Learn how to tie dye shirts in literally the most fun way possible – With Water Guns!!
Everyone loves to tie dye shirts right? Well my kids came up with a super fun twist on how to tie dye and it actually works perfectly. I love this new tie dye with water guns method even more than the original. It’s easy, fun and uses cheap water guns from the Dollar Store to squirt paint onto white shirts. How fun is that? This cheap craft is perfect for outdoor summer fun with kids of all ages.
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Tie dying with squirt guns is a great boredom busting activity to keep kids entertained this summer. All you need are a few cheap water guns, a tie dye kit, and white shirts. I found a $5 tie dye kit at my local Dollar Store that worked perfectly for this water gun painting activity. Remember fun doesn’t mean expensive!
Before You Start
Before you get started on this fun tie dye painting activity there are a few house keeping items to consider.
- Make sure to tie dye with water guns outside if you don’t want your house tie dyed as well!
- Grab a plastic tablecloth and cover your work surface for easy clean up.
- I recommend buying cheap water guns so you can toss them when this fun craft is over. The Dollar Store had a package of 3 water guns for $1.
- Wash and dry your white shirt before you begin this painting craft with your kids. It will help the colors soak into the fabric better.
- Wear gloves! We did not and I’m still trying to get the color off my fingers!
How To Tie Dye With Water Guns
Start by preparing your tie dye liquid according to package instructions. Once the dye is mixed, gently squeeze one color into each water gun. I like to do this outside incase of any leaks.
Cover your work area with a drop cloth or plastic table cloth. Lay a white shirt directly on the work area. Your kids are now ready to blast into fun with this amazing outdoor activity.
This is where you let your kids go wild. Tell them to aim and squirt! Encourage creativity with the designs, color choices, and color mixing techniques. There is no wrong way to tie dye a shirt with water guns! *I did limit my kids to 3-4 colors per shirt so we didn’t end up with a brown mess in the end.*
Make sure to turn the shirt over and squirt the back as well! Once your kids are satisfied with their work of art, let it sit in the sun and dry for about 30 minutes. Then place the shirt in a plastic Ziplock for 24-48 hours before rinsing and washing.
Follow the instructions on the tie dye box on how to rinse and wash your new water gun painted shirt! My kids said this is one of the best crafts we’ve ever done, and we do A LOT of crafts! Tie dying with water guns is great for creativity, fine motor skills, and gets kids outdoors and off the electronics! My kids can’t wait to do this fun outdoor activity again. Maybe we’ll try to tie dye hats, socks, shorts, and headbands with water guns next!
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