Flag Relay

One activity your children may like to try is a flag relay. Here’s how to play the game:

Gather together a number of small American flags, enough for each person playing the game. Then split the children into two teams with equal numbers, if possible.

Put two buckets filled with sand at one end of the yard and make the starting point at the other. Place the flags into the buckets with an equal number in each one.

When you say “go,” the first child will race to the bucket, pick up a flag, and then head back to the next team member. They’re not allowed to run back, however. They may walk or march. When they reach the next team member, they’ll tag them and that person will race down to get their flag.

Continue the game until each team member has raced down to pick up a flag. Let the children keep their flags. If your town is having fireworks, the children will have flags to wave.

Bike Parade

Children love to ride their bicycles. Encourage them to decorate their bikes and have a mini bike parade. If you live in a neighborhood, suggest the other children also decorate their bikes for the parade.

Ask the other parents in the neighborhood to help their children decorate their bikes. One parent may want to lead the children on their bikes. Young children without bikes can also participate by decorating wagons they can sit in.

Cake Decoration Competition

You may have seen the television shows where teams decorate cakes in a challenge. Why not hold your own cake decoration competition? Your children don’t have to decorate an entire three-layer cake, but you can have them decorate a single layer or cupcakes.

Provide each child with a single layer cake or a cupcake. You’ll also want to have patriotic-colored frostings. It may be necessary to purchase white pre-made frosting and then add different amounts of food coloring to make the desired red, white and blue colors.

Besides providing frosting, you’ll also want to have sprinkles and other decorations on hand. Allow the children to decorate their cake layer or cupcake any way they like. Of course, besides having a bunch of fun decorating the cakes, they’ll enjoy eating them even more.

The Fourth of July is a great holiday to celebrate as a family. Children may feel like they don’t have much to do. Using one of these fun Independence Day games or activities will give your children something to do while the food is cooking or parents are otherwise busy.

To begin with, you’ll want to find out your city’s laws about using fireworks. Some places only place restrictions on personal fireworks displays if there is a fire hazard concern. Other areas will limit the areas where fireworks can be used. Checking with your city will ensure you know their requirements, restrictions and avoid any possible fines for using fireworks if they’re not allowed.

It is also important for all children to understand that they should not handle fireworks of any kind. They can be so dangerous if not handled properly. Even those fireworks which seem harmless, like snakes or sparklers, can cause serious injuries. Fireworks should only be handled by adults and preferably only those who know how to use them safely.

Some adults enjoy drinking alcohol while celebrating on the Fourth of July. However, alcohol and fireworks simply don’t mix. If the person who is planning the fireworks is drinking, it would be best to allow someone who hasn’t been drinking set off the fireworks.

Be sure to have a water hose, water bucket or a fire extinguisher nearby when using fireworks. One person responsible for acting as a ‘fireman’ would also be a good idea. This way you’ll be able to extinguish any flames or fireworks and be ready for emergencies.

Stay away from the fireworks. With the possibility of catching on fire when lighting fireworks, you’ll want to light and run, so to speak. Don’t look into the fireworks tube to see what happens. Holding lit fireworks is also not recommended.

Even though professional fireworks often have multiple fireworks going off at the same time, it would be best for individuals to light only one at a time.

Rather than using grass or gravel, you’ll want to use fireworks on a hard surface which is flat and level. A sidewalk or paved driveway would be the best choice. Barring that being available, you may want to place a sheet of plywood down to use the fireworks on. The more stable the surface, the safer the experience will be.

Speaking about the surface used when shooting off fireworks, you’ll also want the area to be as open as possible. There shouldn’t be any trees or other obstructions in the way. The audience is also best kept as far away as possible. Never use glass or metal containers to hold fireworks when they’re being lit.

There are other fireworks safety ideas to be aware of, but they should be provided in every package of fireworks sold to the general public. Take the time to read the instructions and fireworks safety standards the manufacturers provide. And don’t forget to use them once they’ve been read.

Garden parties are simply parties which are held in a garden or on a patio. You can create a great outdoor atmosphere for a party with decoration, music, lighting, delicious food and drinks, and great friends and family. You can use these ideas to help you create a fun a frugal 4th of July garden party.

Begin by determining a budget for the party. You’ll need food, drinks, decorations, and tableware. Do you already have some items or will you need to purchase everything new? Discount and dollar stores are good choices for the tableware items you’ll need.

A couple of weeks before the party, send out patriotic-themed invitations. Be sure to include the date, time and location. If you prefer a particular dress code, you may want to indicate that on the invitation. Don’t forget to provide an RSVP telephone number for guests to let you know they’ll attend.

