USA Patriotic Theme!

 This category is filled with ideas for RED, WHITE & BLUE DAYS!  Crafts, Art, Games,  and more! (Red, White & Blue Food is on Page 2)
Consider some activities for themes of  Patriotic, Uncle Sam, USA Olympics, Flag Day, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Fireworks, Labor Day or the Last Week of School or Good Old USA Days!

CRAFT IDEAS...

STAR-STUDDED LEIS
Need:
Craft foam
Sharpened pencil Elastic cording
Red-and-white striped straws or drink stirrers
Time needed: About 1 Hour
1. Cut out craft foam stars and use a shapened pencil to poke a hole in the middle of each one.
2. String them onto a length of elastic cording, alternating the stars with sections of straw or drink stirrer. Knot and wear.

____________________

FELT AMERICAN FLAG
Materials:
Felt paper in red, white, and blue, white star stickers, dowel stick, glue, and scissors.
Give each child a large rectangle piece of white felt. Students (or the teacher) will cut out a blue square and 7 red strips. Glue onto white felt rectangle to resemble flag. Once dry, have students place white star stickers onto blue felt square. Glue the edge of the flag to the dowel stick and let dry (it may be best to use a glue gun). Let dry.

___________________

RIBBON STREAMERS
Kids will have fun at parades and other celebrations with these hand held ribbon streamers. With just a few strands of ribbon you can create an accessory that looks cool when kids run or dance with it.
What you'll need:
Paper towel roll tube
Tacky glue
Scissors
Roll of red ribbon
Roll of blue ribbon
Roll of white ribbon
Roll of striped red, white, and blue ribbon
Hole punch
Measuring tape, ruler, or yardstick
1.  Wrap the striped red, white, and blue ribbon around the paper towel tube, applying tacky glue under the ribbon as you work. You can wrap the ribbon at an angle or horizontally, whatever you prefer.
2.  After ribbon is applied and glue has dried, punch 9 holes in the bottom of the paper towel tube with the hole punch.
3.  Cut three strips of red ribbon that are 46 inches long. Cut three strips of blue ribbon that are 46 inches long. Cut three strips of white ribbon that are 46 inches long.
4. Tie a knot in the top of each strip of ribbon.
5. Pull each of the strips through the holes so the knot is on the inside
of the tube.
If you can't find striped red, white, and blue ribbon, you can wrap around individual strips of red, white, and blue ribbon.

________________________

AMERICAN FLAG WINDSOCK...
This project is a FUN way to decorate for any patriotic holiday, or to show your USA pride all year-round! American Flag Windsocks are easy to make and perfect for Memorial Day and Fourth of July.

• Remove cover and cut bottom off oatmeal box.
• Cover box with blue construction paper.
• Decorate box with stickers and glitter.
• Cut red and white crepe paper streamers, glue to bottom end of box.
• Punch four holes along the top end of the box.
• Cut two pieces of string about a foot long.
• Tie strings to the holes you have just punched, tie opposite ends of strings to holes on opposite side.
• Cut an additional longer piece of string. To hang windsock---tie this to the other two strings.

Hang windsock from porch, window or a tree!

 TIP: 'USA UNCLE SAM WINDSOCK'...All Windsocks can be decorated to any theme such as this photo example. For this windsock, it is suggested to start painting/decorating from the top and work your way down.

 ____________

POM POMS
1.  Cover toilet tissue tubes with red or blue construction paper and have children decorate them with silver star stickers.
2.  Cut red, white and blue crepe-paper streams --into long and narrow strips. Have children glue the strips to one end of their tubes to make pompoms for shaking.

________________

 DECORATE WITH RED-WHITE AND BLUE TWIRLERS! A fun craft and nice decoration

 Hang from a window frame, tree, ceiling or porch!
Materials:
Plastic coffee can lids (Lids come in a variety of colors), Marker, Scissors, String

 

•  To make one, use a nail to poke a hole in the center of a plastic coffee can lid.
• With a marker, draw a spiral that starts 3/8 inch from the hole (it keeps going around itself in circular pattern) and gradually extends to the rim---then cut along the line with scissors.
• Knot an end of a piece of string, thread the other end up through the hole in the center, and the twirler is ready to hang up and spin.
• To spin, grasp each one at the bottom, twirl it around and around until the string is wound tight, let go and enjoy.  (Source: FamilyFun-but have also seen on CafeMom)

______________

HEAD BAND
Cut stars out of red, white and blue construction paper.
Make a head band out of white construction paper (make it long enough to fit around the child's head).
Glue stars on the band.
Red, white and blue stickers can also be added.
Allow the glue to dry.
Place band around child's head to get the size right.
Staple the band to make a circle.

