Easy Patriotic Kids’ Crafts

Patriotic crafts was the subject this morning on WUSA9 News Now. Liz McConville of FAMILY Magazine demonstrated a couple fo great ideas if you want to stay away from live fireworks this year.

When people think of Independence Day they usually think of fireworks. cookouts and parades. But you can get your children involved in the day’s festivities without the safety issues of live fireworks.

Here are two easy patriotic kids’ crafts that the whole family can enjoy.

Star-Spangled Wavers
The first craft is to make star-spangled wavers. Just in case you don’t know what these are they are essentially batons with streamers. All you need are five items: scissors, tacky glue, a 3/8 inch dowel, and red, white and blue felt and ribbons.

First cut a pair of six-inch stars from the felt. Then make two smaller stars, each slightly smaller than the other, to place on top of your bigger star. Make sure to use different colors for each star. Place the dowel between the two larger stars and glue the stars around the dowel. Then you can glue the smaller stars on top of the bigger one. Make sure to let the glue dry and then you can tie the ribbon around the dowel. Now you have a fun star-spangled waver.

4th of July Shaker
The second craft is to make your own 4th of July shaker. All you need is an empty toilet paper tube, tissue paper, uncooked beans, scissors, glue, and two aluminum-baking cups to cap off the end. Another optional item you could use would be glitter to make it pretty.

First glue an aluminum-baking cup to one end of the toilet paper tube. Pour a handful of beans into the tube. Then glue your other aluminum baking cut to the other end of the tube. Then you can decorate your tube with the tissue paper and glitter. Now shake away.


Here area a cou;le more of crafts from Denise Morrison Yearian, a regular contributor to our magazine.

PATRIOTIC PLANTERS
Items needed: Terracotta planter; red, white and blue non-toxic acrylic paint; paintbrushes; ruler; pencil; white star stickers; potting soil; plant; small American flag.

Paint the top rim of the planter blue and the lower portion white. Let it dry. Give both colors a second coat of paint then let it dry again. On the lower, white portion, use a pencil and ruler to draw vertical lines that are evenly spaced apart. Paint a red stripe between every other line so it looks like an American flag. On the upper, blue rim attach small, white star stickers over the blue paint. Fill the planter with potting soil, add a plant and push a small American flag into the soil.

“STAR SPANGLED” LUMINARIES
Items needed: Star stencil (several inches in diameter); paper lunch bags; red, white and blue tissue paper; glue stick; star stickers; sand; tea lights.

Use the star stencil to trace and cut out stars on red, white and blue tissue paper. Glue the stars to the inside sides of an open paper bag using a glue stick. Add small star-shaped stickers to the inside too, if desired. Fill the bag with two inches of sand. Repeat these steps to make additional luminaries. Place luminaries outdoors where you can keep an eye on them. Press a tea light into the sand at the center of each bag. As the sun sets, light the luminaries and watch the stars glimmer and glow.

You can read several more craft ideas from Denise inside the July issue of Washington FAMILY Magazine. To find a location where you can pick up a copy, go to http://www.washingtonfamily.com/ and click on the “Where to Find” words at the bottom of the page.

Happy Holiday!

Brenda