Fourth of July Activities for Kids

From LoveToKnow Kids

Fourth of July activities for kids can keep your children busy days before the big event. Then, once the big day arrives, you'll still have plenty of other fun options to choose from.

girl in red white and blue

Teaching a Lesson

While the Fourth of July is certainly a widely celebrated holiday, many kids really don't understand the true meaning of the day. One of the first activities you can do with kids is to educate them about the special significance of this day. For small children, you'll probably need to repeat the story of America's independence several years in a row, but once they reach school age, they should be able to recite a simple version of the story to you!

For older children, play a game filled with fun facts about this special day. Sites such as Encarta and USA.gov offer fun facts and trivia that can easily be incorporated into a question and answer session. Not only will your kids learn interesting trivia about the birth of America, but they'll also have lots of fun. Another great way to learn a bit of history is to see who can name the most presidents!

Fun Fourth of July Activities for Kids

Fourth of July activities for kids can range from arts and crafts projects to games and other fun things to do. The following is a list of activities that will work for kids of all ages. You can modify them to fit the needs of your celebration as well.

  • Join the parade-Many small towns across America hold Independence Day parades, and these are always fun to watch. If your kids are itching to join in the fun, why not host your own neighborhood parade? A week or so before the actual day, place fliers around the neighborhood inviting kids to participate in the parade. Encourage them to decorate their bikes, wagons, scooters, or just themselves for the parade with balloons, streamers, banners, ribbons, patriotic hats and anything that else that seems appropriate. Make sure you have plenty of adults on hand to supervise the children, and hold the parade on a quiet street. Designate a particular time for everyone to meet up, and have your cameras ready to take lots of pictures!
  • Festival fun-If your town isn't hosting a festival, take a short road trip to another town nearby and check out the fun of their local festival. Festivals typically provide lots of free entertainment, cheap food, and fun games, including arts and crafts sessions. You and your family can spend the day getting acquainted with a town you might have overlooked in the past.
  • Chalk art-Why not host your own chalk art competition and encourage budding artists to get creative? Have plenty of chalk on hand in a variety of colors, and ask participants to create pictures that celebrate this special day. Pair younger children with older ones to work as teams.
  • Fireworks-Fourth of July just isn't a holiday without fireworks, but only with adult supervision. Sparklers are especially fun for the younger set, but these can be dangerous as well. For a safer alternative, stake out a spot at a local fireworks show, and watch the experts put on a dazzling display of lights in the sky.
  • Picnic-Pack up the picnic basket with lots of good food, and head to a nearby park or lake. Toss the Frisbie, throw the football, or play a game of kickball in the afternoon. For more game ideas, check out our article on picnic game ideas.
  • Camping under the stars-If you really want to create lasting memories of the Fourth of July, why not head to a local park or simply set up a tent outside? Build a small fire, and roast weenies and make s'mores. Lie on your back and look at the stars. Name your own constellations, and invite family members and friends to do the same.
  • Arts and crafts-Pull out your craft bins, and let little ones create their own pretend sparklers using paper towel tubes, and strips of red, white, and blue construction paper glued to the ends of the tubes. Add star stickers and glitter paint to make the "fireworks" sparkle. You can also encourage kids to create their own American flags out of construction paper and crayons to display on the fridge.

These are just a few of the many activities you can do with your kids. If you have other suggestions you'd like to share with our readers, please do so in the comments section of this article.

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