__________________

RED, WHITE, & BLUE WREATH
Materials:
Paper plate, white tissue paper, red tissue paper, blue tissue paper
silver streamers or ribbon, silver of white pipe cleaner, glue, stapler
Directions:
1.  Start by cutting out the center of a paper plate - discard the center. 2. Cut tissue into 6"x6" squares. Scrunch a piece of tissue up and dab it into the glue and place on the plate.
3.  Continue doing this and alternating colors until the plate rim is filled all the way up.
4.  Add a little sparkle by adding some silver streamers or ribbon here and there.
5.  Staple a pipe cleaner to the back of the wreath to make a hanger.

_________________

MAKE CELEBRATION FRISBEES
Materials:
Red plastic plates (two for each Frisbee)
Scissors
Steak Knife (optional)
Large Ziploc baggie
Red, white and blue or multi-colored sequins
Stapler
1. Cut out the center of two red plastic plates. 
(Create a slit in the plastic plates with a knife. Next have children cut the rest of the center out with a pair of scissors.)
2. Fill the large plastic bag with colored sequins. 
(The Frisbee works better if you don’t put in too many sequins.
3. Place the plastic bag filled with sequins in between the two plates.
4. Staple the two plates together around the edges with the plastic bag in between. 
(It helps to have one person hold the plastic bag on each end so it’s taut, while the other person staples the plates together.) 5. Trim the parts of the plastic bag that hang outside the edge of the plates.
6. Go outside and throw the new Frisbee! 

_____________ 

PATRIOTIC STAR
Materials:
Starfish (Real starfish)
Red Acrylic Paint
Blue Acrylic Paint
White Acrylic Paint
1) Paint red stripes on star fish leaving the upper left quadrant blank.
2) Paint blue in the upper left quadrant.
3) Allow to dry.
4) Paint small white stars in the blue painted section.

____________

RED, WHITE AND BLUE PONY BEADS!

 

 

 

 

TWO IDEAS TO Create your own FIREWORK PICTURES...
IDEA #1
Use dark construction paper, glue and different colors of glitter. These fireworks pictures are great decorations...
Supplies:
Black or very dark construction paper
Glitter
White glue
Old newspapers
A straw (optional)
1.  Work on old newspapers.
2.  Spread glue on the paper in geometric shapes. If the glue is soft enough, you can put a small blob of glue on the paper, and then blow some air through a straw to spread it into interesting shapes. You can experiment with the consistency of the glue and the angle of the straw.
3.  Sprinkle glitter onto the glue. Slide the excess glitter off your picture and back into the glitter container.

__________

IDEA #2 Bursts of PAINT that resemble FIREWORKS in the Sky...
Need:
Acrylic paint
Drinking straw
Paintbrush
Paper (or card stock)
Water
Time needed: 30 Minutes or Less...For each color: In a paper cup--dilute some acrylic paint with water to a runny consistency. Using a paintbrush, drip a few drops of paint onto a piece of paper or card stock (be sure to rinse the brush between colors). Hold  a drinking straw directly over each puddle of paint and blow gently to create a spectacular starburst effect.

__________________

RED, WHITE AND BLUE PUFFY ART
Materials:
Flour, Salt, Water, Red and blue food coloring, Empty squeeze bottles (mustard bottles work well), Cardboard
Directions:
1. Mix equal parts of flour, salt, and water to make the puffy paint.
2. Divide mixture into three different bowls and color one bowl of mixture blue, one bowl red, and leave the last one white.
3. Fill the mustard bottles with the mixture (one color per squeeze bottle).
4. Let the children squeeze the different colors onto the cardboard.
5. When they're dry, the design will be raised and will sparkle!

________________

RED, WHITE AND BLUE Q-TIP COLLAGE
Dip the end of a Q-tip in glue and glitter and have children glue them on a black piece of paper in the shape of a star - they look like fireworks!

________________

 

KIDS ALWAYS LOVE FACE PAINTING!

 

Pull out the red, white and blue paint. PAINT STARS OR A FLAG on the cheeks/face of the kids!

