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Home / Early Learning / Memorial Day for Kids {A Few Ideas}

Memorial Day for Kids {A Few Ideas}

Shared by Mary Catherine 1 Comment

Memorial Day for Kids

Today, I want to share a few simple activities about Memorial Day for kids.  I hope you find my explanations and ideas helpful!

Why we celebrate Memorial Day:
For many, Memorial Day is looked at as a “kick-off” for summer — pools opening, school drawing to a close, and the finalizing of vacation plans.  At its roots, though, Memorial Day is meant to honor those who died while serving our country (for more history about this holiday, please refer to U.S. Memorial Day’s “Memorial Day History“).  

Why Memorial Day is important to me:
I come from a family of servicemen and women, as I’ve mentioned in the past.  My grandmother was a Marine recruiter, my grandfather served in both the Coast Guard and the Air Force, and my father is a retired Marine.  On top of that, each of my seven aunts and uncles have served (or still serve) in some branch of the military.  To say I was raised with an intelligent, patriotic, hard-working, and critical-thinking family is an understatement!  Appreciating , thinking about, and praying for our servicemen and women is something I do daily.  Engineer is also exposed to it quite a bit from me, my dad, and my step mom!

vietnam reflections by lee teter
This painting has always moved me. Click here to read about the artist at Vietnam Reflections.

Memorial Day brings a sense of loss on top of the appreciation and prayers, though.  My dad’s older brother (the oldest of eight children) was killed in Vietnam ten years before I was even born.  While I never met him, he’s still been an important part of my life.  That may seem odd, but it’s true.  Engineer is actually named after my uncle who was killed in combat.

Activities to help children learn more about Memorial Day:
It can be difficult to talk to children about this holiday, I know.  It’s important to me, though, that Engineer understands what many people have given up to protect our country and our freedom.  Here are some things I’ve done with Engineer and my students in the past to broach the subject —

Memorial Day for Kids

1. A Simple American Flag Craft can help set the groundwork when discussing America.  It lets the children get hands-on with our country’s flag and helps serve as a conversation starter when discussing Memorial Day.

Memorial Day for Kids

2. Drawing Pictures for Marines (or other servicemen/women) can help connect the children with those actively serving our country today.

Memorial Day for Kids
This is actually a picture of Engineer at my grandmother’s grave, which is right next to my uncle’s grave. The picture of Engineer at my uncle’s grave was blurry from the rain.

3. Visiting a family member’s grave gives children a chance to connect with family killed in battle.  This doesn’t need to be a morbid experience at all!  When we took a trip to California after Christmas, I “introduced” Engineer to the uncle he was named after.  For me, it was a way to celebrate my uncle’s life and show Engineer how important that uncle is to our family.  I got a lot out of the visit, but Engineer really did too!  He “talked” to my uncle, cleaned off his grave, and left flowers for him.  It was a meaningful visit for both of us.

4.  For MORE IDEAS, please check out my {Theme} America Pinterest board.  I’ll continue to update it as I find great Americana/patriotic activities for the kiddos!

What about you?  How do you explain the meaning behind Memorial Day to your children?  What activities have you done to connect them to this holiday?  I’d love it if you shared your thoughts and activities in the comment section below!

Shared at The Sunday Showcase

Table of Contents

  • Hands-On Preschool Materials
  • Done-for-You Preschool Resources

Hands-On Preschool Materials

It is imperative that we keep our classrooms stocked with materials that will give our students the hands-on learning experiences that they love (and need!). There are a few specific things that I always keep on hand in my classroom. Check them out in the list below.

I may get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

  • Crayons
  • Glue
  • Blocks
  • Puzzles
  • Safety scissors
  • Dramatic play items
  • Math manipulatives
  • Dry erase markers
  • Sensory items
  • Play dough
  • Craft supplies
  • Playground balls
  • Music and movement tools
  • Books, books, and more books!

When it comes to preschool, this list is really just skims the surface of the wide variety of materials that can be used. The best thing about this age group is that they learn the most while playing. So, whether they’re playing on the playground, building with blocks, or creating a masterpiece, rest assured that the children are learning so many important skills, all while having fun!

Done-for-You Preschool Resources

Planning meaningful lessons for students week after week while balancing other teaching responsibilities and a personal life can be a daunting task. That’s where Preschool Teacher 101 comes in to save you time!

What better way to honor those who died while serving our country than learning about our country? Check out these America lesson plans by Preschool Teacher 101 by clicking on the image below.

America lesson plan resource cover
America Lesson Plans

Join The Pack from Preschool Teacher 101 today for exclusive access to our content. We have a variety of membership options to suit your needs.

Filed Under: Early Learning Tagged With: America, July 4th

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  1. memorial candle for death says

    July 8, 2013 at 7:49 pm

    The picture idea was cute, there are really some great ways to teach our kids the importance of celebrating memorial day.

    Reply
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My name is Mary Catherine, and I love to share meaningful {and fun} learning activities for kiddos! Feel free to browse and stay awhile!

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