Fourth of July Fun for Kids

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

04 Jul 2009 11:56 AM

Happy Fourth of July! The long holiday weekend spells good times for many families across this great country of ours. Picnics, fireworks, and fun are essential parts of Independence Day celebrations. However, if you are partying with young children, you might need more than a Frisbee and a cold one to keep the peace.

The following family-friendly activities are ideal for keeping kids busy as they wait for the sun to set and the fireworks show to start:

KIDDIE PARADE

Create your own Fourth of July parade by decorating tricycles, scooters, and wagons with red, white and blue balloons, crepe paper, and streamers. Decorated wagons can double as floats with a young child sitting in the back and waving. Older kids can be at the front of the parade tossing batons or playing musical instruments.

HAMBURGER COOKIES

Gather the kids and make these yummy Fourth of July picnic treats:

Ingredients:

Nilla wafers

Icing--yellow and red

Chocolate bar cut into circular pieces

Directions:

Take two Nilla wafers (these will be the buns) and squeeze a bit of yellow icing (mustard) on one wafer and red icing (ketchup) on the other wafer.

Place a piece of chocolate on the ketchup wafer and top with the mustard wafer.

FLAG FAN

Materials:

Navy blue corrugated plastic

White corrugated plastic

Red marker

White marker

Sharp scissors

Popsicle stick

Pen or pencil

Ruler

Super-strength mounting tape

Craft glue

Directions:

Measure and cut a rectangle 5 inches wide by 3 1/2 inches tall out of the white corrugated plastic, making sure that the interior lines on the white corrugated plastic are vertical so that you can put the Popsicle stick through it when you are finished.

Measure and cut a rectangle 2 inches wide by 1 1/2 inches tall out of the navy blue corrugated plastic.

Draw white stars on the navy blue corrugated plastic.

Using your pen or pencil, measure in 1/4-inch increments down the white corrugated cardboard to make the flag's stripes.

Draw red stripes on the white corrugated cardboard.

Attach the navy blue corrugated plastic with the stars on the upper left corner of the flag with the mounting tape.

Using the scissors and cut up a bit on the inside of the white corrugated plastic to make it easier to insert the Popsicle stick.

Add glue to the end of the stick and push up inside the flag.

Use fan to cool off on a hot day.

Related Articles:

Educational Summer Fun on the Road

Super Summer Fun for Kids

Edible Sand Castle and Other Summer Fun for Kids

Serious Summer Fun

Fun and Affordable Family Activities

Ways to Have Fun on a Budget

Family Fun for Less

Learn more about Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

View Full Profile | More from this Blogger