Memorial Day is almost here, and it’s the perfect time for quality family activities. While many enjoy backyard barbecues and beach trips, it’s also a great opportunity for Memorial Day crafts with your kids.
These art projects are not only fun but also educational, teaching children about the holiday’s significance in honoring the brave men and women who sacrificed their lives for the U.S. military.
Looking for simple and meaningful craft ideas for Memorial Day? We’ve got you covered with a variety of easy ideas. From DIY Memorial Day crafts to more structured art, there are plenty of options to suit every family’s needs.
Gather your materials and dive into these fun ways to spend Memorial Day as a family. These activities will help you create beautiful decorations and lasting memories with your children.
1. Paper Plate Flag Craft
One of the most classic kids’ crafts for patriotic holidays is making flags out of paper plates. This project is super easy and uses basic materials you likely already have around the house.
Plus, it’s a great way to decorate for Memorial Day while also providing a fun, hands-on activity for little ones.
What You’ll Need
- Paper plates (one per flag)
- Red, white, and blue paint or markers
- Popsicle sticks, skewers, or wooden dowels for the flagpole
- Glue or tape
Instructions
- Start by painting or coloring the back of the paper plate with a red stripe on the top and bottom, with a white rectangle in the middle for the stripes and stars.
- Once the paint is dry, draw or paint blue stars onto the white stripe section.
- Attach a popsicle stick or dowel to the back of the plate with glue or tape to make the flagpole.
Creating Memorial Day crafts like this Paper Plate Flag Craft is a wonderful way to spend time with your kids and teach them about the holiday.
2. Handprint Flag Art
For a fun twist on the classic flag craft that makes a sweet keepsake, have kids create their own flag art using their handprints! This Memorial Day craft is easy enough for even the youngest kids with a little help from parents.
What You’ll Need
- Large paper or canvas
- Red, white, and blue paint
- Plate or tray for the paint
Instructions
- Start by having your child firmly press their hands into the red paint, then make handprint stamps on the top and bottom sections of the paper or canvas to create the red stripes.
- Next, use white paint to make handprint stamps in the middle section for the white stripes.
- Finally, dip just the thumb into the blue paint and make star stamps in the white section.
- Once the handprint art is complete and dry, you can frame it or hang it up to display your child’s patriotic masterpiece!
Whether you’re looking for easy pastimes for Memorial Day, art projects, or DIY crafts, these activities offer fun and meaningful ways to commemorate the day.
3. Memorial Day Poppies
The red poppy is a famous symbol used to honor those who died in war.
You can incorporate this meaningful symbol into a fun Memorial Day craft with your kids by making whimsical poppies out of cupcake liners. This is a great activity for sparking discussion about the meaning behind this floral emblem.
What You’ll Need
- Red cupcake liners
- Green pipe cleaners
- Scissors
- Glue or tape
- Black marker
Instructions
- Start by cutting slits in the curved part of the cupcake liner to create the poppy’s flower petals.
- Gently pull apart the cut sections to spread out the petals.
- Use the black marker to color a small circle in the center of the flower to be the poppy’s dark middle.
- Wrap the end of a green pipe cleaner around the base of the cupcake liner and twist to secure, creating the poppy’s stem and leaf.
You can easily make these simple poppy crafts even more special by writing short poems, letters, or thank-you notes on the petals for veterans and active-duty military members.
4. Firecracker Painting
Let your kids channel their high energy and excitement for summer with some fun and festive Memorial Day “firecracker” painting! This activity embraces getting a little messy for a vibrant, splattered paint effect that looks just like firecrackers bursting.
What You’ll Need
- Paper, canvas, or poster board
- Red, white, and blue paint
- Popsicle sticks, skewers, or brushes
- Newspaper, plastic tablecloth, or tarp to cover work surfaces
Instructions
- Cover your work area with newspaper, plastic tablecloths, or an old tarp to keep paint splatter contained.
- Use popsicle sticks, skewers, or brushes to fling and splatter the red, white, and blue paint across the paper or canvas in explosive firework patterns.
- Let the patriotic “firecracker” paintings dry completely before displaying your kids’ splatter paint masterpieces!
Dive into these DIY Memorial Day crafts and make the holiday special with art projects that are fun, educational, and perfect for creating lasting memories.
5. Patriotic Windsock
Let the summer breezes blow through this festive Memorial Day windsock craft!
Creating a patriotic windsock is not only a fun activity to do with kids, but it makes for a colorful outdoor decoration too.
What You’ll Need
- Red, white, and blue construction paper or tissue paper
- Scissors
- Hole punch
- String, ribbon, or yarn
- Glue or tape
- Toilet paper or paper towel tube
Instructions
- Start by cutting the construction paper or tissue paper into strips, about one inch wide. You’ll need several strips in each color (red, white, and blue).
- Take the toilet paper or paper towel tube and punch holes around the top and bottom edges, spacing them about an inch apart.
- Tie one end of your string, ribbon, or yarn through one of the holes at the top to create a hanger for the windsock.
- Then start threading the paper strips through the holes, alternating colors to create red, white, and blue stripes around the tube. Secure the end of each strip with a dab of glue or tape.
- Once all the stripes are woven and secure, tie another string or ribbon through the bottom holes to scrunch up the windsock.
- Hang your patriotic windsock outdoors from a tree, porch, or anywhere it can catch the breeze and wave its Memorial Day colors!
Kids will not only have fun creating this easy Memorial Day craft, but they’ll enjoy watching their homemade windsocks twisting and dancing in the wind all season long. The patriotic colors are the perfect way to celebrate Memorial Day and summertime.
These are just a few fun and easy Memorial Day craft ideas to get you started celebrating the long weekend with your children.
The most important thing is taking the time as a family to talk about why we observe Memorial Day and honor the brave sacrifices of our troops who have given so much to protect our freedom.
Creating crafts and doing hands-on activities together is the perfect way to make those meaningful discussions engaging and memorable for kids.