It’s hard to believe that America’s birthday is just around the corner since New Year’s feels like it was just… yesterday. And if you’re anything like us, you’ve probably begun drafting the itinerary, prepping the grill, stocking up on sparklers, and buying stars-and-striped bathing suits for the family. To ensure your holiday weekend is a success (for both parents and kids), we recommend adding this tried-and-true 4th of July activities for kids to your entertainment arsenal.
15 Fun 4th of July Activities for Kids
From silly patriotic games to DIY crafts, our team has rounded up some fun 4th of July activities for kids (that parents also love). Keep scrolling for patriotic-inspired entertainment ideas for every type of family and kids of all ages.
1. Scavenger Hunt
Putting together an Independence Day-themed scavenger hunt is a great way to keep the kids occupied all day long. This is a great activity because your kids can do it anywhere you’re at – home, the beach, a friend or family member’s house, kids can do this anywhere! Make it as extensive or simple as you’d like, checking off things like:
- BBQ grill
- Pinwheel
- Ladybug
- Ice cream
- Streamers
- Watermelon
- American flag
- Lightning bugs
- Blue fireworks
- Red fireworks display
- Picnic blanket or table
- Something red, white, and blue
- Bald eagle (if they are in your area)
- Hot dogs (or whatever else you’re serving up)
2. DIY Patriotic Wands
We’ve never met a kid who didn’t love wands. Whether they’re pretending to be superheroes or fairies–there’s no better way to elevate your Independence Day festivities than with DIY wands. Simply wrap red and blue duct tape around a cardboard tube (like a paper towel roll) and tape strips of paper to one end. Bonus points if you make wands of different colors–preferably red, white, and blue.
3. Face Painting
Face painting is a hallmark of summer holidays. (And not to mention, it’s one of the easiest ways to keep your kids entertained.) Have an artistic adult designate a face-painting table. Or, take turns painting fireworks, flags, and miniature Uncle Sam’s on your kids’ faces.
4. 4th of July Bingo
If scavenger hunts aren’t really your thing, make Fourth of July celebration Bingo cards for the kids to play. Fill the rows with patriotic stickers or doodle fireworks, hamburgers, American flags, and the like. Because Bingo is an endless source of fun, your kids will be entertained for hours. And if they’re old enough, they won’t even need a facilitator. Even for little kids though, bingo is always a hit!
5. Patriotic Cake Pops
Kids love their sweets. And preparing these sparkler cake pops is one of the best indoor activities you can do on July 4th. (Not to mention it’s one the whole family will love.) This recipe from Best Friends for Frosting is easy to follow and only requires a few common ingredients. Plus, your kids will have tons of fun helping you decorate them.
6. Tie Dye Shirts
Tie-dying is an easy, hands-on activity for kids and even younger children can do it. Grab some red and blue colors and let your kids dye old t-shirts, socks, and hoodies. Note that if you tie dye on July 3rd, they can wear their patriotic garb on the Fourth.
7. Watch Local Fireworks
Checking out the local fireworks scene is one of our favorite family activities. Not only is cruising the neighborhood a fantastic source of quality time but watching awe-inspiring firework displays is an Independence Day must.
8. Have Fun with Sparklers
Sparklers are a fun, relatively safe way to bring the fireworks displays up close. However, make sure your kids are old enough to use them responsibly. And of course, we wouldn’t recommend letting children of any age play with sparklers unsupervised.
9. Make S’Mores
If your 4th of July plans consist of grilling out and soaking up the sunshine, making a bonfire is the perfect way to end the evening. Not only can you share campfire stories while watching the local fireworks shows, but s’mores are one of those essential bonfire rituals that the entire family loves.
10. Water Sports
If the long weekend prompted you to venture somewhere with water, playing water sports is a surefire way to keep the kids entertained. And while the exact sport depends on your circumstances (and kids’ ages), wakeboarding, tubing, Marco Polo, and pool basketball are always a hit.
11. Set Up a Sprinkler
On the other hand, if your 4th of July festivities are more land-locked, we recommend setting up a sprinkler for the kids to run through. Not only will it keep them entertained for hours, but it’s an easy way to stay cool under that toasty July sunshine.
12. Water Balloons
Water balloon fights are one of those essential summer activities. They’re entertaining, refreshing, and tiring – which is the perfect 4th of July combination. To help with clean-up, opt for eco-friendly, reusable water balloons.
13. Play Yard Games
Both older and younger kids (and adults, let’s be honest) will enjoy a yard full of games. And from cornhole to frisbees to badminton, there are plenty of options to choose from. Select a few that your family enjoys and get ready to be entertained for hours.
14. Catch Lightning Bugs
It’s hard not to be amazed by lightning bugs. Therefore, catching them is one of our favorite 4th of July activities for kids. Of course, remind your kids to be gentle when they do (and not to coop them up in jars).
15. Make Fireworks – in a Glass
If your kids are afraid of fireworks, making them in a glass is a tremendous alternative and it gets bonus points for being a science experiment, too. All you need to do is grab a few essentials from your pantry and follow these steps:
- Fill a glass with water. Aim for about three-fourths of the way full.
- Add some oil to a small bowl. We recommend coconut oil, but truly anything works.
- Add a few drops of food coloring to the bowl. Obviously, they should be red and blue.
- Mix the oil and food coloring together. Then, pour the mixture into the water glass.
- Allow the oil to settle. Then, watch the ‘fireworks’ fall down.
Fun Ideas for 4th of July Activities for Kids
Now you have all the inspiration for easy Fourth of July activities and your kids will give you all the credit when they have so much fun on the 4th! As a team of women and mothers, we understand that finding unique, family-friendly activities for summer holidays can be challenging.
If you’re interested in discovering more activity guides, shopping recommendations, or women’s wellness tips, keep browsing mooh’s website—there’s a whole lot more for you to explore.