Clean up your garden or patio. Mow the lawn, pull the weeds, and make the area look inviting. You may even want to plant some new flowering plants around the area. Wash the tables before you place tablecloths on them. Clean the chairs or other seating. If your chairs aren’t as clean as you’d like, you may be able to get some inexpensive covers for them or possibly you can borrow seating from a friend.

If the party will be during the day, you’ll want to provide shade. Set up any umbrellas you have or use a pop-up canopy. Decorate using red, white and blue streamers, star garlands, and other patriotic items.

For night-time parties, you’ll want to use patriotic-colored lighting or single color Christmas light strands. You can also light the area by using torches or candles. Paper lanterns in patriotic colors would also be appropriate. Don’t forget to place several citronella candles around the area to keep mosquitoes away.

If money is a concern for you, you may want to ask your guests to help provide the food by indicating on the invitation that the party will be pot luck. Purchase tableware in red, white and blue. You’ll need cups, plates, napkins and silverware. Single color tableware will be less expensive than printed items.

Set aside a specific area for food and drinks. Decorate the food and drink table with a potted plant with red, white and blue carnations. Place small flags around the area. Prepare as much food in advance as you can unless you are having a pot luck party. This will make it easier for you and allow you to enjoy your party rather than merely serving at it.

Don’t forget to play suitable music. You can either bring a CD player outdoors or open a window and play the music through the window. Patriotic music would be a great choice, but any music that will get your guests in a festive mood will do.

It’s not hard to organize a fun and frugal 4th of July garden party. Once you have the party, however, don’t throw things away just in case you decide to have a similar party next year. Saving as much as you can will help reduce costs for future parties.

When Dad was a child, there were probably games he enjoyed playing. Monopoly, Clue, Scrabble, and Uno are games which have been around for a number of years. Consider having a family game night, being sure to include some of his favorite games. Prepare his favorite snack foods and have fun!

June is a great time to get outdoors for family fun that doesn’t have to cost much. Find a local nature preserve, forest preserve, or city park. Pack a picnic lunch which you can leave in the car until after your short hike. Bring along a ball and gloves, Frisbees, or other sports equipment everyone can use.

Go camping for Father’s Day weekend. You don’t have to go a long distance to go camping. Why not set up camp right in your own backyard? You’ll have access to everything you need without having to pack it all up, as well as being able to use the restroom which you know doesn’t have spiders or other creepy crawlies in it.

Take Dad fishing if it’s been a while. Of course, this dictates that adults and teens over sixteen have a fishing license, but it could be really fun. For those in the family who don’t enjoy fishing, let them bring along a book or another quiet activity so they can enjoy themselves, too.

Let Dad sleep in on Father’s Day. He works hard all week and probably chauffeurs the family on Saturday to one activity or another. He deserves at least one day a week to sleep late, rest, and recuperate. You may even want to prepare a great breakfast in bed for him.

Rent a movie he’s wanted to see for a while. Even if the movie is not to your taste, sit down with a big bowl of popcorn or another snack and watch it with him. He will probably appreciate the effort you’re making to share the day with him on his special day.

As the evening draws to a close, the final fun and frugal Father’s Day activity you may want to have is to take everyone to a secluded place away from the city lights. Set out blankets for everyone to lie out on, and look at the stars. This is particularly a great idea for Dads who are interested in astronomy. Not only will he enjoy his time with his family, he can show off his knowledge of the constellations.

Most people think of Memorial Day as the first three-day weekend of the summer season, even though summer is still a few weeks away. Many of those people look forward to the sales and children look forward to an extra day off of school. However, it is worth telling them that there’s more to the holiday.

One thing you want to be sure to do as a family is to explain that the holiday was originally set up to honor the soldiers from the United States who had died during the Civil War. Since the holiday began in the 1850s, it has continued to commemorate fallen soldiers from every war and armed conflict that the United States has been a part of.

Talk about the children’s ancestors who fought, and possibly died, during one of the country’s wars. Did their great-grandfather serve during World War I, or their grandfather in World War II? They may have had an uncle who was a soldier during the Vietnam conflict, or possibly they have someone currently serving in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Use this day to talk about the sacrifice of the soldier, but also the entire family, when they go away to war. These soldiers have offered their lives during the time they’re fighting for the freedom that we all hold so dear. It is important that we recognize their sacrifice and honor their memories.

Take time to participate in any activities planned in your community for Memorial Day. Be sure to display the flag and teach your children the proper way to display it, how to handle the flag while it’s being raised and again as it’s being lowered. If you’re not sure about the proper handling of a flag, you can find the information on the internet or look inside the case your flag came in. There is likely information in the box.

