Warm weather is just around the corner, and parents everywhere are looking for fun outdoor activities to keep their kids entertained.
Tie-dye is a great option, but finding patterns that are both fun and easy for kids to do can be a challenge.
That’s why we’ve put together a list of 10 easy tie dye patterns for kids, with step-by-step instructions and video tutorials for each one.
These designs are simple enough for even younger children to do, and they’ll have a blast creating their own unique shirts, socks, and other items.
From classic spirals and bullseyes to more intricate designs like hearts and sunflowers, the different patterns on this list will appeal to everyone.
Before you begin, lay out a plastic tablecloth or something to protect your work area. You will probably want to wear gloves so you don’t stain your skin.
Note: We recommend using a non-toxic tie dye kit when crafting with kids.
Finally, we recommend washing your white shirt or fabric and soaking it in soda ash for 20 minutes. (Use 1 cup per gallon of water.)
Without further ado, let’s dive in!
Grab your tie-dye kit and some old clothes and get ready to create some amazing tie-dye creations with your kids.
1. Spiral
When you think of tie dye shirts, you probably think of this design.
A classic spiral tie-dye pattern typically features a spiral shape with the bright colors radiating outwards from the center in a diagonal fashion. The colors blend into each other to create a mesmerizing, almost psychedelic effect.
The overall effect of the pattern is a swirling, twisting design that looks like a series of concentric circles that blend into each other.
It’s a classic and timeless design that will always be popular among those who love colorful and unique fashion.
Here are the steps for creating a spiral tie-dye pattern:
- Wash your white shirt or fabric and soak in soda ash for 20 minutes. (Use 1 cup per gallon of water.) Your fabric should be damp, but not soaking wet. (The dye has an easier time saturating the fabric when it’s wet.)
- Put on your rubber gloves!
- Pinch the center of the fabric with your thumb and forefinger and twist it in a clockwise direction to create a tight spiral. Keep twisting until the entire fabric is twisted into a spiral shape.
- Use rubber bands to hold the spiral in place. Wrap rubber bands every few inches from the center to the edge of the fabric, creating a series of pie-shaped sections.
- Apply dye to the fabric. For a classic spiral pattern, apply one color to the center of the spiral and then add other colors in a circular fashion, following the twists of the fabric. Make sure to saturate the fabric thoroughly with dye.
- Alternatively, you can use your dye to make a smiley face, pokemon ball, or other simple drawing, and see how it comes out!
- Once the dye is applied, carefully place the shirt in a plastic bag or wrap it in a piece of plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out. Let the shirt sit for at least 6-8 hours or overnight to allow the dye to set.
- Here are instructions for how to wash and care for your tie-dye shirt.
By following these steps, you can create a mesmerizing, swirling spiral pattern on your tie-dye shirts that is sure to catch the eye and impress anyone who sees it.
2. Heart
A heart tie-dye pattern is a design that features one or more hearts in a colorful tie-dye pattern on the fabric, and it’s perfect for kids!
This is definitely one of our favorite tie dye designs.
This pattern is created by folding the fabric in a way that creates a heart shape and then applying dye to the fabric.
Here are the steps:
- Wash your plain white t-shirt or fabric and soak in soda ash for 20 minutes. (Use 1 cup per gallon of water.) Your fabric should be damp, but not soaking wet. (The dye has an easier time saturating the fabric when it’s wet.)
- Put on your latex gloves!
- Fold the t-shirt in half.
- With a washable market, draw half of a heart.
- Begin to make small folds and gather the fabric along the heart.
- Place a rubber band where the line of the heart is.
- Continue placing rubber bands to create sections.
- Apply your dye to one side with desired colors. The video above shows a rainbow pattern.
- Flip it over and apply dye to the other side.
- Once the dye is applied, carefully place the shirt in a plastic bag or wrap it in plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out. Let the shirt sit for at least 6-8 hours or overnight to allow the dye to set.
- Here are instructions for how to wash and care for your tie-dye shirt.
This fun and playful design that allows them to express love and affection, and it’s surprisingly easy to create!
3. Bullseye
A bullseye tie dye pattern typically features a circular shape with concentric rings of color that radiate outwards from the center.
The center of the circle is usually a single color, while the rings around it can be one or more different colors.
The pattern resembles a target or bullseye, hence its name.
When creating a bullseye tie dye pattern, the center is typically dyed first with one color, and then additional colors are added in rings around the center.
The final result is a colorful and eye-catching design that can be used on a variety of fabrics, from t-shirts to bedding to accessories.
