Patriotic Ribbon Wands

For Memorial Day I shared a tutorial for paper pinwheels that would be perfect for a parade or party decorations, so today I wanted to share another fun party toy that is easy for kids to make: Ribbon Wands.

I know that this is not a new or novel idea in the slightest, but young children often love he simplest things and there are so many different variations and materials that you can use to create a basic ribbon wand.  It is easy for children to personalize their own, and you can select materials that meet your budget constraints as well as the theme or tone of your party.

For the wand itself you’l need some type of stick that is long enough for the children to hold onto easily, and to attach the ribbons to.  This could be a twig from your yard, a popsicle stick or tongue depressor, a marshmallow skewer, a plastic drinking straw, or even an un-sharpened pencil.  To make the wand fit your patriotic theme you can select an item that is already red, white, or blue or you could have the children paint them or wrap them in washi tape.

Once your wand is ready it’s time to add the ribbons.  You can use regular grosgrain ribbon from the craft store, or you could use fabric strips, crepe paper streamers, or yarn, or you could make a variety of these available and the children can mix and match what they want.  The ribbons can be attached to the wand in a number of ways, but I’ve found that the most secure options tend to be hot glue or duct tape.

When the wands are complete they are ready to use – run with them, have a dance party, or just watch them blow in the breeze!