Make sure your children know how to say the Pledge of Allegiance, how to sing the Star Spangled Banner, and other patriotic poems and songs. Encourage them to sing along or recite these things when they’re being performed.

Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day because a number of women decorated the graves of the soldiers who had died during the Civil War. Paper poppies are also sold and worn to commemorate the day. As time passed, the holiday was officially changed to Memorial Day and given a specific day each year to be celebrated – the last Monday of the month of May.

If you’re wondering how to teach children the meaning and importance of Memorial Day, use some of these ideas. Your child will appreciate knowing the meaning behind the holiday and still enjoy the day off.

Start planning at least a month in advance. This will give you plenty of time to go around the neighborhood, introduce yourself, and ask if they would be interested in the party. Get names and telephone numbers from each of them so you can keep in contact with them. Set up a planning meeting at your home or the neighborhood recreation center or club house if it has one.

Decide where the party will be held. Contact your city government to see if you must have a permit. This may be necessary if you want to close off the street and have an old-fashioned block party. If this isn’t possible, will the neighbor with the biggest yard allow you to have the party at their home?

Plan the layout of the party once you know the location. Where will the food be placed? How many grills will there be? Where will everyone sit? Will there be tables and chairs provided or will they each be responsible for bringing their own lawn chairs? These are all questions you’ll want to answer as soon as you can so you can let your neighbors know what is expected of them.

Set the date and time. Which day of the three-day weekend will the party be: Saturday, Sunday, or Monday? Once you have the what, when, and where, you can begin making fliers to hand out. Be sure to decide on an alternate date or location in case of rain. Don’t forget to ask everyone to RSVP so you know how many to plan for. This will ensure no one purchases more than necessary.

For the party itself, there will need to be food, beverages, paper goods, and condiments. Ask everyone to chip in so one family won’t be in charge of providing everything. Plan for everyone to either provide something for the party or be in charge of an activity.

Of course, if there are children in the neighborhood, you’ll also want to plan some games. Water balloon tosses, a game of Frisbee, croquet, or horseshoes are all activities both children and adults may enjoy. Be sure that if you choose a game or activity with water, you include that on the invitation or flier so everyone can be prepared.

Decorations don’t have to be elaborate. In fact, having tablecloths of red, white, and blue and a few patriotic balloons may be all you need. For those who choose to decorate more, try to keep your decorations so they can be used for the Fourth of July or used again next year.

Depending upon the location, do as much set up as you can the day before the party. If you have to wait until the day of the party, call everyone who is bringing something and ask them to meet you early to set up. This will ensure the party will go off without a hitch when guests start to arrive.

Once you know how to organize a neighborhood Memorial Day party, don’t let that stop you! Plan regular neighborhood get-togethers and you’ll soon find your neighbors are good friends. That’s the way it was in the past, isn’t it time it’s the way of the future?

The Bible records the story of Passover in the book of Exodus. The Israelites had moved to Egypt to be with Joseph when there was a great famine in Egypt and the surrounding countries. After Joseph died and the famine was over, the Bible says the Israelites were enslaved by Pharaoh Ramses II who had not known Joseph.

A man named Moses, an Israelite who had been raised in Pharaoh’s household, was called by God to lead his people out of slavery and into the Promised Land. Several times he went to Pharaoh and told him God said, “Let my people go.” However, Pharaoh’s heart was hardened and he refused to let the Israelites leave.

Each time Pharaoh refused to release the Israelites, God sent a plague against the people of Egypt. Those plagues were:

1. Changing the water to blood
2. Frogs covered the land
3. Lice covered the people of the land
4. Flies or wild animals covered the land and destroyed everything in their path
5. Disease, or blight, on the cattle of the land
6. Boils on the skin of people
7. Hail which destroyed the crops and killed anyone who was outside
8. Locusts which came and ate what the hail didn’t destroy
9. Darkness which could almost be felt
10. Slaying of the first-born male of both man and beast

In Hebrew the holy day’s name is Pesach, which means passing over. To avoid this final plague, the Israelites sacrificed a lamb, placed the blood on the lintels and door posts of their home, and then roasted the lamb. As the Death Angel traveled throughout Egypt, He would enter the homes where the blood was not and slay the first-born. For those homes where the blood was found, He passed over that house to go to the next.

Because Pharaoh lost his own son, he finally relented and let the Israelites leave Egypt. They left so quickly they didn’t have time to bake bread, so to this day they have unleavened bread called matzoh during Passover and the seven day Feast of Unleavened Bread. Passover is also considered to be the birth of the Jewish people as a nation.

