Teaching Values, Patriotism, and Remembrance: Memorial Day Family Activities
Memorial Day is more than just the unofficial start of summer; it is a time to honor and remember the brave men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. As Christians, it's important to teach our children about the significance of this day, instilling values of respect, remembrance, and gratitude. Below are some meaningful activities to help your family reflect on the true purpose of Memorial Day.
Engagement and Activities
When actively engaging in the following activities, families can provide a well-rounded understanding of Memorial Day, blending education, creativity, and community involvement to honor those who have sacrificed their lives for our freedoms.
Educational Engagement and Activities
History Lessons
Understanding the history behind Memorial Day can help children appreciate its significance. For younger children, you can read simple stories or picture books about Memorial Day. For older children, consider watching documentaries or reading biographies of soldiers who have served our country.
Activity: Create a timeline of important events leading up to the establishment of Memorial Day. Discuss how the day has evolved and what it means today.
Family History
Encourage children to research family members who may have served in the military. This project can help them feel a personal connection to Memorial Day.
Activity: Create a family tree that highlights relatives who served in the military. Include photos, letters, and stories shared by older family members.
Visit Local Memorials or Museums
Take a family trip to a local war memorial or military museum. Many of these sites offer educational programs specifically designed for children.
Activity: Encourage your children to ask questions and take notes during the visit. Later, they can share what they’ve learned with the family.
Memorial Day Family Movie Night
Select age-appropriate films or documentaries that depict the sacrifices of soldiers and the importance of Memorial Day.
Activity: Watch movies such as "The Longest Day" for older children or "America: The Story of Us" for younger ones. Follow up with a discussion about the themes of courage and sacrifice depicted in the films.
Crafty Engagement and Activities Remembrance Crafts
Children enhance their fun and creativity when crafting projects that honor fallen soldiers.
- Activity: Handprint Flags
Materials: Construction paper (red, white, and blue), paint (red, white, and blue), paintbrushes, and markers.
Instructions: Have children dip their hands in red and white paint to create stripes on a blue piece of construction paper. Once dry, use markers to add stars to the blue section. - Activity: Patriotic Windsocks
Materials: Red, white, and blue crepe paper or tissue paper, cardboard tube (e.g., from a paper towel roll), scissors, glue, and string.
Instructions: Cut the cardboard tube lengthwise to create a slit. Glue strips of red, white, and blue crepe paper or tissue paper to the inside edge of the tube, allowing them to hang down. Attach a string to hang the windsock. Hang these colorful decorations outside to celebrate Memorial Day.
- Activity: Remembrance Wreaths
Materials: Paper plates, red, white, and blue paint, paintbrushes, scissors, construction paper (red, white, and blue), glue, and ribbon.
Instructions: Cut the center out of a paper plate to create a wreath base. Paint the wreath red, white, and blue, or use colored paper strips to cover it. Cut out paper stars and attach them to the wreath. Write the names of fallen soldiers on paper strips and glue them to the wreath. Hang these wreaths as a symbol of remembrance.
- Activity: Poppy Flowers
Materials: Red and black construction paper, green pipe cleaners, scissors, and glue.
Instructions: Cut out red paper petals and a round black paper center to create poppies. Glue the petals together and attach the black center. Twist a green pipe cleaner around the base to create the stem. Explain the significance of the poppy as a symbol of remembrance, inspired by the famous poem "In Flanders Fields."
- Activity: Patriotic Stars of Freedom
Materials: Star-shaped cardboard cutouts, red, white, and blue glitter, glue, and paintbrushes.
Instructions: Have children paint the cardboard stars with glue and sprinkle red, white, and blue glitter over them. As they work, discuss the symbolism of stars in American culture and how they represent freedom and unity. These glittering stars can be hung as decorations or displayed in windows.
- Activity: Soldier Silhouettes
Materials: Black construction paper, white chalk or chalk markers, scissors, and glue.
Instructions: Cut out soldier silhouettes from black construction paper. Using white chalk or chalk markers, add details such as uniforms, weapons, and boots. Discuss the importance of honoring soldiers and the sacrifices they make for our freedom. These silhouettes can be displayed on a wall or bulletin board.
- Activity: Patriotic Magnets
Materials: Craft foam (red, white, and blue), scissors, adhesive magnet strips.