  ____________________

PAINTING WITH GRASS
1.  Gather red, and blue paint---take it outside and paint the grass blade tops!
2.  Set 'white' paper on the painted grass. These are lawn prints, but will resemble fireworks on the paper.
TIP: You can also use different colors for a non-thematic "quick" activity.
This is adapted from an idea by caregiver of autistic children.

_________________________

RED, WHITE, AND BLUE ABSTRACT COLLAGE
This actvity is especially good with young children!
1.  Put out pre-cut-shapes of the flag ---blue rectangles, red stripes, and sticky stars.
2.  Instruct the children to create anything they'd like... Some may look like the American flag and some may look like abstract collages---but all will be patriotic!

______________________

CHALK ONE UP IN RED, WHITE & BLUE!
Bring out the artistic side of your celebrants by setting out colored chalk and inviting them to draw a RED, WHITE & BLUE HOLIDAY SIDEWALK MURAL. They might try their hand at colorful fireworks, or as a team--create a giant American flag. The bigger kids can sketch the outline and work on the stars, while the younger ones can help with the stripes. If you have a sunny, dry month---your sidewalk show of patriotism could keep the spirit alive for weeks.

________________

QUEEN ANN'S LACE FLOWER ART
The finished products resemble brilliant fireworks displays
Materials: Several stalks of Queen Anne's Lace, red, yellow and white paint, dark paper.
1. Pour paint into shallow containers.
2. Have the children dip the Queen Anne's Lace blossoms into paint and lightly dab them on their papers.

____________________________________

THREE EASY ART TABLE ACTIVITIES
#1.  STARS & STRIPES SPONGE ART
Red and blue tempera paint, Sponges cut into stars and long strips, White construction paper
Let the children make sponge prints on the white paper with the red and blue paint.
_____________________
#2.  STAR COOKIE CUTTERS
Gather a few star-shaped cookie cutters and shallow bowls of red and blue tempera paint. Put out all materials for children to press the cookie cutters into the paint and then onto a piece of construction paper to make star shaped prints
____________________
#3.  TEAR PAPER ART
Have a flag as a guide for the kids to follow. Tearing strips of red, white and blue paper, have children glue them onto a large sheet of construction paper. Make sure they know what size they should be trying to tear for the stars, stripes, etc. This is a good idea for younger children but the older may also enjoy it. 

________________

PLAY DOUGH FUN
Make your favorite play dough recipe and add RED food coloring, jello or kool-aid to one portion, BLUE to another--- and leave SOME AS IS. (Make it with the children) Put dough out along with 'star shaped' cookie cutters and let children create! (Lots of Play Dough recipes here)

_____________________________

MAKE A TOGETHERNESS FLAG...
Materials Needed
Red, white and blue paint
Paintbrush
Paint Trays
Sheet of paper 2' x 3' or larger

1. On the large sheet of paper, draw lines for stripes and paint a blue square in the upper left corner.
2. Have the children fill in the bottom stripe by dipping their hands in the red paint and pressing them end to end within the lines of the stripe. Using the white paint, have them make a white stripe just above it the same way.
3. Continue until you have all 13 stripes filled with hand prints.
4. Have the children dip their fingertips in paint and make the "stars" in the blue square.
Extension Idea:
Have children make our country's very first flag in the same manner and discuss why it looks different from the flag we have today.

___________________________________

Back to top of page

GAMES WITH RED-WHITE-BLUE TWIST

U.S. FLAG RELAY RACE
Have the kids make small U.S. flags and place them in red, white, and blue sand pails with sand filler at the bottom. Turn this decoration into a game.
1.  Divide the kids into two teams and have them run, grab a flag, and quickly walk back to the team line.
2.  The next person must do the same. The team with all of the flags in hand the quickest wins!
3.  Be sure to have the kids take the flags home!

___________________________

RED-WHITE-BLUE EGG SPOON RELAY RACE
1.  Boil a dozen eggs and color some red and blue. (Be sure to keep some white!)
2.  Divide the kids into two teams, and provide each with a spoon and eggs.
3.  The kids balance a colored egg on their spoon and walk quickly from one end of the game area to the other and return.
4.  If the egg drops, the team member must begin again.
5.  The first team with all members completing the relay race wins!

