Bubble Shirts

My mom was the queen of tie dye when we were kids doing it with all sorts of the groups she volunteered with.  The kids loved it and I hoped to pass this fun technique onto our children!

* In speaking with my mom after making the shirts, she said that she found that string worked better for children over elastics!  Guess that gives us an excuse to try tie dye again!*

Materials

• Marbles or String
• Elastics
• Scissors
• White or light coloured t-shirt (This would be great to cover up a shirt with a spot!)
• Tie dye kit (rubber gloves if they are not included)
• Craft tray (Depending on your dye you may need a bucket & spoon, check your directions!)
• Old clothes, smock etc.

Directions

• Don your smock.

• Put your marble onto a spot on your t-shirt and wrap your elastic around it, many times as tightly as you can.  (You may need an adult to do those last few twists!  OR try tying and knotting string tightly.) Repeat with as many marbles as you like.

• We also tried putting elastics further down from the marbles as shown.

• Follow the directions on your dye kit and dye your shirt or portions thereof.

• Once completed, remove your elastics (carefully with your scissors or if you can unwrap them) and marbles and follow the wash directions on your dye kit.

• Enjoy your shirts!

Purpose

• Developing fine motor skills (learning how to use elastics)

Safety Notes

• We suggest that you wear a smock and use a craft tray to protect your clothing and surfaces.
• Use scissors and elastics with care and adult supervision.
• Marbles can be a choking hazard therefore be sure to keep them out of the reach of children ages 0-3 years of age or those that tend to put things into their mouths.