Picnics, parades, fireworks, and more are all part of the fun when we celebrate Independence Day on July 4th! This holiday commemorates the approval of the Declaration of Independence, which officially proclaimed our nation as an independent country. In explaining the holiday to young children, we often speak of it as the birthday of the United States. In honor of this occasion, here are a few ways to celebrate:
Holiday Pennants
Invite the children to cut pennant shapes from red, white, and blue construction paper. Offer patriotic stickers, white chalk, paint, markers, or other supplies. Encourage each child to decorate one or more pennants. Attach the short ends of the pennants to a cord or length of yarn and display along the ceiling to create a festive display.
Fireworks Art
Spread out a large piece of dark blue or black bulletin board paper on the ground outside or tape it to a fence. Locate some small trigger-spray bottles, and fill them with washable red, white, and blue paint. Invite the children to use the bottles to spray paint on the paper to create colorful fireworks. (Test first to see if they spray easily. If not, add water a few drops at a time until they will spray.)
Red, White, and Blue Cookies
Bake or purchase star-shaped sugar cookies. Invite the children to spread vanilla frosting on the cookies. Offer miniature marshmallows, blueberries, and diced strawberries. The children can arrange the berries and marshmallows on the frosting to create one-of-a-kind designs.
Red, White, and Blue Tossing Game
Make balls from old white socks. Stuff the toes with fabric scraps or other old socks. Twist the top and fold the opening back over the stuffed portion to make a ball. If you like, stitch down the top. Wrap chip cans or similar containers with red and blue paper and decorate with star stickers. Stand up the cans and toss the sock balls at them. How many fall down and how many are standing?
Read Books
To build anticipation, read books such as these suggestions in the days leading up to the holiday:
- Red, White, and Boom! by Lee Wardlaw
- The Night Before the Fourth of July by Natasha Wing
- Apple Pie, Fourth of July by Janet S. Wong
- Hat’s Off for the Fourth of July by Harriet Ziefert
Sing and Clap
Celebrate the holiday with a patriotic sing-along! You can sing “Yankee Doodle,” “America the Beautiful,” and other familiar patriotic songs. Here’s a new one the children may also enjoy.
It’s Independence Day (Sung to “Old MacDonald”)
Now it’s time to celebrate!
It’s Independence Day.
We know the USA is great!
It’s Independence Day.
So we clap our hands,
And we give a cheer!
Give a cheer, give a cheer!
Everybody give a cheer!
Now it’s time to celebrate!
It’s Independence Day.
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