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Red, White and Balloons

Memorial Day Activities for Kids

By Andrea Patch

Memorial Day offers families the opportunity to remember the men and women who have served our country and to honor their patriotism. Celebrate this holiday with your children using these two group activities from Trish Kuffner, author of The Wiggle and Giggle Busy Book: 365 Fun, Physical Activities for Toddlers and Preschoolers (Meadowbrook Press, 2005).

You'll need:
Red, white and blue helium-quality balloons
2 large containers
Badminton net or rope and blanket

Fill the balloons with water and divide them equally into the containers. To create the playing area, set up the net at a height that's level with your child's chest, or string a rope across the court and throw a blanket over the rope. Divide the players equally into two teams, one on each side of the net. At your signal, the teams pick up their balloons and toss them over the net to the other side. If the balloons don't break, the players on the other team pick them up and toss them back. Play continues until all the balloons are broken or the players tire of the game.

Caution: Balloon pieces can pose an extreme choking hazard for very young children, so any balloon play must be carefully supervised.

You'll need:
Several red, white and blue pompoms, Duplo pieces, or small squares of paper
Red, white and blue baskets (or coffee cans or plastic pails covered in colored paper)

Want to see more?

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• Talk about it!