5 Fun Toddler T-Shirt Designs

As any parent knows, toddlers are mess magnets. They stain and destroy clothing on nearly a daily basis, so naturally, most budget-savvy moms and dads stock their little ones’ wardrobes with inexpensive clothing staples like toddler t-shirts. Since wholesale toddler t-shirts are extremely economical, they are a great choice for parents who are looking to keep their kids clothed without breaking the bank.

Those inexpensive toddler tees tend to be quite plain, though. While they are available in a rainbow of colors, buying shirts that are decorated with cute images or sayings usually drives up the price significantly. What can a parent do when they want to dress their little ones up in the finest fashions without spending a fortune?

They can decorate their own shirts! Decorating clothing is easy, and there are plenty of ways to create fun toddler t-shirt designs even if you do not have a lot of artistic ability. Here are just a few of our favorite ways to decorate your kids’ shirts.

Make Your Own Iron-On Vinyl Transfers

If you have a Cricut or a similar vinyl cutting machine, you can create iron-on vinyl transfers. Buy heat transfer vinyl in whatever color you would like (you can even get it in fun patterns!) and select a design. You can add a word, phrase, image or just about anything else you can imagine to a t-shirt using heat transfer vinyl. If you are looking for a specific design, check Etsy. There are several sellers who offer various design files that are intended for use with vinyl cutters. Set up the image in your vinyl cutter’s program and then send it to the cutter. Follow the instructions on the vinyl to apply the design to your shirt. It doesn’t get much easier than that!

Add Some Shimmer

Make your princess shine by giving her the sparkle she deserves! Use glitter puffy paint or glitter glue to draw designs or write phrases on your little girl’s clothing. Make it as fancy or as simple as you would like. There’s no wrong way to add sparkle to t-shirts with glitter. Adding beads, gems, sequins or rhinestones work well, too. If you choose this option, though, just make absolutely certain that the pieces you attach are securely fastened in place.

Get Out Your Fabric Markers

Fabric markers are great for decorating toddler tees, too. You can use them to draw pictures or write words or phrases. Or instead of doing the decorating yourself, turn the markers over to your kids and let them go crazy! Your son or daughter will love designing and showing off his or her own shirt, and if you use washable fabric markers, they can decorate the same clothing over and over again.

If your kids love coloring, making a coloring book shirt is a fun way to give them clothing that they can customize every time they wear it. Apply a coloring book outline of your chosen design to a plain t-shirt using iron-on vinyl or transfer paper. Then, let your kids color in the design using washable fabric markers. For a more permanent creation, you can, of course, have them use permanent fabric markers that will not wash out. Whichever option you choose, your tiny tots will love wearing their own custom-colored clothing!

Create Custom Tie-Dyed Clothing

Tie-dye never goes out of style, and it’s an easy (albeit messy) way to turn plain toddler t-shirts into stunning works of art. To get started, all you will need is a plain white t-shirt, a tie-dye kit (or a selection of fabric dye), rubber bands, gloves and plastic bags to put your shirts in while the dye works its magic. There are lots of ways to tie-dye shirts. Choose your favorite pattern or wing it and see what you come up with. When it comes to tie-dye, there is really no wrong way to do it! Check out our Complete Beginner’s Guide to Tie Dye T-shirts for some helpful advice.

Try Embroidery

Embroidered clothing is huge right now. Why not make your daughter the trendiest tot on the block by sprucing up her plain t-shirts with embroidery? Getting started requires only a few basic supplies, including an embroidery hoop, needle, scissors and embroidery floss, and there are patterns and stitches that are easy enough even for absolute beginners.

Conclusion

Inexpensive clothing for your toddler doesn’t have to be boring! Customize your toddler tees using the design ideas listed above to give him or her a wardrobe that is worthy of the Red Carpet.