July 4th is a wonderful time to get friends and family together for summer fun and delicious food. Without a doubt, the Fourth of July is one of the most important holidays for Americans to celebrate, as it commemorates the day the Founding Fathers approved the final language of the Declaration of Independence. This was a historic moment in the founding of an independent America back in 1776, and something Americans continue to find joy in celebrating.
Below, find five fun and patriotic ideas for July 4th activities that the whole family can enjoy.
Light Up The Night … Safely
Sparklers are a fun, safe way to let everyone get their kicks without anyone losing a finger. If you’re feeling creative, break out the tripod and a decent camera to take long-exposure photos using the sparklers to light paint words and images. Print out good shots and frame them for family or send them to guests after the party.
The Big Bang
Sparklers are great when you have babies or really young children, because big fireworks shows might be too scary, loud or crowded to attempt just yet. But sometimes, older kids and adults just need the real thing! Start checking the Internet or newspaper a week or two in advance to see when your local fireworks show will take place. Often, it is scheduled several days or even the weekend before the actual holiday, so be sure to plan ahead so you don’t miss out.
Cool Down A Hot Summer Day
For a summer holiday get-together, what could be better than sprinklers? If you don’t have a pool – and even if you do – setting up a sprinkler or a slip-and-slide style toy in the yard can provide hours of fun with minimal expense and setup.
Wear Your Patriotism On Your Sleeve
July 4th is a perfect holiday for a craft activity. Get some white t-shirts that are made in the U.S.A. and use markers, fabric paint and glitter to decorate them. Red, white and blue is one way to go, but as long as the shirts are American-made, anything you can dream up fits the patriotism theme.
Bake Up Some July 4th Fun
Bake a prepared boxed cake mix and frost the cake in the colors of the American flag. Or get creative and use strawberries, blueberries and whipped cream or white chocolate to actually attempt to recreate the flag itself! Very young children can help add ingredients and mix them together, while older children can put the whole cake together themselves with adult supervision. It might be fun to have a cake decorating contest, with everyone voting and a small prize given out to the winner.
Whatever you like to do to celebrate July 4th, it’s always that much more fun when you bring family and friend together to enjoy the day.
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Wilton, but the story and pictures are all my own.