Each year Jewish and some non-Jewish people celebrate Passover. They recount the story of the Exodus from Egypt and the birth of the Jewish nation. They celebrate by having a Passover Seder and remember what God had done for them as a people.

Now that you know the story of Passover, you may be interested in attending a Seder. You may be able to find them listed in the newspaper as being offered by some Christian churches, but more than likely you can find them advertised by a Jewish synagogue. Call them up and ask if you can attend so you can learn more about the Passover story.

Who will you invite? If you’re planning a neighborhood Easter egg hunt, you’ll need considerably fewer eggs than if you’re planning a large-scale hunt. However, if you’re doing a community Easter egg hunt, you may need more space for the egg hunt.

What ages of children will be involved? You’ll want to have this information for a couple of reasons:

1. To know how much space you’ll need
2. To know how many areas you’ll need marked off
3. To determine how many eggs you’ll need

Determine where you’ll hold your Easter egg hunt. Consider holding it in your yard or several yards, at an unused parking lot, a local park, a soccer field, or a high school football field. The larger the area you have available to you, the larger the individual hunting areas can be.

How soon do you start advertising? You’ll want to start advertising a minimum of three weeks before the event, but possibly as much as four weeks. For a neighborhood hunt, you can create flyers which are given to each home in your neighborhood. For larger egg hunts, consider placing them at grocery stores, local places of worship, and doctor’s offices. Include on the flyer a form for the parents to fill out and get back to you the week before the hunt. This should include the parents’ name, how many children will attend, and what age groups they’re in: 0-3, 4-6, and 7-9.

Once you have an idea of the ages of the children who will come to the egg hunt, break the area into three areas. You’ll then be able to determine how much space you need for each age group. Having a separate area for each age group will keep toddlers from being run over by older children.

Purchase 10-15 plastic eggs for each child who will attend. Of course, if you can get all parents in the neighborhood to help buy and fill eggs, it will be less expensive for you personally. You can also ask some other parents to find the prizes. Place change or $1.00 bills in other eggs. Plan to have extra eggs for those children who didn’t RSVP.

Fill them with age-appropriate candy. Keep these separated so the smaller children won’t get hard candy they shouldn’t have. You’ll also want to have up to five prize eggs per age group. For prize eggs, put a coupon in with the candy that they can choose a prize from several. You may also want to give each participating child a ticket to try to win a large Easter basket.

Don’t forget to decorate the egg hunting grounds. Have snacks and drinks available for the children, parents, and anyone working the hunt. As you can see, figuring out how to organize a fun Easter egg hunt isn’t difficult, but it will take time to ensure the children have a great day of Easter egg hunting.

Instructions:
Place the water and sugar into a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and set aside until cool. Once cool, pour water/sugar mixture into a large punch bowl and the remaining ingredients, except the sherbet. Mix well. Add the sherbet to the bowl just before serving.

A treat for young and old.

Center pieces

Center pieces can be as simple or as elaborate as you want them to be. A simple center piece might be a decorated Easter basket, a single flowering potted plant, or a bowl with pastel colored candies. Add some plastic eggs, colored ribbon, or Easter grass and you’ve created a simple center piece.

For a more elaborate center piece, place upturned bowls, bricks or other items to the center of the table to give it different heights. Place a table cloth over these items and then place several flowering potted plants on top of them. Spread colored glass and Easter grass around the plants to add even more interest. If you have small ceramic or toy bunnies, you may want to add those, as well.

Home-made place cards

Ask your children to make place cards which have each guest’s name on them. They can also use plastic eggs with names painted on them. For fun, help the children make cookies of typical Easter shapes. Decorate the cookie with the guest’s name. Not only will they know where to sit, they can enjoy the cookie later.

Flower arrangements

Easter lilies, hyacinths, daffodils, and tulips are common flowers in early spring. Many Easter lilies have a strong smell so you may not want to place them in the dining room as they may be overpowering. Vases of flowers spread throughout the home may be nice and will bring the beauty of springtime indoors.

One flower arrangement you may want to try is to place several daffodils and crocuses in a large pot. Stick a small tree limb with several branches into the center of the daffodils and then hang tiny Easter eggs on strings on them.

Table settings

If you’re not accustomed to using your good dishes very often, Easter is a perfect time to bring them out. In fact, why not go all out when it comes to your table setting? Use the good china and silver wear; your family will enjoy seeing them being used.

You may want to invest in some chargers to place under your plates. This will dress up your table settings. They can be used any time you want to dress up your table, whether you bring out your good dishes or not.

If you’ve never decorated much at Easter, you might want to use these Easter table decorations ideas or come up with some of your own. With the variety of flowers and traditional symbols available there are so many options you can come up with. Have fun decorating and celebrating the holiday!