Independence Day Unit Study
Independence Day is a great time to introduce your youngest patriots to the foundations of our nation. Your preschoolers aren’t too young for history if it’s told in stories with lots of activities, and, naturally, a birthday party on the 4th.
Please see the right hand column for book suggestions.
Background information for the parents:
A timeline of events leading to independence
The Declaration of Independence
Explaining the Fourth of July to children:
Since the 4th will come at the start of the unit study if you're doing it through July, take the first day to explain some simple history. Tell your children it is the birthday of the United States of America. Bring out the globe and the map. First go outside and look at your house. Point out the posted address. This is your house. Now walk to the corner and look at the street sign. This is your street. Hop in the car and find a sign welcoming you to your town. Explain what a town is and drive around a bit. Go home and find your town on a map. Then find your state, showing there are many towns in the state. Okay…you’re ready to explain there are many states in a country and they should be ready now to sort of understand what a country is.
Explain that our country used to belong to England. (Show on the map and globe.) Then we wanted to be our very own country, so we had a war and we won. Independence Day celebrates the day we decided to be a country of our own. Teach the name of the country.
The flag can be used to teach academics:
- Teach counting. Younger children can count the stripes. Older ones can count the stars. Make a flag and let your child put those inexpensive star stickers on it, counting as he sticks.
- Teach the colors red, white, and blue. Make a paper flag. Then give your child strips of construction paper in the same colors and shades (you might want to make the flag from the paper also.) Have him sort the strips into the three colors. Each time he chooses a strip, let him lay it over the same color on the flag.
- Teach stars as a shape. Simply set out paper stars among cutouts of other shapes and help your child find them. Then use paper stars or star stickers in a variety of activities, saying their name often. The child will learn the shape naturally. For instance, you can give him black paper and let him glue stars and a moon onto it to make a night time scene. Then let him draw a fireworks display onto it with crayons that show up on black. Shiny ribbon could also be used for the fireworks.
- Make up a story and turn it into a counting book. Use your child’s bedtime routine as the foundation: Night time was coming. One star appeared in the sky. Sammy put on his pajamas. Two stars appeared in the sky. Sammy brushed his teeth.”
- Build a planetarium using the instructions at PreschoolRock.com
Pledge of Allegience for Preschoolers
Why not teach your child the pledge of allegiance? The words are big, so break them into simple explanations and learn one phrase at a time. (“A pledge is a promise. Let’s talk about promises.”)
As your child masters one part, add another part. Let him march around the house wearing an Uncle Sam hat and waving a flag as he recites.
Some simple explanations for some of the terms:
allegiance: This means we promise to take good care of our country and keep it safe and special. What are some ways we can help our country?
Indivisible: You can’t break it apart. What are some things you can break apart? What are some things you can’t break apart? Our country is indivisible. That means we don’t want any of the states to leave and make their own country. We like our country just the way it is.
Liberty: Liberty means we get to choose. We can’t do anything we want. What are some things people should never do? What do you think are some things we can choose?
Finger Plays: (Please respect copyright.)
I Love My Flag by Terrie Lynn Bittner
I love my flag (hand on heart)
Red, white, and blue. (touch the correct colors on your flag.)
I love my country, (Salute)
And so do you! (Point to someone)
My Country by Terrie Lynn Bittner
Have your child illustrate this poem. Don’t worry if he just scribbles. As you say it to him, hold up the appropriate pictures.
My country is
A special place.
It puts a smile
Upon my face.
I have a home.
I’m safe and free.
I’m as happy as
A child can be!
Game: Using sidewalk chalk, draw a 13 star flag. Explain that when our country was new, we only needed thirteen stars because there were 13 colonies. (We didn’t have states yet.) Have your child hop from one star to the next. As he lands on each one, have him tell you something he loves about his country. Count the stars together to practice counting.
Having a parade seems like a natural way to celebrate the 4th. If your child is too young to march in the town’s parade, why not make his own? Decorate the tricycle, make a fancy hat, and carry a homemade flag. Get some of the neighborhood kids to join, or set up stuffed animals to be the audience for a parade of one or two. Don’t forget the patriotic music!
Teach your child a patriotic song. You can do this informally by purchasing children’s music and playing it, or you can teach it step-by-step. Consider a family singing time several nights a week after dinner. Make homemade rhythm instruments to accompany the singing.
What do you serve at a birthday party for a nation? How about a birthday cake? Turn your preschooler lose to decorate the white cake or cupcakes with blue decorations. Add some red juice or punch for the drink. Here’s a page with recipes that are kid-tested.
Make a poster of what you love about your country. Give your child magazines to cut pictures from. If he’s too young to use scissors, have a selection of appropriate pictures already cut out and let him glue with a giant glue stick. Frame it and display it by your flag or in your child’s room.
