Memorial Day Activities For Kids
Memorial Day 2022 is quickly approaching. For many people, this is a way to kick off the summer season. But it is important to teach students that on this holiday we honor those who have lost their lives fighting for our country.
If you are here to find some Memorial Day activities for elementary students, you’re in the right place. First, let’s dive into why we celebrate it and how to teach it.
Why is it important to celebrate Memorial Day?
This isn’t just a day with cookouts and get-togethers. For many, it is a day to honor lost family members and celebrate their memory. Celebrating shows your appreciation for their service to our country and helps us remember the names of those who made the ultimate sacrifice for us.
How do you teach Memorial Day?
To teach students about this important day, there are some great Memorial Day activities that you can add to your lesson plans. Here are some ideas to get you started.
- Read books about Memorial Day. Books are always a great way to help students understand subjects like this. Head over to your school library to see what books are available on the topic or shop around like this one here.
- Write a letter to a hero. If your students have any friends or family members that served they can write a letter to them. For other students, you can have them write a letter to a hero you select for them. This is a great way to give students perspective and a chance to express their gratitude.
- Watch some Memorial Day videos on YouTube like this one here.
- Do some patriotic crafts. You can have students create American Flags and decorate the classroom or hall with them, or you can create other crafts that are red, white, and blue.
- Get some colored chalk and decorate the blacktop or sidewalks outside your school with patriotic decorations.
- Encourage students to wear their favorite patriotic clothes.
- Watch a Memorial Day Parade on YouTube like this one here.
If you are looking for more Memorial Day education activities, check out my Memorial Day resource here.
Perfect for students in first through fifth grade, you’ll get a variety of writing activities that will teach students about this important holiday.
Included with this resource, you’ll get
- an informational sheet about the holiday
- acrostic poems with self-rating systems
- Home of the Free Because of the Brave printable
- Informational writing planning page
- Informational writing page
- Thank you, Hero Letter
- Thank You Letter
- Posters for students to fill out
- Poster about informative writing
- Transitional words and phrases list
- Word wall words
- Rubric
Since they are writing activities, they can be adapted to be Memorial Day virtual activities if needed, just explain the assignment to students and have them use their paper at home!
Looking for more information for teaching Memorial Day? Check out my post here.
How do you teach about Memorial Day?
