Memorial Day Activities for Kids: 15 Ideas for Families

Memorial Day in our house is more than just a long, fun weekend that marks the unofficial start to summer. It’s a great time to sit down with our kids and talk about something that really matters.

But let’s be real for a second. It’s tough to keep kids engaged while also honoring the holiday. For me, it takes a little planning. 

So this year, instead of just firing up the grill and calling it a day (although, the grill is absolutely happening), I’ve put together a list of Memorial Day activities for kids that are both meaningful and actually fun (at least most of them).

These are activities our family has done over the years, plus a few more ideas to help you fill the day. Some are quiet and reflective. Some are hands-on crafts. You can do some together as a family and there’s options that kids can do by themselves.

And if you want a simple, no-prep way to start the conversation about what Memorial Day is actually about, I have a free American flag printable craft for you at the end of this post. More on that in a minute.

Let’s get into it.

What is Memorial Day? (And How to Explain It to Kids)

Memorial Day is a U.S. federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May to honor the men and women who died while serving in the American military.

For young kids, the simplest explanation is this: some people love our country so much that they choose to be soldiers to protect it. Memorial Day is the day we say thank you and remember the ones who gave their lives doing that job.

It’s different from Veterans Day, which honors all who have served. Memorial Day is specifically for those who died in service.

Elementary-aged kids can absolutely understand this. The activities below help to make the conversation feel natural rather than heavy.

Free American Flag Printable Craft

Before we get into the activity list, I want to share this free American flag printable because it ties into several of the ideas below and it’s a great starting point for the day.

This printable activity includes 6 pages:

1. Full-color American flag printable (ready to use as-is)
2. Blackline version of the flag
3. Coloring page with prompts explaining what red, white, and blue represent, plus facts about what the stars and stripes symbolize
4. Same as page 3 but with coloring directions to guide younger students
5. American flag craft – kids cut out the stars section and red stripes following the dotted cut lines and glue them onto a template or piece of construction paper
6. Blackline version of the craft – kids color first, then cut and assemble

This printable activity is ready to go and easy to pull out first thing in the morning. Kids can work through reading the facts and coloring the stars and stripes while you get the day organized. Then, do the flag craft together.

Grab the free American flag printable craft

Memorial Day Activities for Kids

Here are 15 of our favorite Memorial Day activities for families with elementary-aged kids. Mix and match based on how much time you have and what fits your family vibe.

1. Attend a Memorial Day ceremony or parade

This is one of the most meaningful things you can do and most towns and cities have some kind of ceremony or parade on Memorial Day morning.

Look up your local VFW post, American Legion, or city events calendar to find something nearby. Even a short ceremony at a local cemetery or veterans memorial is worth attending.

Kids who see adults stopping to honor fallen soldiers understand something that’s hard to teach from a book. 

Tip: Bring a small American flag for each child to wave if you go to a parade.

2. Visit a veterans cemetery

Many families place flags or flowers on graves at veterans cemeteries on Memorial Day. It’s a quiet, powerful way to honor the holiday.

Call ahead to see if your local cemetery has a flag-placing event. Many do, often organized by local Scout troops or veterans organizations. Kids can participate and it makes the day feel purposeful.

If you’re not near a veterans cemetery, many regular cemeteries have veterans’ sections marked with small flags.

3. Teach flag etiquette

Most kids have never learned the rules around the American flag, and there are more than you’d think. This is a great homeschool lesson that fits in perfectly with Memorial Day.

Some basics to cover:

• The flag should be flown at half-staff until noon on Memorial Day, then raised to full staff.
• The flag should never touch the ground.
• When the flag passes in a parade, you place your right hand over your heart.
• The flag is folded in a specific triangular pattern. Check out a YouTube video to show kids how to do this (or show them yourself). Then, let them try it out.

You can pair this lesson with the free flag coloring pages for a follow-up activity.

4. Read books about Memorial Day

Books with pictures are one of the easiest ways to introduce concepts to children.

