T-shirt Decorating

Kids usually enjoy a chance to be creative and show off their flair for fashion. That’s why a t-shirt decorating party is likely to be a hit. 

The first thing you will need is a plain t-shirt for every guest. If you buy them in packages of three or four, maybe in the men’s or boys’ underwear department, they are not expensive. You have several options for the decorations. The simplest would be to provide permanent markers and let the kids draw right on the shirts.

You can also supply fabric paints, some of which are three-dimensional, or glittery, and are lots of fun. A third choice is to make iron-on transfers on your color printer of photos or designs that each kid likes. They will need help to apply the transfers, but then could embellish them on their own. You could also provide sequins, jewels or nail heads.

Invitations: You could cut folded construction paper in the shape of a t-shirt and put the party information on it. Or, include some pictures of fancy t-shirts cut from magazines or catalogues. 

Arrival: As the guests arrive, have them look at pictures of t-shirts and the supplies you have available and make a plan for their shirt. Encourage each kid to draw her shirt on a piece of paper so she will have something to work from. 

Main Event: Caution kids that if they are using markers, it may bleed through the front of the shirt onto the back, so they should keep several thicknesses of newspaper folded inside the shirt. Let the creativity flow while the kids work. It’s ok to suggest ideas, but allow each kid to feel like her creation is all her own. Be sure to take pictures of the kids wearing their finished shirts. 

Refreshments: You could provide all kinds of finger foods while the kids are working like raw veggies and dip, crackers, or fruit slices. If you’d rather wait until they are done with the t-shirts to eat, consider a cake with a t-shirt outline on top and let each guest add one feature to it with colored icing.