along the straight edge.

Salt fireworks

Salt painting is a science experiment and an art project in one. This salt-painted firework project by Kristian Klebofski of Friends Art Lab will be a big hit with your STEAM-loving kids.

Materials:

• Black construction paper
• Liquid glue
• Salt
• Watercolor paint
• Paintbrush
• Cup of water

Instructions:

• Demonstrate making a firework shape out of glue on black construction paper.
• Let your child repeat the process.
• Sprinkle salt all over the glue, and set aside to dry.
• Once the salt fireworks are fully dry, encourage your child to dip their brush into watercolor paint and lightly dab it onto the fireworks, switching colors as they please.
• The color will spread outward and blend with others as they continue dabbing.
• Set aside to dry when finished.

Chalk pastel fireworks

This project by Angela of Projects with Kids is simple yet impactful. “This chalk pastel fireworks art project uses bright colors on black paper to create stunning fireworks displays perfect for celebrating the Fourth of July,” says Angela.

Materials:

• Black construction paper
• Chalk pastels
• Pencil

Instructions:

• Show your child how to draw fireworks on a separate piece of paper, and then let them create their own using chalk pastels on a piece of black construction paper. (If desired, draw pencil guide lines on their paper to get them started).

Popsicle stick stars

Looking for some crafty fun this Fourth of July? Karimah Henry of Crafting a Fun Life delivers with these popsicle stick stars.

Materials:

• Red, white and blue washable paint
• Beads or sequins (optional)
• Glue dots
• Hot glue (optional)

Instructions:

• Squirt paint onto a tray.
• Have your child paint multiple popsicle sticks.
• When dry, help them glue the sticks into a star shape using glue dots.
• If desired, they can add small art supplies to decorate. If needed, help your little artists attach small parts with hot glue.

Thumbprint American flag

This craft by Claire Shaffer of Childhood Magic brings a personal touch to an American flag craft project. See the how-to below.

Materials:

• Red, white and blue construction paper
• White paint
• Gluestick
• Scissors

Instructions:

• Help your child cut out a small blue rectangle to make the background of the “stars” portion of the American flag.
• Instruct them to cut red strips lengthwise out of a piece of red construction paper.
• Tell them to glue the red strips and blue rectangle onto a white sheet of paper, depicting an American flag.
• Squirt white paint onto a tray.
• Your child can add white “stars” by dipping their thumb into the white paint and placing stars on the blue rectangle.

Whether you’re crafting to bring back your own childhood memories or just looking for a fun way to beat the heat and get creative with your little ones, we hope these crafts add some color and fun to your Independence Day. Happy crafting, and have a fun-filled Fourth!

How We Developed This Article

We love crafting with our kids, and we love celebrating holidays. The Fourth of July can be so much fun with kids, and a perfect opportunity to tap into creativity. We scoured the internet for fun, low-lift and age-appropriate July Fourth crafts for kindergarteners, preschoolers and toddlers. We then reached out to the bloggers for permission to include their craft, share a photo and link back to their sites.

About the author: Kristen Bringe is a freelance writer and mom who loves all things creativity. She holds a bachelor’s degree in studio art from the University of Georgia and delights in making colorful projects with her daughter.