To create a bullseye tie dye pattern, follow these steps:
- Wash your t-shirt or fabric and soak in soda ash for 20 minutes. (Use 1 cup per gallon of water.) Your fabric should be damp, but not soaking wet. (The dye has an easier time saturating the fabric when it’s wet.)
- Put on your gloves!
- Grab the center of the fabric and lift it up so it’s draping down.
- Place a rubber band every few inches until you have a long piece of fabric with several sections.
- Apply dye to the fabric. Make sure to saturate the fabric thoroughly with dye.
- Flip it over and add more dye.
- Once the dye is applied, carefully place the shirt in a plastic bag or wrap it in plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out. Let the shirt sit for at least 6-8 hours or overnight to allow the dye to set.
- Here are instructions for how to wash and care for your tie-dye shirt.
That’s it! You should now have a beautiful bullseye tie dye pattern on your fabric. Experiment with different colors and dye techniques to create your own unique designs.
4. Stripes
A striped tie-dye pattern is a design that features stripes of color that alternate with stripes of white or another light color.
This pattern is created with an accordion fold and then applying dye to specific sections of the fabric.
To create a striped tie-dye pattern, you can use a variety of folding and tying techniques, depending on the look you want to achieve.
Striped tie-dye patterns can be created using any combination of colors, from bold and bright to pastel and subtle. The stripes can be wide or narrow, and can run vertically or horizontally across the fabric.
To create a striped tie-dye pattern, you will need to fold or twist the fabric and apply the dye in a way that creates stripes.
Here are the steps to create a basic striped tie-dye pattern:
- Wash your t-shirt or fabric and soak in soda ash for 20 minutes. (Use 1 cup per gallon of water.) Your fabric should be damp, but not soaking wet. (The dye has an easier time saturating the fabric when it’s wet.)
- Put on your rubber gloves!
- Decide how you want your stripes to run. You can create horizontal stripes or vertical stripes (or diagonal stripes!) depending on your preference.
- Fold the fabric accordion-style, creating a series of folds that run the length of the fabric. Make sure that the folds are all the same size for consistent stripes.
- You can fold horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.
- Apply elastic bands at regular intervals along the length of the fabric to hold the folds in place. You can use as many rubber bands as you like to create wider or narrower stripes.
- Apply the dye to the fabric. You can use a single color or multiple colors to create your stripes. Apply the dye in a stripe pattern, making sure to fully saturate the fabric. You can use a dye bottle or a brush to apply the dye.
- Once the dye is applied, carefully place the shirt in a plastic bag or wrap it in plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out. Let the shirt sit for at least 6-8 hours or overnight to allow the dye to set.
- Here are instructions for how to wash and care for your tie-dye shirt.
By following these steps, you can create a basic striped tie-dye pattern. You can experiment with different folding and tying techniques to create more complex stripe patterns. Remember to be creative and have fun with your designs!
5. Crumple
“Crumple” is probably the easiest tie dye pattern. It’s a great way to get even the youngest kids tie dyeing.
A crumple tie-dye pattern is a random and abstract design that creates a unique, textured look on the fabric.
This pattern is achieved by scrunching up the fabric in a random manner before dyeing it, which results in a variety of color and texture variations throughout the fabric.
Here are the steps to make a crumple tie-dye pattern:
- Wash your t-shirt or fabric and soak in soda ash for 20 minutes. (Use 1 cup per gallon of water.) Your fabric should be damp, but not soaking wet. (The dye has an easier time saturating the fabric when it’s wet.)
- Put on your gloves!
- Lay the t-shirt flat on a clean work surface and use your hands to scrunch and crumple the fabric randomly. Make sure to create a variety of folds and wrinkles throughout the shirt, as this will create the unique and textured look of the crumple tie-dye pattern.
- Once you have scrunched up the fabric to your liking, use rubber bands to secure the fabric in place. You can create as many or as few sections as you like, depending on the desired effect.
- Mix up your desired dye colors according to the manufacturer’s instructions. You can use one color or multiple colors for a more vibrant and colorful look.
- Apply the dye to each section, making sure to saturate the fabric with the dye and cover all the sections. You can use a dye bottle or a paintbrush to apply the dye.
- Once the dye is applied, carefully place the shirt in a plastic bag or wrap it in plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out. Let the shirt sit for at least 6-8 hours or overnight to allow the dye to set.
- Here are instructions for how to wash and care for your tie-dye shirt.
