Your kids can make these firecracker crafts just for fun or use them to decorate for Fourth of July. Some of the items you need are things you probably already have around the house.
Items Needed:
- Cardboard toilet paper or paper towel rolls
- Paint or glitter and glue
- Red votive candles (do not light)
- Pipe cleaners or white cocktail straws
- Small stars or star stickers
- Curling ribbon
- Streamers
Directions:
If you want to make a centerpiece, you’ll want different sizes and styles of firecrackers. Start by making a couple small ones that look like they have not been lit. Take two toilet paper rolls and cover the outside with glue and then red glitter, or paint them red (you can cover with red felt if you don’t have these other supplies). Many votive candles will fit perfect into a regular size toilet paper tube. Add a little glue around the edge of the candle and then stuff the tube with paper so it won’t be top heavy. You should not light these candles since the candleholders are cardboard, they are just for looks.
Next, making larger “exploding” firecrackers to place with the unlit ones. Cut off a paper towel tube just a bit taller than the toilet paper tubes. Make it red as described above. Stuff the inside of the tube with paper, leaving about 1” of empty space at the top. Glue or staple (from the outside in) several pipe cleaners or straws to the inside so they are sticking up out of the tube. You may need to trim the straws or cut off a bit of the pipe cleaners if they are too long. Attach small stars to the ends of pipe cleaners or straws. You can use craft pieces, cut out your own stars, or use star shaped stickers (you might want to add extra glue). You can add more along the length of the straws if desired. Add curling ribbon to the center of the tube, and arrange it so it is cascading out in between straws or pipe cleaners.
Arrange large and small, unlit and exploding firecrackers in the center of the table and wrap streamers around the bottoms, bunching and scrunching. Throw some glitter or confetti on top of streamers if desired.