_____________________

UNCLE SAM DRESS-UP RELAY RACE
Need:
Two sets of clothing consisting of: Uncle Sam's hat, a white beard, a blue jacket or shirt, red clip-on bow tie, and a bell.
1.  Separate players into two equal lines spaced approximately 6 feet apart.
2.  Place a set of clothing at the beginning of each line; then place a bell approximately 15 feet in front of each line.
3.  On 'go', the first player in line dresses up in the clothing; then MARCHES to the bell.
4.  When they reach the bell, they pick it up with their left hand, turn and face their teammates and then ring the bell.
5. They replace the bell and MARCH back to the front of their line--remove the clothing--and go to the end of their line.
6. The next player repeats the process; repeat until the last player finishes. The first team to finish is the winner.

______________________________________

***Click for a great variety of RELAY RACES and picnic games ...(Races, Relays, Balloon and Bean Bag Fun!) You may also like some PARACHUTE GAMES!

____________________________________

Check out the  RED, WHITE & BLUE JOKES on KidActivities.net

FUN IDEA → If you're having a party, as a warm-up game write down jokes on individual slips of paper. Half the kids/guests get the Question--and the other half get the Answer! Good fun with kids trying to find their Question and Answer match! 

__________________________________________________

SCIENCE IDEAS...

MILK FIREWORKS SCIENCE
This is a fun project but NOT a recipe for drinking!
You’ll Need
Whole milk (must be whole milk...project needs the fat!)
A baking pan
Food coloring
Liquid dishwashing soap
Directions
1. Pour the milk into the baking pan.
2. Drop several different colors of food coloring all around the milk.
3. Add a “squirt” or two of the dishwashing liquid, and watch the colors burst and swirl. The dishwashing liquid separates the fat from the other liquids in the milk. If the fireworks slow down, just add another squirt of dishwashing liquid.

______________________________ 

 RED, WHITE AND BLUE CARNATIONS

#1 Idea
Make tie-dyed looking red, white and blue carnations. These flowers look great for any red-white & blue theme!.
You’ll Need:
2 glasses
Water
Red and blue food coloring
White carnations
Green thread
1.  Pour water into a glass of water. Add 7 to 8 drops of red food coloring to the glass.
2.  Pour water into another glass and add 7 to 8 drops of blue food coloring to the glass.
3.  Cut the stem of a white carnation lengthwise. This will make the carnation stem into two thin stems.
4.  Set the two glasses of colored water together. Put half of the stem of the carnation into the red water and the other half into the blue water.
5.  Let the carnation sit for a few hours. The carnation will begin to change gradually into red and blue.
6.  Take the flower out of the mixture in just a few hours before the colors can change the white carnation entirely. You want it so that some of the white is still on the carnation.
7.  Wrap the stems together with green thread and place the carnation into a clear vase of water. Make several flowers and show off your beautiful red, white and blue flowers in a vase.
_______________________________

Idea #2 RED, WHITE & BLUE FLOWERS...
Kids will enjoy making these using white flowers such as daisies, mums and carnations.
1.  Pour water into a canning jar with several drops of red or blue food coloring.
2.  Place the flowers into the jar over night. Don't forget to set some of the white flowers aside to add to the bouquet.
3.  In the morning, place all of the flowers into a fresh vase of water and tie red, white and blue ribbon around the top of the jar.

 ____________________  

MENTOS ERUPTION -- Soda Geyser-- or just Diet Coke and Mentos

(Do this outside) This is a reaction between Mentos candy and cola. The experiment involves dropping several Mentos candies (usually 5–8) into a bottle of diet cola resulting in an eruption occurring because of rapidly expanding carbon dioxide bubbles on the surface of the Mentos.

I  tried this experiment with three of my grandsons (Ages 6, 8,11-see photo) They all loved it! We quickly put five mentos into the Coke. The reaction starts immediately-so be quick!

If you want an explanation:
There are various theories being debated as to the exact scientific explanation of the phenomenon, many scientists claim that it is a physical reaction and not a chemical one. Water molecules strongly attract each other, linking together to form a tight connection around each bubble of carbon dioxide gas in the soda. To form a new bubble, water molecules must push away from one another. It takes extra energy to break this surface tension. So, in other words, water resists the expansion of bubbles in the soda.

 

MUSIC/MOVEMENT...

