Fourth of July is coming, and what better way to celebrate than dressing in style! Have your kids create their own shirts for this fun day! This is a fun family 4th of July activity. We love celebrating the Fourth of July with fireworks, BBQs, and spending time with family. What is better than that? Do you have special traditions for America’s holiday? Have your children create this festive t-shirt to wear to the parade and fireworks.
4th of July Activity Materials
- White T-shirts
- Fabric Paint (Red and Blue, other colors are optional)
- Paint Brushes
- Paper towels/Wipes (for mess)
- Tablecloth or newspaper (for a mess)
- Smocks
How to Make 4th of July T-shirts
- Lay out a tablecloth or newspaper
- Lay out shirts for the kids and put a piece of cardboard in the middle so the paint doesn’t bleed through
- Put some old t-shirts or smocks on the kids; the fabric paint is permanent
- Put the paint in cups for the kids (I used paper cups so you can toss them afterward)
- Have your child or yourself paint the palm of one of their hands (this will be the stars on the flag)
- Place your hand flat on the left side of the shirt
- Then have the kids paint the stripes in red coming off the handprint
Alternate Ideas
Once your flag is done, have your child get creative with the shirt. This 4th of July Activity can be altered to add your own twist! Have your child draw, paint fireworks, or add more handprints. They could also use fabric markers and add words to the shirt, such as: Freedom, America, Fourth of July.
Your child can even add:
- Gems with fabric glue or a bedazzle kit
- Buttons with fabric glue or needle and thread
- Pom poms with fabric glue
- Puffy paint
Expand Their Learning
Literacy: Add a story to this project. If your child can read, have them do the reading. We love Good Night America, by Adam Gamble. This is a great way to teach your children about America’s holidays.
Math: This 4th of July activity is a great counting activity. Have your children count the stripes on the American flag. If the children are a little older, they can count all the stars
This is a great 4th of July activity to let them show their creative side. Then they get to wear something that they are very proud of! From the team at Boston Baby Nurse & Nanny, have a great Fourth of July!
About The Author
Jaclyn Capilli has over 10 years of experience working with children. After graduating from Curry College with her Bachelor’s Degree, she worked as a paraprofessional in a special needs classroom. Then, while in Graduate school at Cambridge College, she nannied for a local family for 3 years. After moving back to the South Shore, she worked for Head Start for 5 plus years while nannying for a local family. She is now a mother of two and is working for Boston Baby Nurse & Nanny. She owns Jaclyn Nicole Photography, a photography business on the South Shore. In her free time, she likes reading, going for hikes, and making memories with her daughters.
