A tie dye party is perfect for your next birthday bash! It’s great for both boys and girls of any age. I love a party where the activity doubles as the party favor and it’s a completely practical gift that they will love!
For our tie dye projects, I chose tall white socks and head wraps. I thought it would be fun to do something other than T-shirts and most of the girls play sports. Don’t they look super cute with softball pants?! They will be great with any outfit.
To prepare for your tie dye guests you will need to put plastic tablecloths on your tables. Each guest needs a pair of socks and a head wrap. Be careful when you purchase the socks. They need to be mostly cotton. I found this out the expensive way! The dye will not stick to the socks and you will have to purchase all new socks🙄 The second time around, I found some that were made of 90% cotton and they worked great. If the head wraps have stretch, they will not hold the dye quite as well, but they will still work.
You will also need dye and rubber bands. You can find large tie dye kits at your local craft store, as well as Walmart. They typically come with 18 bottles in different colors and some rubber bands. I purchased a bag of rubber bands to have more on hand. The kits come with a few pairs of plastic gloves and you can purchase extra of these as well (and you may forget to give them to your guests and they will all leave with dyed hands😂). Give each guest space to work. We had 6 kids per table and each table had their own dye and rubber bands.
I tried a couple of different techniques to create 2 very different patterns. I suggest testing your tie dye skills ahead of time. That way you’ll know if you have to buy more socks😉 and you will have examples to share with your guests.
The first one is the easiest and will leave some white and has a really cool look. Simply start at the top of the sock and roll it tightly all the way to the bottom. Then divide it into 3 sections using 2 rubber bands, wrapping them tightly around the sock. You can use 2 colors that are alternated or use a different color for each of the 3 sections. Super easy and they will turn out great!
The second technique, will create horizontal sections or stripes. Fold the sock lengthwise and use rubber bands every couple of inches. The closer together you place the bands, the smaller the stripes.
Your guests may choose to do both socks the same or one of each technique. They can also use the same colors for each sock or completely different. They will be perfect for crazy sock day at school!
Now that your guests have finished their tie dye project, they’ll need a way to get them home. These paper bags are perfect. I found colorful card stock and printed off care instructions for parents.
Inside each bag, you’ll want to include 2 plastic gallon bags for the socks and 1 sandwich bag for the head wrap. Each girl will be able to grab their bag as they leave the party.
Tie dye complete, now it’s time for sweets! The dessert table for this party is all about color and these tie dye cookies are the highlight! Olivia Marshall of She’s Cake, did a fantastic job! They look just like a traditional, spiral tie dye T-shirt and the bright colors are beautiful! They tasted wonderful and the kids loved them.
What’s a birthday party without cupcakes?! Olivia brought the tie dye theme in the colorful swirl of the buttercream icing and she added sprinkles to the vanilla cake batter to add another touch of color.
This party theme brings color in all hues and what better way to bring color than candy?! Old fashioned lollipops bring a colorful swirl that definitely gives that tie dye feel. Skittles add tons of color and are a kid favorite for a candy bar.
Nerds! They are prefect! They add bright colors and are like little pebbles that provide a great way to keep lollipops standing.
Gum balls and Sprees are also great fillers and come in great colors. A few glass jars in different shapes and sizes filled with bright candies are a great way to add color and yummy treats for your tie dye party dessert table. Add paper lanterns and fans in different colors and you have captured the feeling of tie dye in a beautiful dessert display that your guests will love.
This party is definitely one of my favorites! I love that guests get to take something home of their own creation that they will actually wear. I love the bright, bold colors. It’s a fun, happy time that your birthday kiddo and their guests won’t forget!
