Happy Birthday USA!  I want to start off by personally saying; I am so blessed and thankful to live in this wonderful country.  Today I really honor those who served and have served to support our freedom.  This is one of the first major holidays of the summer (other than Father’s Day in June) and our kids love all the excitement that comes with it.  This is the first year that my son actually understands what holidays and celebrations are all about, and it’s super exciting to watch him light up.  I really wanted to teach him the importance of our Independence without overwhelming him. Even if you’re not the most patriotic person in the world, here are some tips on toddler fun for the 4Th. 

            One simple thing you can teach them is explaining the flag and teaching them the pledge of allegiance. We counted the stars and stripes on the flag, while I briefly explained the meaning.  The pledge of allegiance is something that kids learn in school, but I thought I would start a little early.  I bought a small flag and pinned it up so he could see the flag when we were saying the pledge.  My son also loves to sing, so I decided to You Tube American Patriotic songs, like America the beautiful, This Land, and The National Anthem.  He really liked this, you can have this music playing in the background while your child is working on something, or playing.                  

          I love crafts! I know I have said this before but it’s a great tool for kids to learn different skills while doing them.  So of course, I also did a simple little craft with my son for the 4th.   I went online for a little inspiration, but couldn’t find anything that I liked or that was really toddler friendly.  I seen one of my neighbors with a little hat that had stars on it for the 4th, I loved it and decided to put my twist on it with the tools I already had.  We decided to call it the “liberty Hat”.  Tools you will need are construction paper, Red, white, and blue, glue, stapler, and markers.  You can dress it up whichever way you please, but sometimes simple can go a long way.  My son loves to use glue, so this was a really fun craft for him.  It took about 25 minutes total to prepare and complete.  You can see the picture to the side that it is very simple, we also made one for my 11 month old daughter so she wouldn’t feel left out 🙂

            Well mommies I hope that these tips helped enhance your independence day fun with your toddlers.  I know that Sometimes it can be difficult to find new and innovative ways to keep your kids entertained, so I am here to help and guide moms everywhere through my experiences to use their creative sides a little more! Let’s not forget why we celebrate this holiday, and now as parents it’s our job to teach our little ones and have fun in the process!

            I hope your day is filled with fun, food, and lots of fireworks! Remember to share my blog with other mommies, so together we can keep striving for mommy success!