Being that I’m the child of two hippies it’s only natural that I’d want to throw a tie dye party for my five-year-old’s birthday. I’m here to tell you hippie or not, this was the best birthday party we’ve ever had, and I’ve thrown some good ones.
The thing is, you mix together kids + tie dye + a bag of Oreo cookies + backyard = raging success!
We used a Jacquard Tie Dye Kit and the party guests either brought their own old tees and onesies or used some provided by Hanes. Tie dyeing is a great way to cover up the spots on those little tees and onesies you don’t want to toss, but don’t know what else to do with. Honestly it’s recycling, so it’s win-win.
To start off, I bought a couple of plastic tablecloths from the dollar store and taped them to the picnic table in the middle of the lawn in the back yard. I figured if we were going to spill dye {and we did} the grass was the best place to do it.
I got the dye all mixed up, put it on the table with P and a bag of Oreos, and we were off to the races. I put P in charge of the little kids at the table while I did the miscellaneous things moms do at a kid birthday party. It’s better when P’s in charge. We’re both happier that way.
P had the kids start tying elastics all over their shirts. There are all sorts of fancy tying techniques but the kids were less interested in the elastics than they were in the dye, so we kind of rushed that part. I tried a few rolling techniques for my kids’ shirts just for fun, and the shirts actually turned out pretty cool because of it. I mean, that and my awesomeness.
After the shirts/onesies/socks/underwear were properly *tied* we tossed them into the ash bath. That was a new one for me. That’s what happens when your version of tie dyeing {in high school} included grocery store RIT dye, your moms’ cooking vinegar, and her best mixing bowls. You aren’t as concerned with things like *ash baths* as you are about…other things.
But as I learned, the ash makes the color look amazing, so it’s a step you don’t want to skip. It has to soak for 20 minutes or so, which was a great time to take a break. These were little kids after all, and they { I } needed a cupcake break.
After the consuming of cupcakes it was time to dye. That was the best part.
You can be willy nilly or really precise, especially when using bottles. I prefer to be willy nilly, but such is my personality.
It’s pretty cool though when the colors bleed into each other like they’re doing right here. It gives it a little extra hippie look. Which, obviously I adore.
Once the shirts were all dyed and ready to rock and roll we put them in double bagged grocery sacks for the kids to take home. It takes a full 24 hours for the dye to set, so the shirts had to be set aside in bags to take home as party favors. They looked a little ghetto, but sometimes practical is ghetto. And you can’t fight practical.
Then it was time for presents. May I just say that I’ve been vehemently opposed to any guns, real or otherwise in my home since C’s birth. I hate guns. I never ever wanted C to play with guns. But guess what? C is a little boy. And little boys know how to make 17 different machine gun noises by the time they’re 5, whether or not you have toy guns in the house. So I relented and allowed my friends to buy guns for C. They did not disappoint.
C was {and continues to be} thrilled about the gun business.
Grammy got bow and arrows, which are almost as good as guns. She’s a non-violent as well. It’s part of that whole *hippie* thing.
The babies were completely indifferent to everything. Although if it does come down to violence with these two, my money is on little O. He’s the chubba lubba piece of heaven on the right.
At the end of the party we sent everyone home with their plastic bags filled with tie dye tees and onesies, and instructions not to touch anything for a full 24 hours.
It was hard to follow our own instructions. So we passed the time by dyeing everything that wasn’t nailed down. When the time was up we pulled the shirts out of the bags…
And started taking off elastics.
After which we rinsed the shirts in the kitchen sink until the water ran clear. It took some time. Quite a bit of time actually. We really soaked those suckers.
Puh pa da duh ta duh ta!
{that’s a drum roll in case you missed it}
And after we washed all our tie dye belongings in the washer, and dried them in the dryer, they were ready to be worn. Like so:
Hooray for Tie Dye! Seriously, best birthday ever. Tie dye is the gift that keeps on giving.
Allison
Hello there! I'm Allison Czarnecki, founder + editor of Petit Elefant, a blog all about style on a budget for every part of your life: style / home / travel / family. I do a lot of how-to beauty + style tutorials, travel posts, easy recipes, home remodel projects, and cool DIY crafts you totally want to try. I'm super happily married (to a hot Polish immigrant) and am the mother of two kids, a daughter and son, all of whom are featured here on the regular. We live in the country but we're a little bit rock + roll. Welcome!
That looks like so much fun with spectacular results! I'm not waiting for the next birthday party to do this one, but will still manage to find a reason to also work in the cupcakes. :) Great ideas.
You are brave my friend! I did an iron on/painting t-shirt party for 10 year olds and that was messy enough for my taste. Looks fun though!
i am so doing this! did you order the kit online?? i can't wait for this. thanks for posting!!
details on the kits, please. my last tie-dye experience yielded less vibrant results. I'd love to try it again.
and P.S: I was a no-guns mommy until M started turning household objects (curling irons, vacuum cleaner attachments, crayons) into guns and making gun noises at the age of 18 months. the come hard wired for it. I've given up.
Carlotta,
The shirts were amazing, honestly. And there's always a way to work in cupcakes!
Kat,
I had help. P is like another very capable adult. And it wasn't as messy as you'd think, I was really surprised by that!
{natalie},
Yes, online. You can get them on Amazon. Honestly, it was so. much. fun.
KJ,
Get the kit online {Jaquard}. Just google the name and you'll find a place to get one. I won't ever do it again without a kit, it made all the difference in the world.
p.s. you know things are out of hand when a wooden spoon is a weapon. there's no denying it.
I love this post and I LOVE tie dye. What a great birthday party idea. I will definitely be doing this for my son! Thanks!
Jenny,
It's totally easy, and more fun than you can shake a stick at.
Dirty gun-toting hippy.
I'm totaly doing this for my 11 year old birthday party! So cute! Thanks for the fun idea!
Azucar,
Now, now. We don't need to get into politics here love.
Jen,
The greatest birthday yet. You absolutely have to do it.
Hee.
Azucar,
hee, your mom.
Those shirts are AWESOME. I've never tie-dyed anything in my life. Serious.
wow. Maybe I can even get out of doing another CARS theme cake.
And… I've half given in the no gun rule. We've been given guns as toys a few times and like you said, even the cheese sticks turn into weapons. Sigh… is there really no hope?
Melissa,
I find it astonishing {!!} that you've never tie dyed. We have to do it together sometime.
Elizabeth,
I'd love to tell you there is, but my little one turns Barbies into guns. Honestly, I think it's in the DNA.
oh man, i went to a tie-dye party in junior high and it was so awesome. then we did it every week after that for about the next year. everything in my closet that was remotely white had been dyed. that is such a great idea for a party. that onesie rocks!
Emily,
We honestly had so much fun, I'd do it again tomorrow. Tie dye parties are the bomb.
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