The Fourth of July is celebrated in the United States to commemorate our country's birthday. On July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was signed by our Founding Fathers, which made America a free nation. Since that time, Americans have been celebrating this holiday with firecrackers, picnics with family and friends, and many other activities that go on in local areas. Enjoy these activities to help your kids celebrate and learn about this very special holiday.
Firecracker Foil Etching
Materials:
- Aluminum foil
- Cardboard
- Tape
- Tempra paint (various colors)
- Liquid soap
- Broad paint brush
- Pencil
Directions:
- Mix 2-3 drops of liquid soap with tempra paint (separate colors in different cups).
- Secure the aluminum foil to cardboard using tape.
- Brush on paint to cover the aluminum foil. Let dry.
- Using a pencil point, scratch the dry paint from the foil to make patterns. Be careful not to tear the aluminum foil.
Find additional crafts here!
Edible "Flag" Cookies
Ingredients:
- 2 graham crackers (regular, not dusted with cinnamon)
- 1 container of white icing
- Red and blue food coloring
- Colored sprinkles
- 2 thin, clean paint brushes
Directions:
- Separate the white icing into three separate containers. Add 2 drops of blue food coloring to one of the containers and 2-3 drops of red food coloring to another container. Leave the third container as white icing.
- Spread the graham crackers with the white icing, so it is covered completely.
- Using a thin, clean paint brush, brush on little blue dots to make the stars of the flag.
- Using another paint brush, brush on red stripes to complete the flags.
- Add sprinkles to decorate.
Fourth of July Game Ideas
Bubble Gum Contest
Give players a piece of red, a piece of white, and a piece of blue colored bubble gum to hold onto. Once all players have their gum in their hands, give a signal and let them start chewing one piece of their gum. What they have to do is blow a bubble with one color and place it in their hand or on a plate, blow the second piece of gum into a bubble and place it in their hand or on a plate, and then blow the last bubble, doing the same thing. The person who blows all three of their bubbles first wins the game.
Variation: Play to see who can blow the biggest bubbles.
Guess the Founding Father
Make up some clues about George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, etc. (people who signed the Declaration of Independence). You can use a library or the Internet for the information you need. Have participants sit in a circle and you stand in the middle of the circle. Start giving out clues to one of the people on your list. The first person to guess who you are describing wins the game. Easy clues can be used on kids, while tougher clues can be used on teenagers and adults. Clues might be something like:
- He invented electricity.
- He wore glasses.
- He worked to abolish slavery in the United States.
Do you know who it is?
Firecracker Safety Tips
- Children under the age of 14 should not be near firecrackers.
- Buy fireworks from reliable dealers.
- Follow all instructions on packages.
- Wear tight-fitting clothes when setting off fireworks.
- Store fireworks in cool and dry places.
- Keep water nearby incase of emergency.
Watch online fireworks! They are fun and very safe.
Print out the sheets below for some more Fourth of July fun.
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