Looking for a cute patriotic craft to celebrate Independence Day at home? This 4th of July windsock is a great way to repurpose an empty toilet paper roll by turning it into a fun art project for kids!
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Do you have a surplus of empty toilet paper rolls in your house waiting to be turned into art? If so, this cute patriotic craft is the perfect way to repurpose them! In just a few simple steps, you can turn a toilet paper roll into a colorful windsock to hang in your yard.
This fun July craft is a great way to celebrate Independence Day or Memorial Day at home with your kids.
Why You’ll Love This Craft
- Easy to make: You’ll only need to follow a few simple steps in order to make this craft—elementary schoolers should be able to complete it entirely on their own!
- Patriotic: This project is a great way for Americans to celebrate Independence Day, Memorial Day or any other patriotic occasion.
- Fun for kids: With this craft, the fun doesn’t end after you’re done making it. Your kids will love watching the windsock flutter in the wind after you’ve hung it in your yard!
Looking for more 4th of July crafts? Check out this Glitter Fireworks Crafts or this 4th of July Handprint Art!
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Required Materials
- Toilet paper roll: If you don’t have one, you can also use a paper towel roll that has been cut in half.
- Paint: You’ll need dark blue washable kids’ paint or acrylic paint. (I used acrylic paint.) If you are doing this craft with younger kids, you may want to stick with washable paint since it’s easier to clean up.
- Paintbrush: I recommend using a medium to large paintbrush that will allow you to easily cover the entire toilet paper roll.
- Hole punch: I used a ¼ inch hole punch. If you use a smaller one (for instance, an ⅛ inch one), make sure the holes are large enough to accommodate the ribbon.
- Ribbon: I wanted a neutral color, so I picked a white ¼ inch satin ribbon. Make sure that whichever ribbon you use is thin enough to fit through the hole made by the hole punch. As for the length, I cut mine down to about 16 inches, so your ribbon should be at least that long.
- Star stickers: You’ll need small star-shaped stickers in white or silver.
- Scissors: Sharp metal scissors will work best. You’ll be using these to cut the tissue paper.
- Tissue paper: You’ll need red and white for this project. I bought a set of multicolored 8 x 11.5 inch tissue paper sheets, but you can also use larger sheets and cut them down to size. I often buy them in the party section of my local dollar store.
- Glue: A glue stick is best for this project because it dries more quickly and won’t soak through the tissue paper. If you don’t have one, you can use a small amount of liquid school glue instead, but take care not to add too much, and let the glue dry fully before you hang up your craft.
The full supply list and instructions can be found in the how-to card.
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How to Make a 4th of July Windsock (Step-by-Step)
Step 1: Paint toilet paper roll. Cover the outer surface of a toilet paper roll with dark blue paint, then place it upright on a sheet of parchment paper and allow the paint to dry fully before you move on to the next step.
Step 2: Punch holes. Use a hole punch to make one hole on each side of the toilet paper roll, with the two holes facing each other about an inch from the top of the roll.
Step 3: Add a ribbon. Thread a 16-inch ribbon through the holes (you can use scissors to cut it to the right length), make a double knot about 1-2 inches from the top of the toilet paper roll, then tie up the remaining ribbon into a bow.
Step 4: Add stars. Cover the paper toilet roll in white or silver star-shaped stickers, pressing down on them to help them stay in place. (The stars can also be painted on if needed.)
Step 5: Cut tissue paper. Use scissors to cut strips of white and red tissue paper about ¾ inch in width and 12 inches in length. You’ll need about 4 strips of each color.
Step 6: Glue tissue paper. Gently add glue to the tips of the tissue paper strips and press them onto the inside of the toilet paper roll, alternating colors and leaving most of the tissue paper visible.
Once you’re done making this craft, simply hang it on a tree branch outside and watch as it sways in the wind. I love how cute it turned out!
Helpful Tips
- Keep the paper roll upright: To avoid getting paint everywhere, carefully hold it up by placing a finger on the top and bottom of the toilet paper roll while you paint, then placing it on a piece of parchment paper and letting it dry upright.
- Leave enough ribbon: I used scissors to cut my ribbon to about 16 inches, but if you want to be sure to have enough, consider making yours a bit longer and cutting off the excess after you’ve created the double knot and bow.
- Press down on the stickers: You’ll need to gently but firmly press down on the stickers to make sure they stay in place. You can do this by placing one finger inside the toilet paper roll, another finger on top of the sticker, and pressing down from both sides.
More Summer Crafts for Kids
If you have tried this 4th of July Windsock or any other project on my website, please let me know how it went in the comments below. I can’t wait to hear from you!
4th of July Windsock
Materials
- 1 toiler paper roll
- dark blue paint washable or acrylic
- 1 paintbrush
- 1 hole punch (¼ inch)
- 1 white satin ribbon cut to about 16 inches in length
- white or silver star stickers as needed
- 1 pair sharp scissors
- 1 sheet red tissue paper
- 1 sheet white tissue paper
- 1 glue stick
Instructions
- Cover the outer surface of a toilet paper roll with dark blue paint, carefully holding it up by placing a finger on the top and bottom as you paint. Place it on a piece of parchment paper in an upright position and allow the paint to fully dry before you move on to the next step.
- Use a hole punch to make one hole on each side of the toilet paper roll, with the two holes facing each other about an inch from the top of the roll.
- Thread the ribbon through the holes (you can use scissors to cut the ribbon to the right length), make a double knot about 1-2 inches from the top of the toilet paper roll, then tie up the remaining ribbon into a bow.
- Cover the paper toilet roll with star-shaped stickers, pressing down on them firmly to help them stay in place. (The stars can also be painted on with white paint if needed.)
- Use scissors to cut strips of white and red tissue paper about ¾ inch in width and 12 inches in length. You’ll need about 4 strips of each color.
- Gently add glue to the tips of the tissue paper strips and press them onto the inside of the toilet paper roll, alternating colors and leaving most of the tissue paper visible. Hang the finished craft on a tree branch and watch it sway in the wind.
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