Creative Games and Activities to Teach Kids about Independence Day Really Means
If you can smell the sweet smell of BBQs, see those firecrackers, hear some fireworks outside, and are a ton of fun with creative games and activities, then it must be the 4th of July! While this Independence Day may not look the same without the parades and the parties, there are quite a few ways you and your kids can enjoy the day. It is also a good chance to teach your kids what the Independence Day was really about long before there were parades and fireworks – why we celebrate it and what it means. Here are some tips and ideas on some games for independence day to help you get started!
1. Describe Independence Day as the Nation’s birthday to little kids. Older kids might already be familiar with what it means. You can build on that foundation by teaching them that independence comes with responsibility. Discuss with them how they can do their part by voting, giving back to the community, fighting for their favorite causes, and obeying the laws.
2. Kick off the festivities by taking a virtual trip to a national heritage site or museum. This will give kids a chance to have firsthand experiences with America’s history. Take your pick from Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, Statue of Liberty, George Washington’s Mount Vernon, Valley Forge National Historical Park, Chippewa Valley Museum, among others. A lot of these sites have a range of independence day games activities scheduled for kids from podcasts that cover the history to fun learning games that teach them about the archeology of historical sites to patriotic performances to keep them entertained.
3. Kids can learn all about the significance of the American flag by engaging in some fun star and stripes-themed interactive learning activities while you tell them what each part of the flag stands for. Help them DIY an American flag they can proudly wave or bake some desserts that have splash of red, white and blue. Another visual way to teach kids about the significance is by engaging them in drawing from patriotic illustrations on the Osmo Masterpiece. Pick any flag image from your iPad’s gallery, camera, or from the web and this ar gaming system will transform it into easy-to-follow lines so kids can focus on learning the facts of the flag with rich detail.
4. Find shows or movies that are based on the 4th of July to celebrate American history independence day and awaken kids’ sense of patriotism. Think National Treasure, An American Tail, The Sandlot can help kids build some background on the significance of this day.
5. For older kids, a quiz independence day games activities on how some historic Americans such as Martin Luther King Jr., Dolores Huerta, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Samuel Adams, Thomas Paine, Benjamin Franklin, among others is a great way to help them remember how they shaped the country and the role they played in its independence.
6. Ignite the spirit of independence day in kids by teaching them to sing patriotic songs like ‘God Bless America’ and the national anthem. This is a fun activity to do out the back or on the front porch, around a campfire or on the lawn.
With a little prep and these fun indoor games for kids can learn all about the 4th of July and make plenty of family memories too, all at the same time!
