Family Activities for the 4th of July!

With Independence Day just around the corner, it’s time to think about what you and your family want to do to celebrate! I’m sure you’re planning to go watch your local fireworks display, but what is your family going to do until then? If you are like us, it’s rare for everyone to be home all day thanks to all the activities the kids are involved in. So, we try our best to cultivate fun family memories every chance we get. The list below is full of 4^th of July themed activities to fit almost any age group!

 

• Dress the Part!

There is no better way to show off your patriotic spirit on the 4^th of July than some good ol’ red, white, and blue outfits! That means it is the perfect day to show off some of that Americana Clothing and Swim you bought this year!

• Patriotic Picnic

This can be as simple as sitting out in the backyard while you eat lunch or as involved as packing up a picnic basket with all your favorite red, white, and blue colored foods to head over to a beautiful sunny field. Perhaps this picnic could be part of your quest to claim your family a spot at a local park that overlooks the coming fireworks display!

• Patriotic Yard Bowling

While technically not bowling, this one can be a lot of fun for the whole family! Grab some plastic cups or empty metal cans to make a pyramid out of, then use a Wiffle Ball to knock them all down! Make it a competition by dividing your group up into teams - boys versus girls, kids versus parents, etc.

p.s. You get patriotic bonus points for the cups or cans being red, white, and blue!

• Flag Hunt!

For this one you’ll want to head over to your local dollar store to get some tiny USA flags! Then, much like an Easter Egg hunt you’ll scatter them across the yard or house depending on the weather. Unlike with the eggs where you get to keep what is inside, the person with the most flags or who finds a specially marked flag gets a special prize! Or if you don’t want a single person to be the only one to get something, have several items to choose from then let them pick something in order based on how many flags they collected. Some of our favorite prizes for games like this are stickers, candy, small hair accessories, and other small but fun items!

• Water Balloon Revolutionary War!

If the 4^th of July is going to be as hot there as it has been here, then a water balloon fight might be the best way to have some fun and stay cool! So grab some Reusable Water Balloons and some bowls/buckets of water for easy cleanup then divide up into two teams! The object of the game is to get your team to the other team’s base without being hit with water balloons. Once a player is hit with a water balloon, they become part of the opposing team. The team that gets the most players to the other team’s base without getting hit wins!

• Red, White, and Blue Round Robin

Gather everyone who wants to participate and sit in a circle. The first person must name something that is red, the next person must name something that is white and the person after them must name something that is blue, then the next person has to start over with the color red. This goes on clockwise person-to-person. Once someone messes up, they are out. Play until one person is left.

• 4^th of July Chalk Art!

Gather up some red, white, and blue chalk then either set them lose on your kid-safe sidewalk or sit them down with some black construction paper. If your child could use a bit of guidance, try cutting out some paper stars for them to hold down while they trace and smear the chalk around for a fun finished look!

• Fireworks in a Jar

Despite how the name may sound, this is a super safe and fun little oil and water science experiment that is perfect for the 4^th of July! Here’s a list of what you will need:

• A Mason Jar or Clear Container - If you have younger children, we suggest something plastic.
• Warm Water
• Vegetable Oil – Any type will work.
• Food Coloring – We suggest red, white, and blue in honor of 4^th of July!
• And if you want to attempt to avoid colorful fingers, you may want some rubber gloves!

You’ll start by filling your jar ¾ of the way up, then you will top if off with about an inch of oil. Once the oil has settled on top of the water it is time to glove up and sprinkle drops of your chosen food coloring on top! Food coloring is water based and will sink through the oil, creating a firework like effect as it breaks through into the water underneath!