Commemorating Flag day with my kids

Flag Day Activities

Raising our Country’s Banner High

I pledge Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America

This year I opt to teach my kids (well at least the three-year old will grasp it) the significance behind “Flag Day”. He knows what it looks like, how we salute it and why it has 50 stars, but on Tuesday we’ll elaborate a little more because it will be a day to honor and observe “Flag Day”. Not sure yet what we will do, but here are some ideas that might interest me…and you.

What is Flag Day all about? (Exert derived from usflag.org)

The idea of an annual day specifically celebrating the Flag is believed to have first originated in 1885. BJ Cigrand, a schoolteacher, arranged for the pupils in the Fredonia, Wisconsin Public School to observe June 14 (the 108th anniversary of the official adoption of The Stars and Stripes) as ‘Flag Birthday’. In numerous magazines and newspaper articles and public addresses over the following years, Cigrand continued to enthusiastically advocate the observance of June 14 as ‘Flag Birthday’, or ‘Flag Day’. Other citizens throughout the United States started acknowledging and celebrating this tradition.

Inspired by these three decades of state and local celebrations, Flag Day – the anniversary of the Flag Resolution of 1777 – was officially established by the Proclamation of President Woodrow Wilson on May 30th, 1916. While Flag Day was celebrated in various communities for years after Wilson’s proclamation, it was not until August 3rd, 1949, that President Truman signed an Act of Congress designating June 14th of each year as National Flag Day.

Flag Day Craft & Activity ideas

Activity: Delivering the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag

While standing attention facing the flag, with the right hand over the heart, recite the following words:

I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Activity: What is a flag? What does a National Flag represent?

Display a flag – here is color poster

*Ask the children what is a flag.

A flag is a piece of cloth, in the shape of a rectangle or triangle, with colors, and designs. Flags are used for signaling or as symbols of a country or organization.

*Every country has a national flag. A national flag represents a country’s citizens. When you are the citizen of a country is like being part of a team and you work together to take care of the country. A country is like a big home with many rooms and in each room are families and individuals living in communities. You can expand on how “the big rooms” are states, with “smaller rooms” called counties and sections called towns and cities.

Activity: My First United States Flag Craft (Ages 2 to 5)

This is a very simple activity for young children. Explore a national symbol, the American flag and learn basic skills.

Print and distribute the flag template.

Ben Franklin is going to tell us some basic information about the United States flag.

Discuss basic elements of the United States flag.

1. Shapes > Identify that the flag is a rectangle. Two long sides and two short sides. Have children trace with their finger the long sides and short sides in the template.

2. Colors and counting > Discuss that red, white and blue are the national colors. Have children count the thirteen stripes. Identify that seven are red and six are white.

3. The blue rectangle houses 50 white stars for each state. Show this map with the states, locate the state where you live.

4. Tell the children they will decorate and add the stars > choose painted fingerprints or star stickers (silver stars are easy to locate). Add only 13 fingerprints for the first colonies or add up to 20 to fill up the blue space.

Activity:Patriotic Pinwheel