The resulting crumple tie-dye pattern will be a unique and abstract design with a variety of color and texture variations throughout the fabric. This pattern is perfect for creating a casual and fun t-shirt with a relaxed and carefree vibe.
6. Chevron (V-Shape)
A chevron tie-dye pattern is a design that features a series of V-shaped lines that create a zigzag or chevron pattern on the fabric.
It is a popular tie-dye pattern that can be created using various colors and is characterized by its bold and graphic look.
The chevron pattern can be applied to different fabric items, including shirts, scarves, tote bags, and more, making it a versatile design option.
Here are the steps:
- Wash your t-shirt or fabric and soak in soda ash for 20 minutes. (Use 1 cup per gallon of water.) Your fabric should be damp, but not soaking wet. (The dye has an easier time saturating the fabric when it’s wet.)
- Put on your gloves!
- Lay the shirt flat and fold it in half vertically.
- Use a washable marker to draw a diagonal straight line from the top of the shoulder to the center of shirt.
- Start at the center of the shirt where the marker appear, and being creating small folds and gathering the fabric along the diagonal you created.
- Place rubber bands around the fabric to create several different sections.
- Apply the colors of tie dye you desire.
- Flip the fabric over and apple more colors.
- Once the dye is applied, carefully place the shirt in a plastic bag or wrap it in plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out. Let the shirt sit for at least 6-8 hours or overnight to allow the dye to set.
- Here are instructions for how to wash and care for your tie-dye shirt.
7. Sunflower
A sunflower tie-dye pattern is a design that resembles a sunflower. The design usually features a large circular shape in the center, with various colors radiating outwards from it like the petals of a sunflower. This pattern can be created using different colors, but yellow and green are typically used to give it a more authentic sunflower look.
- Wash your t-shirt or fabric and soak in soda ash for 20 minutes. (Use 1 cup per gallon of water.) Your fabric should be damp, but not soaking wet. (The dye has an easier time saturating the fabric when it’s wet.)
- Put on your gloves!
- Pinch the center of the fabric with your thumb and forefinger and twist it in a clockwise direction to create a tight spiral. Keep twisting until the entire fabric is twisted into a spiral shape.
- No need to apply rubber bands!
- Apple a circle of black dye to the center of the spiral.
- Apply yellow dye in the shape of sunflower leaves around the black circle.
- Outline the border of the leaves with another color like green.
- Fill in the rest of the t-shirt or fabric with the color of your choice. The tutorial above uses blue.
- Once the dye is applied, carefully place the shirt in a plastic bag or wrap it in plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out. Let the shirt sit for at least 6-8 hours or overnight to allow the dye to set.
- Here are instructions for how to wash and care for your tie-dye shirt.
8. Eyeball
An eye-ball pattern tie-dye shirt is a design that resembles one eye in the center of the shirt.
Kids will love this “eye-catching” design!
Here are the steps:
- Wash your t-shirt or fabric and soak in soda ash for 20 minutes. (Use 1 cup per gallon of water.) Your fabric should be damp, but not soaking wet. (The dye has an easier time saturating the fabric when it’s wet.)
- Put on your gloves!
- Lay your T-shirt flat in your work area.
- Fold it in half vertically.
- Using a washable marker, draw half of a large eye ball. (See video tutorial above.)
- Carefully fold and gather your shirt along the lines of the design you drew.
- Apply rubber bands along the lines you drew.
- Place additional rubber bands to create several sections.
- Apply your dye as desired. Use different colors for the different sections.
- Once the dye is applied, carefully place the shirt in a plastic bag or wrap it in plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out. Let the shirt sit for at least 6-8 hours or overnight to allow the dye to set.
- Here are instructions for how to wash and care for your tie-dye shirt.
9. Double Peacock
A peacock tie-dye pattern is a design that features vibrant colors arranged in a pattern that resembles the feathers of a peacock.
This pattern typically involves shades of blue, green, and purple arranged in a circular pattern, but you can use any colors you’d like.
Here are the steps:
- Wash your t-shirt or fabric and soak in soda ash for 20 minutes. (Use 1 cup per gallon of water.) Your fabric should be damp, but not soaking wet. (The dye has an easier time saturating the fabric when it’s wet.)
- Put on your gloves!
- Fold your t-shirt in half.
- Underneath the sleeve, use washable marker to draw a half circle.
- Carefully fold and gather the t-shirt along the marker shape you’ve drawn.
- Place rubber bands along the fabric to create separate sections.
- Apply the dye colors your want to each section.
