Fun Memorial Day Crafts for Kids

Memorial Day kicks off the official start of the summer season and it also holds many wonderful memories for most of us...school being out of session, late summer evenings and lazy days at the beach with family and friends. What better way to commemorate the start of summer than making some festive Americana crafts with your kids? I also wanted to pay tribute to those who fought for our country and have the kids make some crafts of soldiers expressing gratitude.

Chalk Firework Drawing on Black Paper

When people think of chalk they often think of coloring up and down the driveway, however, chalk can also be fun to use indoors, especially on black paper. I used our Black DIY Cover Sketchbook and Chalkables Chalk Sticks to create fireworks that really seem to jump off the paper thanks to the eight bright colors that the chalk set comes with. They really show up brightly against the black backdrop. I also love having my kids use this sketch book because the 75 sheets are perforated so you can easily pull off your artwork when finished and not have to worry about ripping the paper which happens often with regular pads. My girls loved using the chalk indoors too!

Memorial Day Picnic Picture

My daughter wanted to draw a picnic scene representing her family having a barbecue on Memorial Day weekend. So I gave her a box of Super Mix Markers and the White DIY Cover Sketchbook and she went to work! When she was done sketching and coloring, she accented the drawing with our favorite Glitzy Glitter Markers to highlight the picture with a hint of glitter! Last she used Itsy Bitsy Stickers in two different sheets, (Bug Life and Food and Drink) to liven up the true picnic experience complete with yummy food and bugs crawling around. The outcome was a cheerful, bright depiction of a fun holiday seen through the eyes of a child in her most creative mode. Love it!

USA Handprint Metallic Goo

This was a fun craft because I traced my girls’ handprints and cut them out, then glued the handprints onto the colored construction paper. Next I used our fabulous Doodle Goo 3D Metallic Glue Sticks that work just like glue except it comes in five metallic colors. I had the girls trace their hands with the glue and decorate the USA and firework scene. They also wanted to decorate with the Glitzy Glitter Markers we used in the above mentioned craft because they said that was also “very sparkly” and “perfect for firework drawings”!

Easy Soldier Paper Craft

I really wanted my girls to make a craft that would acknowledge and thank our soldiers, past and present, who help to keep our country safe. What better time to acknowledge our troops than on Memorial Day? I helped the girls cut out a soldier's body using construction paper we had at home into some basic simple shapes to make the body, head, etc. Once those were cut out I used our lil’ Poster Paint Pods, in greens and browns and I used their thumbs to dip into the paint and gently dab paint all over the body sections to make a camouflage uniform. I had some popsicle sticks at home from a previous craft and we attached a sign saying “Thank You” that we glued onto our soldier's hand. Adorable! And if you personally know any veterans or current troops, (perhaps even a grandfather?) it would be great to have your kids attach a personal note showing how much they love and admire their bravery and keeping our country safe. Now that the summer season is nearly upon us I hope that you can take some time to really enjoy with your kids and help them create and explore artwork with lots of different mediums this summer. There is nothing quite like coming home and seeing children’s artwork liven up a room. Enjoy your holiday!