4th of July Activities That Are Fun for the Whole Family:
Happy Birthday, America!
The Fourth of July, also known as July 4th or Independence Day, is a federal holiday in the US that celebrates the passage of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress. While Independence Day has been a national holiday since 1941, the tradition of its celebration dates back to 1776.
The Fourth of July is the most patriotic holiday in the US. People across the country creatively mark the day in varying ways, including parades, fireworks, family gatherings, barbecues, and more. This article provides the whole family with fun activities to celebrate this year. We also offer you some July 4th fun facts, the five best independent day quotes, and answers to some of the frequently asked questions.
25 Fun Family Activities to Mark the Fourth of July’s Celebration:
1. Attend a Parade:
One of the ways to celebrate the fourth of July is by showing your patriotism, and there is no better way than attending a parade. We all love watching marching bands, giant balloons, and decorative floats. So search the internet for the closest parade and participate with your family this holiday.
2. Visit Philadelphia:
Did you know that Philadelphia hosted the first 4th July celebrations in 1777? Thousands of Americans crowd the Benjamin Franklin Parkway every year to watch the fireworks explosion in honor of Independence Day.
You can take a trip this year and be part of that magnificent celebration. Philadelphia has many historic locations, including the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, and the Betsy Ross House.
3. Engage in an Outdoor Sport:
One of the best ways to connect and honor the Fourth of July is by enjoying a sport with your loved ones. Play a friendly match with friends and family members after the day’s feast. Let everyone in the family enjoy the game regardless of their age.
4. Harvest Berries:
Enjoy the berry season by picking up your berries. If you don’t have a berry farm, you can visit local farmers who offer U-pick options that allow people to load their favorite fruits like blackberries, blueberries, or strawberries. Then, after the harvesting, you can use the berries to make delicious summer pie.
5. Go for a Patriotic Road Trip:
Plan for a road trip and visit a city or state you have never been to before. The purpose is to stop at all major landmarks to honor the milestone America has made since Independence. Your children will learn much about American History and connect with their past.
6. Do some Patriotic Tie and Dye:
Tie and dye is a craft that both children and adults can do. Create some tie-and-die shirts or bags in the white, red, and blue colors and wear them on the Fourth of July. You can also make extra ones to share with friends or needy persons.
7. Grill Hot Dogs:
You will agree that hot dogs are a significant part of the American culture, grilling tradition, and summer celebrations. One thing that will complete the Fourth of July is spending some time in the kitchen trying out different recipes for grilled hot dogs.
8. Go Swimming:
Another great idea for the Fourth of July celebration is spending time by the pool with your family. You can access a pool from a community center or neighbor if you don’t have one at home. To honor the day, you can mark some of the inflatable tubes with white, red, and blue colors.
9. Go for a Picnic:
There is no better manner to enjoy the summer and the Fourth of July than with an elaborate picnic plan. Pack favorite appetizers, desserts, and main dishes, among other things that will make the day unforgettable.
10: Prepare a Flag Cake:
Make a simple cake with your children and then decorate it with the flag’s colors to honor the American’s Birthday.
11. Go Camping:
You can plan a camping trip and enjoy the getaway with your family this Fourth of July. Make it fun by playing patriotic music, making traditional foods on open fie, and later stargazing on a fantastic night.
12. Enjoy some Fireworks:
No Fourth of July celebrations will be complete without viewing some fireworks at night. You can watch your town display, explode your fireworks, or watch some explosion on the TV. Of course, you can miss many other things on this big day, but don’t miss the fireworks!
13. Bake some Desserts:
You can celebrate this iconic day by making some patriotic desserts! Bake some brownies, cupcakes, and cake and decorate them with white, red, and blue colors. Let everyone in the family participate in the decorations. It will be fun!
14. Play in the Backyard:
You can come up with many games to play in the backyard, including coquet, corn-hole, horseshoes, and badminton. Backyard games will perfectively fill the free time before the dessert and fireworks.
15. Enjoy a Water Balloon Fight:
Fourth of July finds us when the weather is quite hot. A water balloon fight could be an excellent solution for the afternoon’s scorching hot day. You can make it more enjoyable by creating kids vs. adults.
16. Break your Sparklers:
It is not the Fourth of July celebration if you don’t have sparklers at night. So please wait until it is dark and light them before waving them safely to make beautiful shapes.
17. Go for a Family Bike Riding:
One of the great ways to celebrate Independence Day is by going for a bike ride with the family. Besides the physical exercise, you can pack a picnic basket and find a sunny place to enjoy together a pre-barbecue snack.
18 Make a Playlist:
Create a festive playlist full of everyone’s favorite patriotic songs. Besides listening to patriotic songs, you can pick up a guitar and enjoy your tunes. You can also include kid-friendly musical instruments such as tambourines and kazoos and ask everyone to sing along to favorite patriotic songs.
19. Go Kayaking:
If your children love outdoor activities, they will have fun kayaking. Kayaking allows children to enjoy the waters and sights around the river. This will go well with some tasty picnic food.
