5 Fun Crafts for the 4th of July

Let the kids lip-sync their way to stardom!

WHAT TO DO Slice down the length of a paper towel tube, roll it into a cone, and tape it closed. Crumple tissue paper into a ball and insert it into the opening. Cover the ball with newspaper, attach it to the base with black tape, then continue to wrap the entire base. Coat the newspaper ball with glue, then roll in silver glitter. Let dry.

The perfect macaroni flair.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED Various pastas (we used rotelle, rigatoni, penne, farfallini, and cannelloni); Plastic baggies; Food coloring (like India Tree Nature’s Colors); Rubbing alcohol Parchment paper; Yarn (or 2 to 3 premade pom-poms or tassels per child); Scissors (at least one pair for 2 to 3 kids); Shoelaces or paracord (for stringing necklaces)

1. Before the party, dye the uncooked pasta. Separate pasta into plastic baggies. Add a few drops of food coloring and two caps of alcohol to each. Close and shake until the pasta is coated. Place on parchment paper to dry.

2. At the party, set out dyed noodles, yarn, and shoelaces or paracord. Show the kids how to make tassels and pom-poms (left), then let them loose!

TO MAKE POM-POMS Wrap yarn around four fingers 50 times; cut the tail. Pull off the bundle; double-knot a new piece around the middle. Cut open the loops; trim to shape.

TO MAKE TASSELS Wrap yarn around four fingers 20 times. Pull off the bundle and cut the tail; double-knot a new piece near the top. Wrap a third piece around the top six times and double-knot it. Cut open the long loops and trim. 

Add instant WOW, anywhere!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED Box cutter (adults only); Cardboard boxes; Tinsel garland (about 50 feet per 3-foot-wide star; we got ours from christmascentral.com); Glue gun and glue sticks (2 to 3 per star)

1. Cut a star out of cardboard.

2. Wrap the star horizontally with tinsel, adding glue as you go, from top to bottom.

Transform scrap fabric (old sheets work, too) into an Old Glory-ous backdrop to use year after year.

WHAT DO DO Tear 5 yards each of red and white fabric into 2-inch-wide strips (snip with scissors to start). Make each piece about 7 feet long, tying shorter pieces together, if necessary. Repeat using blue fabric, making 3-footlong pieces. You'll need 50 to 60 strips of each color. Cut white pom-pom trim to six 3-foot lengths. Knot about 10 strips of red fabric onto one end of a 4-footlong dowel, then 10 strips of white fabric. Repeat to make 13 stripes. Tie the blue fabric in front of the stripes to cover half of the left side the flag, then tie on pom-pom trim every 4 inches. Tie twine to each end of the dowel to hang.

Everyone wins with lots of quirky prizes (top left).

WHAT TO DO Stack two to three cups or cans (flip some upside down) in varying shapes; hot-glue in place. Hot-glue a plastic figure to the top; let dry. Spray each trophy with two to three light coats of metallic paint; let dry

From smokey spud salad to patriotic whoopie pies (yum), upgrade your classic American fare with these 8 delicious dishes that are perfect for every patriotic holiday!