History for Kids: Fun Tie Dye Activity

Did you know that the art of tie dye didn’t originate in the 1960s with the hippies? The art of tie dye is hundreds of years old, crazy, right! Check out the end of this article to learn about the history of tie dye!

SUPPLIES NEEDED TO TIE DYE

• Tie dye kit or natural dyes
• Rubber bands
• Gloves
• White t-shirt or other article of clothing
• Clothes that can get messy
• Bathtub or outdoor area that can be easily cleaned

STEPS TO TIE DYE A SHIRT

Step 1

Gather your supplies together and prepare your area. You will want to do this activity outside or using your bathtub. If you’re worried about a mess, you can lay down some news papers to make clean up easy!

Step 2

Pick out what colors you want to use and prepare them according to package instructions. You can do the whole rainbow or just one color, whatever combination you’d like!

If you’re using natural dyes, make sure you prepare them ahead of time.

Step 3

Lay your white t-shirt or other fabric item out flat on the ground. It’s ok if there are a few wrinkles.

Step 4

Pinch the center of your shirt and twist it into a tight spiral/circle.

Step 5

Use your rubber bands to hold the spiral in place and divide the shirt into several sections.

Step 6

Set your prepared shirt in your bathtub or outdoor area.

Step 7

Grab your prepared dyes and start dying your shirt. I did mine in a rainbow order, but you can do any colors you want! What colors will you choose?

Step 8

After you’re finished dying the tie dye, let it sit for anywhere from eight to twenty-four hours.

Step 9

After your tie dyed shirt sits, rinse it out well. Once rinsed, put your shirt by itself in the washer set to cold and colors. After it’s washed, let it air dry.

Step 10

After your tie dye shirt is dyed, it’s ready to wear! Just make sure the first couple times you wear it, you wash it by itself!

How did your tie-dye shirt turn out? Share with us in the comments!

 

TIPS FOR TIE DYING YOUR CLOTHES

• Lay out newspapers or a tarp where you’re going to tie dye your shirt so cleaning up is easier.
• Do this activity outside for some summer fun!
• Use any combination of colors to make your tie dye items
• Tie dye any item you’d like for ultimate customization!
• Try different methods of tying your shirt or other clothing items to get some cool, new designs! Here’s a guide: Tie-Dye Techniques for All Skill Levels

HISTORY OF TIE DYE

When you think of tie dye you tend to think of the hippies during the 1960s wearing a tie dyed shirt with some bell bottom jeans and a pair of cool looking sun glasses. However, the 1960s is not where tie dye began! The art of tie dye is incredibly old and some of the oldest known practices are from South America, Asia, and Africa.