20. Explore together the American History:
Nothing will be more honorable than reading exciting content about American History on the Fourth of July. There are tons of informative books in your local library about where we have come from as a country. Read some content out loud and ask questions to boost their understanding.
21. Engage in Arts and Crafts:
You can beat the July heat indoors by engaging in excellent arts and crafts activities. Provide your children with plain coloring pages and Independence Day theme colors, and let your children enjoy. You can keep them busy with this activity while preparing the ice cream.
22. Roast Marshmallows:
Set up an open fire at the backdoor once the sun goes down and roast marshmallows. It will be an excellent activity for everyone as you wait for the fireworks to begin.
23. Enjoy an Outdoor Movie Night:
Set up a big screen and some cozy seating on your lawn, and let everyone (family and friends) have a movie night to remember! Play some of the family’s favorite movies that align with the theme of the holiday. Oh, don’t forget some popcorn!
24: Learn about Fireworks:
Do your children know the science behind fireworks and the dangers involved in the activity? Find child-friendly information online about the science behind fireworks and safety measures around fireworks.
25. Visit a National Monument:
Visiting a national monument is one of the best ways to celebrate the Fourth of July. For example, you can see the Washington Monument on the Reflecting Pool. This monument has a background of many of America’s historical events.
20 Fun Facts about the Fourth of July:
- Americans consume about 150 million hot dogs on the Fourth of July. This is quite a lot!
- On July fourth, the United States lost three presidents, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and James Monroe.
- The famous Nathan’s 4th of July hot dog eating competition has existed for over a century.
- Only Charles Thompson and John Hancock signed the declaration of Independence on the 4th of July, 1776. The other delegates signed it within the following weeks.
- There are about 16000 fireworks on the Fourth of August annual celebrations.
- Americans spend more than $1 billion on the 4th of July’s fireworks.
- July 4th became an official holiday about 100 years ago after the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
- There were only 2.5 million people in the US in 1776. Today there are about 332 million people in America.
- Hospitals get more patients on the Fourth of July due to fireworks-related injuries.
- It took 117 years for the national anthem written by Francis Scott to get recognition by the federal government.
- The One World Trade Center represents the time when America gained Independence from Great Britain.
- Pennsylvania Evening Post was the first magazine to publish the Declaration of Independence.
- George Washington celebrated the Fourth of July in 1778 despite being at war.
- It was considered inappropriate to keep business open on the Fourth of July.
- It is a tradition in New England to eat Salmon on the Fourth of July.
- Calvin Coolidge, the 30th President of the United States, was born on July 4, 1872.
- Thirty-two towns in the United States use the term ‘liberty .’The largest is Liberty, Missouri, with a population of about 32 865.
- President Zachary Taylor lost his life in 1850, a day after July 4 celebration, after eating a spoiled fruit.
- President Thomas Jefferson hosted the first Fourth July celebrations in 1801 at the White House.
- Paul Revere and Sam Adams buried a time capsule beneath the Massachusetts House on July 1795. Workers fixing a leak discovered the capsule more than two centuries later.
5 BEST INDEPENDENT DAY QUOTES:
1. “You cannot separate peace and freedom. Because no one can be at peace unless he has his freedom.”- Malcolm X
2. “May we think of freedom not as the right to do as we please, but the opportunity to do what is right”– Peter Marshall
3. “What brings us together as Americans is much stronger than anything that can tear us apart.”- Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
4. “We must be free not because we claim freedom, but because we practice it.”– William Faulkner
5. “I think of a hero as someone who understands the degree of responsibility that comes with his freedom.” – Bob Dylan
Frequently Asked Questions:
Why is Independence Day celebrated with fireworks?
Fireworks symbolize patriotism and national pride. The tradition of setting off fireworks began in 1777 in Philadelphia during the first organized Independence Day celebration.
Why do we Barbeque during Independence Day celebrations?
The tradition of grilling was not active until the beginning of the 1800s. Virginia colonists were the pioneers of barbecuing. They began grilling large animals, a tradition they borrowed from West Indies. American political leaders later took over the practice where they would stage massive barbecues with pigs and oxen after drawing large crowds during Independence day celebrations. Today people grill on more minor scales for their loved ones to mark the celebrations.
What happens when the Fourth of July falls on a weekend?
Since the Fourth of July is a federal holiday, citizens get a work day off if it falls on a weekend. The day off can be on a Monday or a Friday.
How much money does America spend on the Fourth of July fireworks?
Americans spend about $1.5 billion on fireworks annually, with people using over 275 pounds of fireworks on the celebration day.
Why is the flag Red, Blue, and White?
Red: The red color on the flag represents valor, hardiness, and courage to sacrifice. Red also represents bloodshed by people who fought for the country’s freedom.
Blue: Blue signifies justice, perseverance, and vigilance for all. It acts as a reminder that we should remain strong and watchful at all times. Blue is also the pillar of our democracy.
White: White signifies innocence and purity. It means we hold to our ideals and are free from any colony.
Parting Shot:
Whether you want to keep the celebrations small or looking for an epic bash in this year’s festivities, the above creative Independence Day activities will make the day memorable.
We wish you and Your family the best in celebrating our great country’s Independence day.
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