Celebrate the Red, White, and Blue: 4th of July Crafts for the Whole Family

Last Updated on 05/17/2025 by Nell Marie

I don’t know about you, but the Fourth of July has always been one of my favorite holidays. There’s something about the sizzle of the grill, the sound of laughter echoing through the backyard, kids running with sparklers, and flags flapping in the warm breeze that just feels so… American summer.

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And one thing that makes the day even more special? Getting crafty ahead of time!

Every year, I like to pull out the paints, glue, paper, and maybe even a little glitter and make some simple, fun, and festive 4th of July crafts. It’s a great way to get into the spirit, especially with kids or friends, and these little projects always bring an extra spark of joy to the holiday.

So, I’ve gathered some of my favorite red, white, and blue crafts that you can make in your kitchen, at the picnic table, or even on the porch with a glass of iced tea in hand.

More Crafts:

• Easy & Fun Popsicle Stick Crafts for Kids
• Toddler Rainbow Craft
• 35 Fun and Easy Crafts for Teens

1. Popsicle Stick Flags

This one’s a classic for a reason. It’s easy, adorable, and great for all ages. You just need some popsicle sticks, paint, and a little hot glue.

How to Make It:

• Line up about seven popsicle sticks side-by-side.
• Paint the top left corner of the “flag” blue, and the rest alternate red and white stripes.
• Once it’s dry, glue another popsicle stick across the back to hold it all together.
• Add white stars with a paint pen or stickers, and you’ve got yourself a mini American flag!

You can add a magnet to the back to pop it on the fridge or hot glue a little string to the top and hang it on a hook or door knob. Super simple, super patriotic.

2. 4th of July Mason Jar Lanterns

I love a good mason jar craft, and these lanterns are so charming once the sun starts to set. They make your porch or picnic table glow with a festive little twinkle.

What You’ll Need:

• Mason jars
• Mod Podge
• Tissue paper in red, white, and blue
• Tea light candles (I use battery-operated ones for safety)
• Optional: glitter, star stickers, or ribbon

Directions:
Cut your tissue paper into strips or stars, then coat the outside of your mason jar with Mod Podge. Carefully press the tissue paper onto the jar and seal it with another coat of Mod Podge on top. Once it dries, drop a tea light inside and watch it glow red, white, and blue. These look magical lining a walkway or sitting in a cluster on your outdoor table.

3. Handprint Fireworks Canvas

This is one of my favorite keepsake crafts, especially for little ones. It’s messy in the best way and creates something you can hang up year after year.

What You’ll Need:

• Canvas or thick cardstock
• Red, white, and blue paint
• A couple of little hands

Instructions:
Pour the paint into separate plates, then let your kiddos dip their hands in and press them down on the canvas in a firework pattern. Do one color at a time, maybe overlapping just a bit to get a burst effect. You can also use a paintbrush to add sparkles or stars around the prints. Don’t forget to write the year somewhere on the canvas. It makes the perfect holiday memory to pull out every July.

4. Patriotic Windsocks

If you’ve got some empty toilet paper rolls or paper towel rolls hanging around, this one’s perfect! These windsocks look great blowing in the summer breeze from your porch or trees.

Supplies:

• Toilet paper rolls
• Paint or construction paper
• Ribbon or crepe paper streamers in red, white, and blue
• Glue
• Hole punch and string

Steps:
Paint or wrap your roll in patriotic colors, then glue strips of ribbon or streamer paper to one end. Punch two holes in the other end and tie a string across so it can hang. These are lightweight, colorful, and easy for kids to help decorate.

5. Star-Spangled Slime

Now this one’s more of a craft-meets-science-experiment, but it’s always a hit—especially with kids. You’ll want to supervise the littles, but they’ll love the gooey, glittery results.

What You’ll Need:

• White school glue
• Liquid starch or contact lens solution with baking soda
• Food coloring in red and blue
• Glitter (optional but fun)
• Bowls for mixing

How-To:
In two separate bowls, make batches of red and blue slime. Mix glue, a few drops of food coloring, glitter, and then slowly add the activator (liquid starch or contact solution) while stirring. Once both are ready, swirl them together gently to make patriotic slime. Store in little jars with a ribbon for a cute party favor!

6. Paper Fireworks Garland

There’s something about garlands that make any celebration feel a little more festive. This one looks like a burst of fireworks and adds a playful vibe to your space.

What You’ll Need:

• Construction paper
• Scissors
• Stapler or tape
• String

Instructions:
Cut strips of red, white, and blue paper. Loop them into rings and staple them together into little circle fireworks—like mini paper suns. You can also fringe the ends for more flair. Once you’ve got a few, string them all together and hang it up on your wall, fireplace, or across a window.

7. Painted Rock Flags

Painted rocks are fun year-round, but for the 4th of July, we go all-out red, white, and blue. These are great for lining the walkway to your front door or using as table décor at your BBQ.

Supplies:

• Smooth rocks
• Acrylic paint
• Paintbrushes
• Clear sealant spray (optional)

Directions:
Paint stripes, stars, or flag designs onto the rocks. You can do simple red and white stripes, navy with a single white star, or even abstract firework bursts. Let them dry completely, then seal if you’d like them to last longer outdoors. These are great little art projects for all ages—and surprisingly therapeutic!

8. Cupcake Liner Fireworks

This one is quick, easy, and budget-friendly. Plus, it looks super cute once assembled.

You’ll Need:

• Red, white, and blue cupcake liners
• Scissors
• Glue
• Cardstock or poster board
• Optional: sequins, glitter, or stickers

How To Do It:
Flatten the cupcake liners and snip around the edges like you’re making little flower petals. Layer a few together in different colors to create a firework burst. Glue them onto your poster board and decorate the background with stars or little drawings of fireworks in the sky. Kids LOVE doing this one.

9. DIY Star Wands

These are such a sweet little addition to your celebration, especially if you’ve got young kids running around waving them like magical sparklers.

What You’ll Need:

• Wooden dowels or sticks
• Foam or felt stars
• Hot glue or craft glue
• Ribbon in red, white, and blue

Directions:
Glue the star onto one end of your stick, then tie or glue ribbon just underneath to stream down. You can personalize the stars with glitter, sequins, or each child’s name. These are cute for parade day, photo props, or pretend play.

10. 4th of July Tie-Dye T-Shirts

Nothing says summer like tie-dye. This is such a fun project to do in the backyard with a plastic tablecloth laid down and some gloves handy.

What You’ll Need:

• Plain white t-shirts
• Red and blue tie-dye
• Rubber bands
• Plastic gloves
• Zip-top bags for storing while dye sets

How-To:
Twist or fold your shirt, secure it with rubber bands, then apply the dye in your favorite pattern. Let the dye set as directed, rinse, and wash separately. The result? A fun and wearable keepsake from your celebration!

Let’s Wrap It Up

There’s something really heartwarming about crafting for the Fourth of July. It’s not just about the decorations or how cute everything looks when it’s all said and done—it’s about slowing down and enjoying time together. These crafts give us a chance to get creative, laugh, make memories, and soak up the spirit of summer in the best way.

If you’ve got kiddos at home, grandkids visiting, or friends coming over for a backyard BBQ, I promise these crafts will add a little extra sparkle to your celebration. Even if you just pick one or two, it’s worth the smiles and sticky fingers.

So grab your glue, your paint, and a big ol’ handful of red, white, and blue. Let’s get crafting and make this 4th of July a celebration to remember!

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