These coffee filter fireworks are a bright and colourful way to make fireworks art without the noise! Fold a coffee filter, make a few cuts, and add markers and water to create the coolest tie dye effect. Wait for it to dry, and then you’ll see a bold firework shape with colourful bursts, rays, and little cutout details.
This coffee filter craft is perfect for Canada Day, the 4th of July, New Year’s Eve, or any fireworks celebration that needs a pop of colour. Kids can experiment with different marker colours, folding patterns, and scissor cuts to make each paper firework look completely unique!
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How to Make Coffee Filter Fireworks
Materials:
Equipment:
See the craft in action:
Instructions:
Step 1: Find what you need
- Gather your supplies and materials.
Step 2: Cut the firework shape
- Begin with a single coffee filter. Fold it in half, in half again, and in half one final time (3 folds total).
- Then cut the edge of the coffee filter into a separated fringe. To do this, cut down about 1-1/2 inches, making strips about 3/8 inch wide. Cut off every other strip so there’s gaps between each one.
- Here’s what your coffee filter should look like.
- Now unfold the coffee filter to reveal your firework.
Step 3: Add colour and water
- To add colour to the firework, add lines, dots, or areas of washable marker.
- Repeat, adding more colours of marker. You can choose a colour scheme, add complementary colours, or even create a pattern. The more marker you add, the darker your firework will be.
- Use an eyedropper to pick up some water.
- Then drop the water onto the coffee filter and watch it spread.
- Repeat until the coffee filter is saturated. Allow to dry.
- Your coffee filter firework is complete!
Step 4: Make a “paper snowflake” style of firework
- To make a paper snowflake firework fold a coffee filter in half, and then fold the half in 3 equal sections.
- Cut the edge of the paper into starburst points.
- Then draw a fireworks design with pencil.
- To make it easy to cut out these details, first fold the coffee filter in those areas and make little snips so you can get your scissors through.
- Then use the slits in the coffee filter to cut out all the sections. Small detail scissors work the best for this task.
- Open the coffee filter to reveal your beautiful fireworks design.
- Colour the coffee filter with a few colours or shades of marker. Here’s an example of a type of pattern you can make, where it looks like the colour of the firework is bursting out from the center.
- Add water and allow to dry.
- Your “snowflake” coffee filter firework is complete!
- Have fun making all different designs using a variety of colours!
Helpful Tips:
- Play around with different colour combinations for your coffee filter fireworks. Use red, white, and blue for the Fourth of July, red and white for Canada Day, or bright rainbow colours for a bold fireworks display.
- Try cutting each coffee filter in different ways to create unique firework shapes. Add a fringe around the edge, cut points to look like an exploding firework, or fold and cut small designs inside the filter like you would with a paper snowflake.
- Small detail scissors are the best choice for cutting out tiny shapes and inside details, especially if you’re making the paper snowflake style of firework. They make it easier to cut through the folded coffee filter and create cleaner designs.
What’s the best way to add water to coffee filter crafts?
A spray bottle is the quickest and most efficient way to add water to coffee filter crafts. It wets the whole filter quickly, helps the colours spread, and usually lets you use less water (meaning they dry more quickly too!).
An eye dropper is also a great option because it lets kids add water slowly and watch the colours spread and blend. If you don’t have an eye dropper, use a small teaspoon to carefully drip water onto the coffee filter. This can give younger kids more control over how much water they’re adding.
What markers do I need for coffee filter fireworks?
Use water based, washable markers, like Crayola markers, to colour your coffee filter fireworks. When you add water, the marker colours spread through the coffee filter and blend together to create a bright tie-dye effect.
Washable markers come in lots of colours, so kids can make patriotic fireworks, rainbow fireworks, or a whole themed fireworks display.
How else can I add colour to coffee filter fireworks?
Diluted food colouring or liquid watercolour paint is another easy way to add colour to this fireworks craft. Use an eye dropper to add the colour to the coffee filter, then watch it spread out like a colourful fireworks burst.
With these options, you don’t need to add extra water. The watery paint or diluted food colouring already has enough liquid to spread through the coffee filter.
These coffee filter fireworks are such a fun way to make colourful celebration art with simple supplies. Each one opens up into a bright burst of colour, and the different cutting patterns make every firework look a little different.
Enjoy seeing your fireworks on display by taping them to a window, gluing them onto black paper, or hanging them from fishing line for a festive decoration that really pops!
Here’s even more fireworks craft ideas:
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72 cute and fun crafts that kids and parents alike can enjoy. All with as little mess as possible!
Where to buy:
You can purchase Low-Mess Crafts for Kids from Amazon, or wherever books are sold:
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