Skip to Content

Best Memorial Day Activities For Toddlers – 25 Ideas To Do

As Memorial Day approaches, these memorial day activities for toddlers are appropriate to introduce your little ones to patriotism and the memory of the fallen.

It’s a great time to celebrate with family and friends. And if you have toddlers, there are plenty of fun activities that will keep them entertained and help teach them the importance of this national holiday.

Memorial day weekend is an important holiday weekend for many families with the specific Memorial Day holiday happening the last Monday of May. It’s the perfect time to try some easy memorial day crafts.

From crafts to outdoor games, here are some creative suggestions for enjoyable Memorial Day activities for your toddlers!

sitting under the flag with a sparkler

This post may contain affiliate links.

25 Memorial Day Activities For Toddler

1. Decorate a flag with stickers, pompoms, and sparkles

This is a great way to introduce the American flag to your little ones. You can talk about the meaning of the stars and the stripes as well as what Memorial Day is all about.

There are a lot of ways to make American flag crafts. And one of the best things is that you can be very creative with it.

Use construction paper or various art supplies you find online. This DIY kit comes with everything you need to make your own flags.

2. Paint the American flag on a canvas or piece of paper

Painting is a great way for toddlers to express themselves. Help them create their very own American flag painting!

3. Make finger puppets of military leaders

This is a fun and creative way to learn about the leaders of the military. Plus, your toddlers will have lots of fun with these finger puppets!

4. Have a picnic in the park with snacks shaped like stars and stripes

You can make star-shaped sandwiches with cookie cutters or put blueberries and strawberries on top of a vanilla ice cream sundae for a yummy treat.

fruit

5. Hang colorful streamers to celebrate the day

Hang red, white, and blue streamers around the house or in the backyard for a festive look. Use tissue paper or streamers.

6. Visit a local veterans memorial and discuss its importance

Visiting a local veterans memorial is a great opportunity to talk about the significance of Memorial Day and what it means.

7. Make cards for soldiers and service members

Help your toddlers make special cards for our brave soldiers who are in active duty, away from their families.

Some organizations also sent soldiers care packages which are always appreciated.

american flag

8. Play “guess that flag” with pictures of flags from different countries

This game is a great way to teach your toddlers about different countries and their flags. You can use books, magazines, or pictures online to get the images. They’ll love guessing which flag belongs to which country!

8. Plant flowers in memory of fallen soldiers

This is a meaningful way to honor fallen soldiers. Planting flowers in their memory can be a special family activity that your toddlers will enjoy.

9. Make red, white, and blue ice cream sundaes

This is an easy and delicious way to celebrate the holiday. You can make a big bowl of ice cream and let your toddlers decorate it by adding different toppings.

If you don’t want to use ice cream, you can use vanilla yogurt as you talk about the history of memorial day and those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

10. Play dress-up as a soldier or sailor

Let your toddlers have some fun dressing up as a soldier or sailor. You can even make them their own hats and medals to wear! It’s a great way to teach them the importance of our servicemen and women.

usa banner

11. Give a salute to the flag

This is a great way to teach your toddlers about respect for the flag. Have them stand up straight and place their hands over their hearts as you do the same. Explain to them why we salute the flag and what it stands for.

You can also teach them patriotic songs like our national anthem, America The Beautiful, or God Bless The USA as you do fun things like patriotic crafts.

You can also teach them some memorial day facts as well. There are always things to be learned. These facts work well for both younger and older kids.

12. Have an obstacle course featuring patriotic-themed challenges

This is a fun way to get your toddlers moving and having fun. You can set up an obstacle course with patriotic-themed challenges like tossing a football into a goal, running around the flagpole, and more!

13. Create a gratitude tree with leaves from colored construction paper

Cut out leaves from red, white, and blue construction paper. Write down things your toddler is grateful for on each leaf and hang them up on a tree branch or wall. This will help your toddlers to appreciate the freedoms we enjoy in this country and think about all the people who fought to protect us.

glitter star

14. Tell stories of wars and battles throughout history

This is an excellent way to help your toddlers understand the importance of Memorial Day. You can talk about different wars and battles throughout history, why they happened, and how they helped shape our country.

