Independence Day Craft

We put together a VERY fun firework craft the other day.  This idea was inspired by a really cool blog post done on the blog Casa Camacho.  We decided to put our own spin on the idea.  The kids love crafts like this because of the sensory aspect of squishing wet paint in their palms.  I love craft ideas like this because it captures the size of their little hands in their art.  This is sure to be one craft project that makes it into the memory box.

Here is how to make it:

1)  Gather your supplies.  You will need:

• Black Construction Paper
• White Paper
• Glitter Glue in various colors (we used red, white, and blue)
• Washable Tempera Paint (we used red, blue, and silver sparkle pain
• Safety Scissors
• Glue Stick
• Little Hands  (The most special of all of the tools!) 

(For quick and easy clean up I recommend getting a bucket of warm soapy water out with a couple of washcloths before you begin.  Then, as the kids finish, they can just dip their hands in the soapy water.  This makes cleanup quick, painless, AND fun!) 

2)  Decorate your night sky (black construction paper) with the glitter glue.  Fireworks come in all shapes and sizes.  Some are the big explosions while others are just pretty sparkles in the sky.  Our glitter gave us the pretty sparkles.  

 3)  Set aside your night sky (black paper) and allow to dry.  Next, mix up your finger paint.  Sophia mixed red and silver glitter together.  Marcus mixed blue and silver glitter together.

 4)  Dip your hands in the paint and then try your best to make a couple of hand prints on the white paper.  You will need at least 2. 

 I had originally planned on having the kids wash hands and switch colors.  (That way they would each get one blue firework and one red firework.)   However, they didn't want to stop and wash their hands.  So I just let them have fun and finger paint on some blanks sheets of paper for awhile. 

 5)  Allow hand-prints to dry.  When dry cut them out.

6)  Glue the hand-prints to your night sky. 
At this point, Marcus was no longer into using the glue sticks.  So he "outsourced" his gluing to his more than willing sister Sophia.  Sophia loves working on craft projects.  Marcus likes the part where he can get really messy, but easily tires of the whole gluing and cutting thing.  I like it that they each have such different likes and dislikes. 

 7)  Hold your completed project up proudly for all to see!