How to Tie Dye Beach Towels

Tie-dying beach towels is a great activity for kids and teens this summer. Make tie-dye beach towels early in the summer to use all year long.

How to Tie-Dye Beach Towels

These beach towels get comments everywhere we go. Want a unique and cool towel for the beach or home? Let the kid’s Tie-Dye Beach towels. Just grab some large white cotton towels and a tie-dye kit at the store. (I found mine at the Dollar General) They are so much fun to do. If you are looking for more activities to keep the kids busy check out How to Dye Flowers , Marble Painting Fireworks  and Summer Fun Boredom Busters 

What We Love about this Project

• It is great for any age – kids and teens love to tie-dye and are always so happy to see their creations.
• It is a practical activity. You can use the product of this craft all year long

Supplies You’ll Need to Tie-Dye Beach Towels

• Large white cotton towels
• Tie-Dye Kit
• A large bucket of water
• (Optional Salt)
• Garbage Bags
• Water for rinsing

Extra Equipment

Washing machine

How to Tie-Dye Beach Towels

A tip for more vibrant colors…Soak the towels in ash water, or if you can’t find ash – add salt to the water (for about 20 minutes before coloring)

In a large bucket or container, soak towels.

Make sure you protect your table. Use a disposable tablecloth or a tarp for protection.

Take towels out of water

Squeeze the excess water out of towels

Mix the dye powders with warm water and place them in squeeze tubes

Put disposable gloves on to keep the dye off of your skin

Use rubber bands and different techniques to make the design you want. Some ideas are explained below.

Squeeze colors onto your design

Place the finished towels into garbage bags to retain moisture for several hours or overnight.

Rinse towels in cold water until water runs clean

For the first few washes, wash each towel separately

Expert Tips

Use a cookie drying rack to elevate towels so the dye does not sock underneath the towel.

Protect your table with a disposable tablecloth or plastic tarp.

Use disposable gloves to protect your hands.

Wear an apron or clothes you don’t mind getting dye on for this project.

Make sure you are able to refill your squeeze bottles one time. My kids used most of the colors, and I had to refill the bottles with more powder and water.

Red seemed to be the kids’ favorite color. Three packets of red would have been helpful.

Spiral Method for Tie-Dying

(Recommended for this method: Place it on top of a cookie drying rack to allow the colors to drain through the bottom of the towel. If you don’t do this, colors will likely bleed together.)

Spread the towel out on a long table

Find the middle and pinch it

From the middle, twist the towel into a flat circle. The towel will be pleated from the middle to the outside.

Use rubberbands to section the circle into eight equal parts

Use the tie-dye colors to saturate each section

Carefully place into a garbage bag to keep it moist for several hours or overnight before rinsing.

Sunburst Method for Tie-Dying

Spread the towel out onto a table

Pinch sections of the towel and pull them upward

Use a rubberband to section them off

Apply different dye colors to each towel section, including the raised portions.

You will probably have to cover this tie-dye style with two overlapping trash bags.

Keep covered for several hours or overnight before rinsing.

Rinse until colors run clear

Bullseye Method for Tie-Dying

Spread the towel onto a table. Grab the center of the towel and pull it up, forming a long tube.

Section the towel off with rubber bands. The front section will be the bullseye.

Use the dye to color each section.

Place the tie-dye into a garbage bag to keep it moist for several hours or overnight before rinsing

More Tie-Dye Activities You’ll Enjoy

Printable Instructions

~Melissa – KidFriendlyThingsToDo.com – fun foods, party ideas, crafts, recipes, and fun things to do with the whole family