15. Make red, white, and blue paper lanterns or flags to hang around the house

This is a great way to decorate your home for Memorial Day. Your toddlers can help make the lanterns and flags using construction paper, markers, and string. They’ll love seeing their creations hung up around the house!

16. Have a parade with toy soldiers or marching bands

This is a fun and creative way to get your toddlers involved in celebrating Memorial Day. Have them create their own parade with toy soldiers, marching bands, or even paper puppets! They’ll love joining in on the fun.

You could also attend a memorial day parade in your local area – it’s great for kids of all ages and military families.

USA stickers

17. Make patriotic crowns out of construction paper and markers

This is a great way to get your toddlers creatively involved in celebrating the holiday. They can make their own crowns with red, white, and blue construction paper and markers. It’s a fun craft that they can wear around the house!

18. Paint rocks to look like stars and stripes

This is a fun and easy craft that your toddlers will love. Get some rocks, paints, and markers and let them create their own stars and stripes designs. They can paint the rocks red, white, and blue or add in other patriotic colors too!

19. Bake star-shaped cookies, cakes or cupcakes

This is a tasty way to celebrate Memorial Day! You can bake star-shaped cookies, cakes, or cupcakes with your toddlers and let them decorate them with patriotic colors. They’ll have a blast decorating the treats and even more fun eating them!

20. Make red, white, and blue play dough

This is an easy activity that toddlers will love. Use food coloring and knead it into the dough until you get your desired colors.

memorial day cupcakes

21. Organize a fun game of Red, White, and Blue Relay

This is a fun and active way to celebrate Memorial Day. Divide your family into two teams, one red and one blue, and have them compete in a relay race! Give the teams different tasks like running around the flagpole or pushing a toy soldier across the finish line.

22. Fly a kite with the colors of the American flag

This is a great way to spend an afternoon with your toddlers and celebrate Memorial Day. You can buy a kite or make one together that features the colors of the American flag. Let them have fun flying it around in the sky!

23. Host an outdoor movie night featuring patriotic films

Spend the evening watching your favorite patriotic movies with your family. You can have an outdoor movie night in your backyard or park and watch films like The Patriot, Lone Survivor, or Glory. This is a fun way to celebrate Memorial Day while also learning about different wars and battles that shaped our country’s history!

red white and blue yogurt

24. Have a scavenger hunt finding items in shades of red, white, and blue

This is a fun and exciting way to get your toddlers involved in celebrating Memorial Day. Hide items around the house or yard that are all shades of red, white, and blue. Tell them to search for the items and see how many they can find!

25. Make a memorial day craft such as paper poppies or a wreath to hang on the door.

This is a great way to get your toddlers involved in commemorating the holiday. They can make paper poppies or a wreath out of a paper plate, construction paper, and markers.

These would make great memorial day decorations if you hosting a memorial day party over the long weekend.

Hang it up on the door as a reminder of why we celebrate Memorial Day. It’s also a nice way for them to show their patriotism and honor military members as part of your memorial day celebrations!

memorial day activities for toddlers

Final Thoughts on Memorial Day Activities for Toddlers

These fun activities will give your toddlers an exciting and memorable Memorial Day! These memorial day activities for toddlers and both fun and educational in nature.

Memorial Day is an important day for our country and the unofficial start of summer for many. It is a three-day weekend many families look forward to.

Introduce some of these concepts to your toddlers in small yet meaningful ways. I hope you’ve found a creative ways to impart the true meaning of memorial day with these ideas. Let me know which way you’ll be celebrating in the comments!

About the Author

Nicole Booz is the founder of GenTwenty and GenThirty. She is an entrepreneur, author of The Kidult Handbook, and most importantly, Mama to two beautiful little boys. She loves reading, organizing her home, and living a simple, less toxic lifestyle. You've seen her in The New York Times, TIME, Insider, Inside Edition, New York Post, NextAdvisor, Forbes, Yahoo, HuffPost, and U.S. News & World Report.

Website: www.genthirty.com