Backward Tie-Dye

Use bleach to make black shirts tie-dyed!

Educational Goal/Jewish Value

Finding the light in darkness

Recommended Location

Outdoor

Directions

Tie up black t-shirts (cotton preferred, dry-fit will not work) in any way and then lightly coat with bleach (either in a spray bottle or in a tie-dye bottle). Let them sit on tablecloths on the grass for about a day. Make sure to always be wearing gloves when dealing with the bleach. For younger campers, only allow counselors to physically bleach the clothing. After a day, rinse off the shirts and hang dry for another day. Lastly, handwash the shirts and throw them in the dryer. If you want to also do tie-dye on top of the bleached areas, either do the bleach in the morning and do the color in the evening or do the bleach and then the next day do the tie-dye. You can connect this to a bunk theme or a Yom or just talk about finding the silver linings.

Materials

Bleach Gloves Bottles (spray or tie-dye bottles) Black T-shirts (other clothing items can also be done) Rubber bands Plastic tablecloth Tie-dye (if also tie-dying)

Helpful Tips

Make sure to wear clothing you do not care about while doing this activity AND when washing out the bleach/dye. If you plan to do this before the summer, tell the campers to bring a plain black t-shirt. If not, buy a pack of black t-shirts from Amazon or Walmart (bring extras even if you plan ahead of the summer).

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