Your local library will likely have a Memorial Day or patriotic display this time of year. It’s worth a quick trip to see what they have. Reading stories about soldiers and their sacrifices can help kids better understand the holiday.

A couple of books we have read from our library are:

• “Red, White, and Blue: The Story of the American Flag” by John Herman
• “Why Do We Celebrate Memorial Day?” by Kirsten Lake

Tip: Visit the library or reserve Memorial Day books at least a week ahead of time so you have more options to choose from.

5. Watch a patriotic movie or documentary

My kids don’t really like movies. However, they’d rather watch a documentary than listen to me read a history lesson from a book. I’m sure there’s lots of great options on YouTube that explain Memorial Day for kids.

6. Make a patriotic wreath

This is a fun open-ended craft that creates something you can actually display. 

You can make a wreath in so many ways. Use red, white, and blue ribbon or tissue paper, a foam or paper wreath form, and some small flag picks.

Here’s how I’ve made a super simple patriotic wreath craft with my kids:

Materials

• Paper plate
• Red, white, and blue construction paper or cardstock
• Scissors
• Glue
• String

Instructions

1. Cut out 1-2 inch squares of paper. Different sized squares look nice on the wreath. Heads up – the smaller the squares, the longer it takes to complete the craft.
2. Lightly fold the paper plate in half to cut out the middle portion of the plate.
3. Glue the squares onto the plate in a wreath pattern.
4. Cut a hole at the top of your wreath and place a string to make a hanger.
5. Hang the wreath on your front door or in a window to show your patriotic spirit.

Cutting a few stars out of construction paper for the wreath looks really nice, or you can use star stickers or foam cutouts. You can also add ribbons, beads, and buttons.

Another easy Memorial Day craft are these tissue paper poppies, which look nice attached to the wreath.

I’ve also done this craft in my early preschool classroom using a paper plate (not cut) and dot markers. Give your toddlers blue and red dot markers and have them color the plate. Then add the string to hang up their wreath.

7. Make the American flag craft

This one is right inside the free printable mentioned above, so no extra prep needed.

Kids cut out the stars area and red stripes using the dotted cut lines and glue them onto the template or a piece of construction paper. 

The blackline version asks kids to color the stars and stripes first, then cut and assemble. This helps reinforce what each color on the flag symbolizes (there are notes on the coloring pages), but a color printable is also available if you’re short on time. 

Facts about the American flag:

• The American flag is a symbol of freedom.
• The flag’s 13 red and white stripes represent the original 13 colonies. 
• The flag’s 50 white stars on a blue background represent the 50 states.
• Each color of the American flag has a meaning:
  • Red: valor and bravery
  • White: purity and innocence
  • Blue: vigilance, perseverance, and justice
• A star is added to the flag when a new state joins the United States. 
• The American flag was last modified on July 4, 1960, when Hawaii became a state.

8. Write letters to veterans

This is one of my favorites. It’s simple, meaningful, and kids can write a note of appreciation all on their own once they have a little direction.

Organizations like A Million Thanks and Operation Gratitude accept handwritten letters and cards for veterans and active military year-round. Our local nursing home also accepts cards for veterans.

For younger kids, keep it simple: “Thank you for keeping us safe.”

For older kids, encourage them to share something specific they’ve learned about why veterans serve.

9. Create a memory jar

Set out a jar and some small slips of paper. You can even decorate a jar with patriotic colors or stickers.

Each family member writes a note of appreciation for a veteran they know personally, for someone who has served, or just for the freedom they’re grateful for.

Fold up the notes and put them in the jar. Then, read them together at dinner.

For kids who are too young to write, ask them to draw a picture instead.

Tip: Your kids may not know that they have relatives who have served in the military, especially great-grandparents. While you’re making your memory jar, share this with them and even look at family pictures or a family tree if you have them.