Instructions: Cut out rectangles of red and white foam to represent stripes and a square of blue foam for the union. Glue the pieces together to form a miniature American flag. Attach a magnet strip to the back of each flag. Children can proudly display these magnets on the refrigerator or other metal surfaces.
- Activity: Thank You Cards
Materials: Cardstock or construction paper, markers, stickers, glitter, embellishments.
Instructions: Have children create personalized thank-you cards for veterans. Encourage them to express gratitude through drawings, messages, or poems. Add decorative elements like stickers or glitter to make the cards extra special. These cards can be distributed to veterans at local veterans’ centers or sent to organizations that support military personnel.
Community Engagement and Activities
Attend Local Memorial Day Parades or Services
Check if your community hosts a Memorial Day parade or service. Participating in these events can be a powerful way for children to witness collective acts of remembrance.
Activity: Make signs or banners to honor fallen soldiers and carry them during the parade.
Community Service
Memorial Day is a great time to get involved in community service. Volunteer as a family to clean up veterans’ graves, help at a local veteran center, or participate in charity runs and walks.
Activity: Plan a family service day. Choose a project that everyone can participate in and discuss the importance of service and sacrifice.
Care Packages
Teach your children gratitude and appreciation by gathering goods for care packages for active military.
Activity: Put together care packages with your children, including items like snacks, hygiene products, and handwritten notes. Research organizations that can help you send these packages to soldiers overseas.
Print out these cards (inside messages included) to send with your packages!
Faith-Based Engagement and Activities
Read Biblical Stories of Sacrifice and Service
Select Bible stories that highlight themes of sacrifice, courage, and service. Discuss these stories as a family and relate them to the sacrifices made by soldiers.
Activity: As a family, read the story of Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice on the cross (John 19) or the story of David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17). Discuss how these stories relate to the courage and sacrifice of soldiers.
Family Prayer
Family prayer is a powerful tool to teach children about empathy and compassion. Set aside time to pray as a family for the soldiers who have given their lives and for their families who endured the loss.
Activity: Create a prayer jar where family members can write down the names of soldiers or military families to pray for. Spend time each day drawing a name from the jar and praying together.
Creative Expression Engagement and Activities
Patriotic Art
Encourage children to express their understanding of Memorial Day through art.
Activity: Organize an art session where children can paint or draw scenes related to Memorial Day, such as flags, soldiers, or peace symbols. Display their artwork at home or share it with local veterans' organizations.
Patriotic Poetry
Have children write poems about what Memorial Day means to them.
Activity: Plan a family reading night where everyone shares their poetry. Consider submitting their work to a local newspaper or community newsletter.
Outdoor Engagement and Activities
Plant a Memorial Garden
Create a garden dedicated to fallen soldiers, with each plant symbolizing a different aspect of remembrance.
Activity: Plant flowers like poppies, which are traditionally associated with remembrance. Involve children in designing and maintaining the garden, and explain the symbolism behind each plant.
Help children remember the names and meanings of each plant with these printable plant labels.
Remembrance Nature Walk
Take a family walk in a local park and pick up litter as a way to honor the environment soldiers fought to protect.
Activity: Combine the walk with a discussion about conservation and the importance of taking care of the land. Emphasize the association of the cleanup to the memory of fallen soldiers.
Playful Engagement and Activities
Memorial Day Trivia
Create a trivia game with questions about the history of Memorial Day, famous battles, and significant military figures.
Activity: Divide into teams and see who can answer the most questions correctly. Use this as an educational tool to teach children about important historical facts.
Scavenger Hunt
Organize a Memorial Day-themed scavenger hunt in your neighborhood or home.
Activity: Create clues related to historical facts about Memorial Day, and have children find objects that symbolize freedom, like mini flags or toy soldiers.
Interactive Engagement and Activities
Virtual Memorial Day Events
Many communities and organizations hold virtual Memorial Day events, such as online ceremonies or webinars.
Activity: Find and participate in a virtual Memorial Day service. Discuss the event afterward, focusing on what was learned and felt during the experience.
Wishing You a Meaningful Memorial Day
These activities provide a fun and educational approach that helps children understand the sacrifice of fallen soldiers while establishing a spirit of gratitude, respect, and empathy. May your Memorial Day be filled with meaningful reflections and purposeful activities as you honor and remember those who have sacrificed so much for our freedom.
-Torrance Community Church of Christ