In our house, I like to celebrate and commemorate as many holidays as possible. I find it is a great opportunity to not only have a little fun, but to also teach the kids something about the history of the holiday and related events.
The Fourth of July provides a great opportunity for fun and learning. Recently, while my younger two kids were napping, I sat down with my oldest daughter (she is almost four) and made these adorable popsicle stick flags. While we made them and painted, we were able to talk about the fourth of July, why we celebrate it and what the American flag represents. We had a blast and it was educational too!
Supplies
Popsicle Sticks
Paint – Red, White, and Blue
Paint Brushes
White Glue
Pencil
Directions
(I completed the first few steps on my own. My daughter is three, so at this stage, it is easier for me to just do some things on my own. If your child is older, he/she can definitely do it all on their own.)
1. I lined all the horizontal sticks up on top of two vertical sticks. I did this to get a measurement of where to break the stick. (You’ll see what I mean in a moment.)
2. I then marked the spot on the right side vertical stick where the bottom horizontal stick ended. I scored and broke the stick at that mark. The other vertical stick I left whole, as it will be the “flag pole.”
3. Then I brought all the pieces to my daughter and let her put glue on the vertical sticks.
4. Then she placed the horizontal sticks on top of the vertical sticks.
5. I marked off a square in the upper left hand corner for her to paint the blue.
6. She painted in the red and white stripes.
7. We added white dots on the blue to represent the stars and let it dry.
And there you have it! A simple, quick activity to commemorate the holiday. Try it out. I’m sure you’ll have as much fun as we did.