- Once the dye is applied, carefully place the shirt in a plastic bag or wrap it in plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out. Let the shirt sit for at least 6-8 hours or overnight to allow the dye to set.
- Here are instructions for how to wash and care for your tie-dye shirt.
10. Fan Fold
A fan fold tie-dye pattern is a design that involves folding the fabric back and forth in an accordion-style fold, creating a “fan” shape. This pattern can be used on a variety of different fabric items, including shirts, skirts, and even napkins or towels.
Here’s how to do it:
- Wash your t-shirt or fabric and soak in soda ash for 20 minutes. (Use 1 cup per gallon of water.) Your fabric should be damp, but not soaking wet. (The dye has an easier time saturating the fabric when it’s wet.)
- Put on your gloves!
- Grab the t-shirt under the sleeve, about halfway down, and pull it. Gather the rest of the t-shirt in the opposite direction.
- Carefully create folds and gather the fabric together.
- Place rubber bands along the fabric to create separate sections.
- Apply the dye colors your want to each section.
- Once the dye is applied, carefully place the shirt in a plastic bag or wrap it in plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out. Let the shirt sit for at least 6-8 hours or overnight to allow the dye to set.
- Here are instructions for how to wash and care for your tie-dye shirt.
We hope you loved all the different tie dye patterns on this list!
Tie-dying is so much fun, and it’s a creative activity that kids of all ages can enjoy.
Not only is it a great summer outdoor activity, but it also helps to encourage creativity, experimentation, and self-expression in kids.
We hope that this article made it easy to find tie-dye designs that your child will love.
By following these 10 easy tie-dye patterns for kids, you can help your child create unique and colorful clothing and accessories that they can show off all summer long.
From all of us here at Milwaukee With Kids, happy tie-dying!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is tie-dye toxic?
No, tie-dye is not toxic. Tie dye is generally considered safe and non-toxic. However, it can stain your skin and clothing. Make sure to wear gloves and protective clothing to avoid staining your skin and clothes.
We recommend this non-toxic liquid tie dye kit.
What is the best fabric for tie-dye?
Natural fibers like cotton or rayon work best for tie-dye, as they absorb the dye better than synthetic fibers. Look for white or light-colored fabric that will show off the dye colors.
How can I prevent the dye from bleeding or fading over time?
To help prevent bleeding or fading, make sure to rinse your tie-dye project thoroughly with cold water after the dye has set. You can also add a cup of white vinegar to the rinse water to help set the dye. Avoid washing your tie-dye project with other clothes, as the dye may transfer onto other fabrics.
Here are instructions on how to wash and care for your tie-dye shirt.
What kind of dye is best for tie-dye projects with kids?
There are a variety of fabric dyes available, including liquid dye, powder dye, and spray dye. Look for a dye that is safe and non-toxic for kids to use, and follow the instructions carefully to ensure the best results.
We recommend this non-toxic liquid tie dye kit.
How can I make sure my tie-dye project lasts for a long time?
To help extend the life of your tie-dye project, make sure the washing machine is set to use cold water and hang it to dry instead of using the dryer. Avoid exposing your tie-dye project to direct sunlight for extended periods of time, as this can cause the colors to fade.
Here are instructions on how to wash and care for your tie-dye shirt.
Can I reuse tie-dye materials, such as rubber bands or squeeze bottles?
Yes, you can reuse rubber bands and squeeze bottles for future tie-dye projects. Just make sure to wash them thoroughly with soap and water to remove any leftover dye before using them again.
Can I mix colors to create custom shades for my tie-dye project?
Yes, you can mix different colors of dye together to create custom shades. Just be sure to mix enough dye to cover your entire project, and test a small patch first to make sure you like the color.
Can you use food coloring or other natural dyes for tie-dye projects?
Yes, it’s possible to use natural dyes like beet juice or turmeric for tie-dye, but these dyes may not produce as vibrant colors as commercial fabric dye. Additionally, natural dyes may not be as long-lasting as synthetic dyes. Always do a test patch before dyeing your whole project.
How can I make sure my tie-dye design turns out the way I want it to?
Practice makes perfect! Try experimenting with different folding techniques, dye application methods, and color combinations to find the look you like best. You can also find plenty of tie-dye tutorials and inspiration online to help you get started.
Can you tie-dye items other than shirts and fabric?
Yes! You can tie-dye a variety of different items, including socks, beach towels, bandanas, a tote bag, and more. Just make sure to choose an item made of natural fibers that will absorb the dye well.