THREE FLAG SONGS...
#1 Sung to tune of "Mary had a Little Lamb"
Our flag is red, white, & blue
red, white & blue
red,white & blue
Our flag is red, white, & blue
in the U.S.A.
Our flag has 50 stars,
50 stars, 50 stars,
Our flag has 50 stars, in the U.S.A.
Our flag has 13 stripes,
13 stripes, 13 stripes,
Our flag has 13 stripes,
in the U.S.A.
_______________________
#2 DOWN AT THE FLAGPOLE
"Down By the Station"
Down at the flagpole,
Early in the morning,
We will raise our flag,
The red, white, and blue.
We stand at attention,
It's something that we do.
We salute the colors,
The red, white, and blue.
_________________________
#3 THE RED WHITE AND BLUE
"When the Saints Come Marching In"
Oh, when the flag comes marching in,
Oh, when the flag comes marching in,
How I love to see its three colors,
The red, white, and blue

Back to top of page 

______________________

RED, WHITE AND BLUE PARADE AND BIKE IDEAS...

 

1.  Using crepe paper and streamers, have the kids DECORATE THEIR BIKES, scooters, wagons, and younger children’s strollers. You can also attach playing cards to the frame so they hit the spokes & sound like a wheel of fortune.
2.  Make musical instruments from ‘Recycled materials’. See  gads of instrument ideas on KidActivities.
3.  You could also take shoe boxes and have the children make “themed’ floats from them! These could be carried in the parade.
4.  Encourage children and staff to wear red, white and blue clothing!

 You now have all the makings for a great parade!!!

BEFORE THE EVENT:
Plan your parade route and then hand out fliers to alert your potential audience of the event--- which would be your neighborhood and parents. Invite all to watch!

EVENT:
You can parade around the school or center block, track or playground. Ride the decorated vehicles, wave banners and march, play the pre-made (and practiced on ) instruments, sing, and have a great time!!!

AFTER:
Consider having an ICE-CREAM SOCIAL!
You can also give out awards ...such as the Best Red, White and Blue Bicycle; Most Original Bicycle; Most Creatively Decorated Bicycle; Most Appealing to Spectators, Smallest, Most Covered, Most Unique, etc.
________________________________

ANOTHER IDEA with bikes...
You can also have a "SLOWEST BICYCLE RACE" with decorated bikes... See the Mixing Math and Fun Category (near the bottom of the category page.) Add this to ideas for a 'Red, White & Blue' program parade around the neighborhood!!! We did one with our families last year and it was great fun!!! We're in a quiet neighborhood---advertised for two weeks before---and had all the neighborhood out to watch us! Cassie/Mi.

To keep your lawn chair spectators happy, consider enlisting some of the following:
  •   Families carrying homemade banners pinned across a broomstick.
  •   Pets with red, white and blue ribbons in their leashes or collars.
  •   A parent and kid kazoo band.
  •   In-line skaters wearing red, white and blue T-shirts and helmets, of course.
  •   Bigger kids dribbling red, white and blue basketballs or soccer balls.
  •   A teenage DJ carrying a boom box playing patriotic songs.
  •   Bikes, strollers, wagons and wheelchairs sporting streamers and balloons.
  •   A minuteman marching band featuring kids playing oatmeal-container drums and paper-towel-roll fifes. Band students can chime in with their trumpets and clarinets, and even moms and dads can dust off their old instruments and join the fun.
  •   A clown (a parent dressed in costume) tossing penny candy to the crowd.
  •   Use tape, streamers, flags and balloons to transform a fleet of wagons into patriotic parade floats.

______________

TRIVIA...

CAN YOU NAME THE ORIGINAL 13 COLONIES? Have a quiz to see how many the kids can correctly name. You can also have the kids guess in pairs or teams! (You may also be interested in the 'Colonial Theme' for some great ideas)

ANSWER:
Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts Bay, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virginia

DOES ANYONE KNOW WHO DESIGNED THE FIRST U.S. FLAG?
Betsy Ross --but the answer (according to the experts at the 'Betsy Ross house') is that it was possibly designed by Francis Hopkinson, a New Jersey delegate to the Continental Congress and a signer of the Declaration of Independence.

The stars on the flag were in a circle so that no one colony would be viewed above another. It is reported that George Washington said, "Let the 13 stars in a circle stand as a new constellation in the heavens."

This is page 1, Go to Page 2 ~ Pariotic Red, White & Blue Food  

_____________________

You may also be interested in the 'Cherry Theme'...lots of good ideas that would work with some Red-White-and Blue' Summer Time Fun!

Back to top of page 

HAPPY RED. WHITE AND BLUE DAY!

________________

'Traveling Around the World' is a great theme for multicultural experiences as well as popular for classroom, day camp and childcare programs! Category resources available at this time are:
•CHINA   •FRANCE  •MEXICO  •USA-PATRIOTIC  •USA-COLONIAL  •All Multicultural Diversity Categories

____________________