Wave the red, white & blue while teaching kids about American history! If you haven’t started the lessons already, the 4th of July is a great time to start! Here are some basic things kids should know.
Tips to Teach Kids About July 4th
- The 4th of July is known as Independence Day or America’s birthday.
- We celebrate our independence on this day because the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776.
- The Declaration of Independence is the document that announced that the United States of America was no longer a part of the British government.
- The first person to sign the Declaration of Independence was John Hancock.
- Thomas Jefferson is credited for writing the Declaration of Independence, but it was actually a committee of five men (Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Roger Sherman and Robert Livingston) that were involved with the final draft.
- 56 men signed the Declaration of Independence.
- On July 4, 1776, the population of the United States of America was an estimated 2.5 million people. Today, the population has surged to 325 million people.
- Parades, picnics, fireworks and baseball games are all popular events that we participate in on the 4th of July, but why? History books tell us that John Adams conveyed this message to his wife Abigail on July 2, 1776: “The day will be most memorable in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, bonfire and illuminations from one end of the continent to the other, from this time forward and forever more.”
- The 50 stars on the flag represent the 50 states in the United States of America. The 13 stripes represent the 13 British colonies that we declared our independence from.
- Betsy Ross has been credited for making the first American flag.
After the lessons are complete, let your kids enjoy some coloring time with this spectacular coloring page!
Click this link to download your own: 4th of July coloring page featuring a Step2 kids wagon!
Be sure to check out our awesome red, white and blue kids wagon, the Complete Choo Choo Train Combo, that is great for parades with multiple little ones!
Special thanks to Kids Play and Create for the facts above!
