How to make Fourth of July fun at home

The 4^th of July, or Independence Day, is a holiday synonymous with relaxed family celebrations that range from parades and concerts to barbeques and fireworks.  Although we try to attend these events each year, the truth is we don’t.  Perhaps one of the reasons we have such fond memories of those amazing outdoor July 4 concerts at the amphitheater, is because we don’t celebrate like that every year, making it special.  What about the years we don’t go to a public event or fireworks?  Do we remember those July 4 holidays?  Probably not as much, if at all.

It’s time to make 4^th of July weekend from home memorable.  If you’re planning on staying home this year and not sure what to do, don’t worry.  Celebrating Independence Day from home can be just as much fun as going out.  I’ll say that if you’re reading this, that means you’re already looking for things to do for 4^th of July.  I would wager your holiday will be amazing.  So, without further ado, let’s get into it.

Decorations & Crafts

Like any party or celebration, the first thing to do is set the mood.  Decorations are the best way to establish a setting and create a vibe.  A quick trip to your local party store should cover any red, white, and blue decorations you want to hang.  It’s good to game plan what sections of your home you want to decorate before you go.  I encourage indoor and outdoor with an emphasis on outdoors.  Most likely you will be spending a lot of time outside with activities and maybe even a BBQ.  Plus, it’s a great way to spread July 4^th cheer across your neighborhood.

Art & crafts are other fun ways to add onto your July 4^th decorations and a fun activity for everyone.  Be creative with your 4^th of July crafts activities.  You would be surprised how many craft projects you can come up with by just using many of your everyday household items.

• Star Spangled Art
• Create a Flag Medley
• Sensory crafts using red, white, and blue theme
• Ice Crafts
• Design fake rockets (for display)
• Build patriotic flower baskets
• Make patriotic candle glass jars with paint
  • Mason Jars will offer a variety of crafting ideas
• Art Sidewalk Chalk projects
• Custom colored patriotic T-shirts
• Science projects with colors
• Science projects with electricity
• Decorate yourself – Dress up in patriotic colors

  

Crafts can provide a great activity for July 4^th that is fun for the whole family, and you can add them to the decorations.  The possibilities of things you can color through safe, fun, scientific means, while also building crafts are endless.  Use some of the ideas I presented to customize craft projects geared towards your families’ skills and interests.

Games & Activities

No matter your age, everyone loves to have fun so you’re going to need 4^th of July games and activities to keep everyone lively.  I would encourage a couple new games for your family to keep the experience fresh.  You don’t know what the weather will be like, so it is good to plan for indoor and outdoor fun.  Preferably, you want to be outside, but things like board games, card games, toys and video games are all great indoor ideas to have available.  I would also recommend having a few patriotic movies available just in case rain keeps you inside.  Let’s have a look at some outside activity ideas.

• Potato Sack race
• Stay cool in the pool
• Have a water fight
• Go for a bike ride
• Enjoy a backyard firework show (safe fireworks only such as sparklers)
• Play sports (badminton, horseshoes, cornhole, and pickleball style sports)
• Scavenger hunt
• Capture the Flag
• Backyard Camping and campfire / firepit

..and what is July 4^th Independence Day without history ideas that honors our freedom while providing education and fun.  Take this July fourth back to the 18^th century when delegates from the original 13 colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence, giving birth to a new nation.

• Craft your very own Household Declaration of Independence
• Read history stories of the founding of the United States of America
• Produce a in home July 4^th play (would be a fun home video too)
• Patriotic themed trivia games
• Watch a patriotic movie
• Play patriotic and American music

Music is a must for any activity, especially July 4^th weekend.  Using a couple portable speakers is an easy way to bring the party anywhere in and out of your home.  You can also decorate these for some extra July 4^th cheer.  Lastly, don’t forget to stock up on sunscreen for your outdoors 4^th of July activities.  The sun’s UV is very strong this year.

4^th of July Food

With all the outdoor activities going on, you should be prepared to do some barbequing.  Classics from burgers and dogs to chicken and steak, should be on the menu.  A good air fryer can get you delicious and crispy fries, as well as tons of other side dishes.  Just in case you get stuck inside, an air fryer is also a fantastic alternative to outdoor grilling, and a way better option for July 4^th cooking then a conventional oven.  If you don’t know, air fryers make amazing air fried foods, and every kitchen should have one.  Plus, they’re easy to use and clean, so you will have more time enjoying July 4^th with your family.

Artistically creating patriotic baked foods and desserts are another way to enhance Independence Day spirit and can be a fun project to do as a family.  You probably already know foods that are easy to make with a patriotic twist, and if not, there is no shortage of July 4^th recipes online.

Make it Bigger

Now that you have a beautifully decorated home with tons of fun things to do on the 4^th of July, you should consider inviting some of your friends and neighbors to join in your celebration.  Friends can help enhance the fun in your activities, and your friend’s family and kids will love doing crafts and playing together.  You can also think of doing a block party that spreads the celebration over a few houses.  One house does the craft activities, while the other takes care of the food.  If this interests you, speak to your friends and see what they think.

Weather you choose to make it a larger event or keep it to just your family, the only important thing is that it is fun and relaxing.  Friends can help do some of the work and cleanup, and on the other hand you may not want the pressure.  In this case, keep it simple, in house, and enjoy the amazing July 4^th Independence celebration that you will have with the people you care most about.

Happy July 4^th!