Fourth of July Crafts for Kids and Teens

Creating handmade items for this big summer holiday with the kids and grandkids!

I keep my seven-year-old grandson in the summer. And I recently had my 13-year-old granddaughter come to visit as well. I decided to plan some crafts for us to do while they were here. I thought I probably should use the time with my granddaughter to work on her sewing skills. She spent the night one night so we could work at the sewing machine without her 7-year-old cousin underfoot. We would do a craft with him when he came the next morning. 

Making Pillows out of Tea Towels:

My granddaughter's family has a lovely outdoor sectional on their patio. We decided it would be great to make some patriotic themed pillows for that couch. I took the easy way out and just bought some 4th of July tea towels. That way my grand just had to fold, sew up the sides and bottom and we were ready to stuff those pillows. Easy as can be!

The finished products. I think the tea towels made great pillows.

They look great on my couch outside, but they went home with my granddaughter.

A Patriotic Ribbon Banner:

The project we all three did together, and that's suitable for the younger kids (at least if they know how to tie a knot), was a 4th of July ribbon banner made of red, white and blue ribbons. We started by walking in the woods to find some sticks and twigs that would be suitable for us to tie our ribbons to. After we settled on the size and look we wanted, we brought them back to the craft room and began to cut our ribbons. We had an assembly line to measure each strand of ribbon and cut. I had already bought the ribbon when the craft store had rolls on sale at half price.  Then we were ready to simply tie the ribbons on the stick in any patterns we chose. An easy craft for young and old alike.

Hopefully a fun bonding time for these two cousins.

Concentrating on the task at hand.

Even 7-year-olds can tie knots--the task required for this craft.

Our finished product. One can find wonderful ribbons at the craft store. We used twine for the hanger. This can be hung indoors or outdoors. I've even seen them pictured on the garden gate.

We made enough for each kid to take home and send one to their great-grandmother for her porch.

I think he's proud of his creations.

There you have it. Two easy summer crafts with the kids or grandkids. And it's a fun indoor craft--too hot in Texas right now to do anything outside.

As I always say, doing arts-and-crafts with the young kids is such a great bonding time. You can talk, share ideas, and learn what's going on in their lives. And you have cute pillows and a wall-hanging for Independence Day!