10. Make care packages for troops

Operation Shoebox, Operation Gratitude, Soldiers’ Angels, and similar organizations accept care packages for deployed troops. Putting one together as a family is a hands-on way to connect the holiday to real people who are serving right now.

You can check the organization’s current wish list, but common items include snacks, hygiene products, playing cards, and magazines. Kids can help pick out the supplies, pack the box, and write a note.

11. Plant a memorial garden

Red poppies are the traditional flower of remembrance for fallen soldiers (you’ve probably seen people wearing them on Memorial Day and Veterans Day).

If you have outdoor space, planting red poppies, red geraniums, or even a small patriotic container garden is a beautiful Memorial Day tradition to start and you get to enjoy the blooms all summer long. Poppies are perennials in zones 3–8, so they’ll come back every year as a reminder.

While you’re at it, it’s a great time to explain the poppy symbolism to your kids. Here’s an easy poppy craft for kids if you want a low-mess version for indoors.

12. Fly the American flag

If you have a flag, fly it. If you don’t, Memorial Day is a great time to get one.

Make raising the flag a family moment. Talk about the half-staff tradition (flag flies at half-staff until noon, then is raised to full staff to honor living veterans). Let your kids be the ones to raise it.

13. Have a patriotic scavenger hunt

A scavenger hunt is an easy way to add some energy to the day, especially if you have kids who need to get up and move.

You can set up a simple backyard or neighborhood hunt with patriotic clues, or look for a printable version to save yourself the planning.

I have a patriotic scavenger hunt in my TPT store that’s designed for this kind of activity — it works great for July 4th too.

14. Print patriotic puzzles

Word searches and word puzzles are a low-key activity that’s great for learning holiday vocabulary and keeping kids occupied without a screen.

Kids can work on them independently while the rest of the family is prepping food or taking a break.

I have patriotic coloring pages and puzzles in my TPT store if you’re looking for something ready to go. Print them now, use some for Memorial Day, and then the rest for July 4th.

15. Have a Memorial Day picnic

Last, but certainly not least, go on a picnic or have a family cookout. This is probably the one most families are already familiar with. 

We always fire up the grill and make food with a patriotic theme. We play outdoor games and spend time together as a family to celebrate the holiday, long weekend, and the unofficial start to summer.

My kids love to help me in the kitchen to make these red, white, and blue snacks:

• Popsicles: We layer pureed strawberries, Greek yogurt, and pureed blueberries in a popsicle mold, and then freeze. You can also buy red, white, and blue popsicles from the store.
• Fruit Flag: We arrange strawberries, blueberries, and bananas in the shape of a flag in a 9×13” glass dish. To serve, everyone scoops some fruit into a bowl of yogurt. We:
  • Cut the strawberries in quarters or halves for the red stripes.
  • Slice bananas for the white stripes.
  • Use blueberries for the stars/blue background.
• Chips and Salsa: We place blue corn chips in a large bowl. In another bowl, we pour the red salsa and add a dollop of white sour cream on top. So easy!

Here’s a few more patriotic food ideas:

• Strawberry and blueberry fruit skewers with whipped cream
• Red, white, and blue Jell-O cups
• Watermelon cut into star shapes with a cookie cutter
• Blue lemonade (just add a splash of blue raspberry flavoring)

Before you eat, take a moment to say why you’re grateful. It doesn’t have to be long. Even 30 seconds of acknowledgment shows the importance of the day to your kids.

Make Memorial Day Meaningful This Year

When you’re planning your Memorial Day activities, DO NOT plan to do all of these!

Pick two or three that fit into your day that you think your family will enjoy. Then, pick 2-3 new ideas to do the following year.

The goal isn’t a perfectly planned day. The idea is to make sure Memorial Day feels a little different from a regular day off. 

Kids remember the things we make time for. 

And if you want an easy place to start, grab these free American flag printables. It’s a no-prep way to start the conversation and give kids something hands-on to make.

Download the free American flag printable

Have a wonderful Memorial Day with your family. 🇺🇸