With the Kids

4th of July Pipe Cleaner Sparklers

These DIY pipe cleaner sparklers are the perfect thing for toddlers and little ones that aren’t ready to handle a lit sparkler just yet. You could even put your bigger kids to work making these safe sparkler alternatives for the little ones to enjoy on the 4th of July!

4th of July Pipe Cleaner Sparklers

4th of July Pipe Cleaner Sparklers

We’re just a couple of weeks away from the 4th of July and I’m already seeing tons of fireworks for sale. It’s so fun to see the gigantic explosions of color high in the sky, but all the firecrackers and sparklers aren’t a good option for everyone. I don’t know about you, but the thought of my little ones around fire makes me a little nervous! If you live somewhere with “no fire” laws for the 4th or if your kids are a little too small for the light up kind of fun, make these fun pipe cleaners sparklers instead!

Supplies: 

  • 2 red pipe cleaners (aka chenille stems)
  • 2 blue pipe cleaners
  • 4 white pipe cleaners – mine are the shiny sparkly white colored kind. The sparkles help them to imitate the sparks of the real thing!

This list will be enough to make one sparkler, so grab more supplies if you want to make a whole bunch!

Instructions:

1. Gather your pipe cleaners and group them with the white together and the blue and red together. (I also made a sparkler that was half the size by cutting my white pipe cleaners in half for a tighter look, see above.)

2. Wrap your blue and red pipe cleaners around the center of your white pipe cleaners.

3. Bend your white pipe cleaners up and then twist your blue and red pipe cleaners together.

4. Give your white pipe cleaners one little twist, then fan them out. You can bend them at the tops or leave them straight.

Chenille Stem Sparklers 4 of july Craft

As you can see, this craft idea couldn’t be any easier! It takes no time at all to whip up a whole bunch of them. Your little ones will love that they don’t have to be left out of the fun, and you’ll rest easy knowing that they’re safe!

Now it’s time for the show, and you can have all the fun without any of the fire! The best thing about these sparklers is that, unlike the light up kind, you can save these pipe cleaner sparklers to use year after year! Now that’s something to celebrate!

10 comments

  1. I love your Sparkler craft! We will be using it this week during learning time. I wanted to make sure that it’s okay I print off the picture of the step by step visual instructions you provide here. Two of my kiddos are autistic and will need the visual prompts. I will be sure to site the source of course and provide a link to your site! Thank you!

  2. Just a follow-up–we did make a bunch of these sparklers, and they’ve been a big hit so far! I posted our photos and linked back to you. Thanks for the great ideas!

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