Patriotic Suncatcher: How to Make & Enjoy This Craft for Kids
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Looking for a simple, fun, and budget-friendly craft to celebrate patriotic holidays with your kids? This simple patriotic suncatcher craft is perfect for making homemade decorations for your family and friends.
All you need are three basic materials: tissue paper, construction paper, and contact paper. Plus, I added FREE printable templates to make this craft even easier to get started and to customize.
Whether you're gearing up for the 4th of July, Memorial Day, Labor Day, or Veteran's Day, this craft is a fantastic way to honor these special occasions while keeping things fun and frugal. I'm sharing my tips and ideas for making these DIY suncatchers. My boys and I have had such delightful times with this project and hope you do, too!
A Delightful Patriotic Project for Kids
Need a simple and affordable way to help your children get ready for an upcoming holiday with patriotic themes? Maybe you'd like a fun project to use as part of your summer camp or summer homeschool fun activities? Perhaps you want an activity with red, white, and blue themes as you learn about the United States of America?
Well, this patriotic suncatcher craft is a perfect pick for all of those things and more!
My boys and I have made these festive decorations as part of our holiday homeschool fun. We’ve made them in all kinds of shapes—stars, circles, Uncle Sam’s hat, and hearts.
What I love most about this craft is how it combines creativity with meaning. It's a wonderful way to celebrate holidays like the 4th of July, Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Veteran’s Day, while also giving us the chance to reflect on what these days represent. Plus, it’s a simple and budget-friendly project that's great for practicing fine motor skills.
What You'll Need To Make These Suncatchers
Although you can totally customize these patriotic suncatchers (and I'll share my ideas plus supply recommendations to do so!), here's what you'll need to have your projects look like the examples in this tutorial:
- White cardstock or construction paper
- Red and blue tissue paper
- Clear contact paper
- Scissors
- Pencil
- Optional: FREE printable patriotic suncatcher templates
We often used white tissue paper with the red and blue. Also, tissue paper with a glittery effect is very cool! You can tape your suncatcher to a window OR use a hole punch at the top and then use string or yarn to hang.
375 Colored Tissue Paper for Gift Bags 36 Assorted Colors ! 12 in x 8.4 in, Crafts, Gift Wrapping Bulk - Gifting SheetsBobobag 80 Sheets 2025 Sheets White Cardstock, Thick Paper Cardstock for Invitations, Menus, Wedding, DIY Cards Cards Making, Stationary Printing, 8.5 x 11 InchesChell 2 Pack Clear Contact Paper Roll for Books, 17.5in x 5ft Clear Self Adhesive Book Cover Paper Protector
Step-By-Step Directions for Making This Patriotic Suncatcher
Fold, draw, and cut out star.
Fold the white cardstock or construction paper in half. On the folded edge, draw half of a star shape. While the paper is still folded, cut along the star shape. When you unfold it, you’ll have a symmetrical star!
Cut out middle of star, place on contact paper, and prepare tissue paper squares.
Carefully cut out the middle of the star, leaving a border about 1 inch wide to create a star-shaped frame. Cut a piece of clear contact paper slightly larger than your star. Peel off the backing and stick the star frame onto the sticky side of the contact paper. Cut red and blue tissue paper into small squares.
Fill in the star, seal, and trim.
Stick the tissue paper squares onto the sticky center of the star. Cover the entire middle area with red and blue squares, overlapping them for a stained glass look. Place another piece of contact paper on top to seal it. Trim any excess contact paper around the edges.
Frequently Asked Questions About DIY Suncatchers
This craft is perfect for kids of all ages! Younger children (ages 3-5) can join in with either a bit of prep work on your part OR will need more help with cutting and assembling. Older children (ages 6 and up) can enjoy more independence in creating their suncatchers.
Absolutely! Feel free to get creative with your tissue paper colors. While red, white, and blue are ideal for patriotic holidays, you can customize the suncatchers with any colors to fit the season or personal preference.
Contact paper is the easiest and most effective option for this craft. If you don’t have it, you could try using clear plastic sheets or laminating pouches. Just make sure the adhesive is strong enough to hold the tissue paper in place.
Creative Ways to Make and Use Your Patriotic Suncatchers
This activity is a simple, hands-on project for kids. It's also super cute for creative rainy day fun, screen-free time, and just because. A few more ideas for when to make this patriotic suncathcer craft are:
- Party decorations
- Patriotic theme in your classroom
- Library event (pair it with a patriotic-themed book)
- Homeschool co-op
- Brain break
You can totally draw your own shapes to use as frames for your suncatcher. I also want you to have our FREE printable templates (with stars, Uncle Sam hat, circles, and hearts) in case you could use a bit of help or your students want to work on this project independently.
Once your suncatcher is complete, you can hang it in a window using clear tape or string. Consider using a hole puncher to create a hole at the top and threading a piece of string through it to hang.
These suncatchers also make lovely handmade gifts for family and friends during patriotic holidays. Simply add a string for hanging and give them as festive decorations.
More Frugal and Fun Patriotic Activities for Kids
- Torn Paper American Flag Craft
- American Flag Painting Project
- Patriotic Hearts Perler Bead Craft Templates
- Coffee Filter Poppies
- 4th of July Coloring Pages
- 4th of July Mad Libs
And you can get your FREE printable patriotic suncatcher templates HERE!
⭐ Hurray! I'm so excited that you want to make this patriotic suncatcher craft! Do you have any questions for me? And what ideas do you have for making and using this suncatcher? Please share in the comments area at the bottom of this post!