Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Stars & Stripes

The list of fun and decorative projects that kids can do for Veterans Day, 4th of July and Memorial Day are only limited by your imagination. We have identified a few to give you a launching off point.

 

Patriotic Windsocks make an awesome yard decoration.

1. Start by making a short tube of blue construction paper about the size of a roll of toilet paper.

2. Cut 18 inch long, half inch wide strips of white and red construction paper and glue them to the bottom edge of the blue tube.

3. Cut out white stars and glue them on to the blue tube.

4. To finish it off, attach a 2 or 3 foot string to opposing edges of the top of the blue tube and a hang it from a tree.

You can also attach it to a stick so your kids can wave it like a flag. The materials used can be as simple or fancy as your imagination dictates.

 

Patriotic pinwheels can easily be made from paper plates. The pinwheel can be attached to a wooden dowel or in a pinch can be pinned on to the end of a ruler or pencil.

1. Create 8 sections on the plate, like pie pieces and have the kids color each section, alternating red, white and blue. 

2. Cut a straight line down each section, stopping about 1/2 inch from the center

3. Fold one corner from each of the sections to the center

4. Use a pushpin to connect each corner to a wooden dowel, ruler or pencil and watch your pinwheel spin! 

 

Popsicle sticks are arguably the most versatile of all craft supplies. Color them red, white and blue and make popsicle stick flags, deocrations, photo frames or trivets to make holiday food presentations more fun (one of us at OVH had to look up what a “trivet” is….for those of us born in the south, it’s a pot holder).

 

Marble Stars: It’ll take finesse and concentration to win at this game! All you need is a large piece of cardboard or poster board, some markers, crayons or colored pencils, tape and marbles.

1. Start with a 24 inch x 18 inch piece of poster board, have the kids decorate it like the American Flag.

2. Bend the edges 1 inch all the way around it to make a tray.

3. Tape the corners for stability.

4. Punch 50 holes just smaller than a marble into each of the 50 stars.

To play, the kids take turns rolling one marble at a time to land them in the holes. Alternate play: put all 50 marbles on the tray and time each player to see how long it takes them to roll the marbles around until all the holes are filled.

 

Looking for new games for the kiddos? Check out some of our favorites: