It’s the Fourth of the July, and although watching the fireworks is always a great way to celebrate, here are some more ideas for really getting the kiddos into the patriotic spirit!
What We’re Reading:
Don Freeman (Creator)
Lisa McCue (Illustrator)
Lee Wardlaw (Author)
Huy Voun Lee (Illustrator)
Janet S. Wong (Author)
Margaret Chodos-Irvine (Illustrator)
Bethany Roberts (Author)
Doug Cushman (Illustrator)
Joan Holub (Author)
Amanda Haley (Illustrator)
Hats off for the Fourth of July
Harriet Ziefert (Author)
Gustaf Miller (Illustrator)
Songs:
I’m a Little Firework (sung to the tune of I’m a Little Teapot)
I’m a little firework
Up in the sky
I dance and I shimmer
Way up, up high.
Sometimes I’m red.
Sometimes I’m blue.
But I always sparkle
Just for you.
I’m a little firework
Up in the sky.
I dance and I shimmer
Way up, up high
Red, white and blue,
Red, white and blue
These are the colors in our flag
Red, white and blue
Red, white and blue
These are the colors in our flag
We live here in the United States, everyone jump and shout hurray (hurray!) Red, white and blue, Red, white and blue These are the colors in our flag
Fireworks Light the Sky (sung to the tune of Row, Row, Row Your Boat)
Bang! Snap! Whistle! Pop!
Fireworks fill the air.
See them lighting up the sky
On the Fourth of July.
Activities:
Enjoy these fun activities with your kids in celebration of Independence Day!
Handprint Fireworks: http://learncreatelove.com/?p=2429
This is an extremely easy 4th of July craft for kids of all ages!
Materials We Used:
- Construction Paper – Red and Blue
- Glue
- Glitter
- Scissors
Directions:
- Trace your child’s hands onto a piece of red construction paper
- Cut out and glue down onto the blue paper
- Create a firework design on top of each hand with glue (make sure to extend the lines up each finger)
- Cover the glue fireworks with glitter, and shake off the excess
American Flag:
This is a fun and unique activity to do with your children for patriotic holidays. After it is finished, put it on display in the house. I used my older son’s hand as the stars and my younger son’s feet for the stripes!
Fireworks In A Jar:
If you have a little one who is fascinated with colors and fireworks, this simple experiment will be perfect for you (and your child). The idea for this experiment originally came from here.
And another plus – you probably already have everything you will need: oil, water, and food coloring!
- Fill a jar 3/4 of the way full with warm water
- In a separate bowl, mix 3-4 tablespoons of oil and several drops of different colors of food coloring (I used 4 drops of each color: red, yellow, blue, and green)
- Gently mix the oil and food coloring together using a fork
- Gently pour the oil mixture into the jar
- Watch what happens! The food coloring will slowly sink out of the oil and into the water. When this happens, it will expand and begin to mix with the other colors.
The Science Behind It:
Food coloring dissolves in water but not in oil. Because the oil is less dense than the water, it will float to the top. The colored droplets will begin to sink because they are heavier than the oil. Once they sink into the water, they will begin dissolving into the water (which looks like a tiny explosion).
Snack:
This red, white, and blue drink perfectly festive for kids and adults. How does it work? The drink with the highest sugar content stays on the bottom. Pour the red fruit punch first, the blue Gatorade next, and the diet 7-up or sprite last.