July 4th: More Days and More Ways to Celebrate

Wave the flag and light the sparklers – here are 5 unique activities you and your family can do to celebrate the Fourth.

1. Creative Paint Party
   Host an art fair for the neighborhood kids. Set out paints, markers, and big sheets of paper on picnic tables and let budding artists show their stuff. Display the works along a fence and hand out awards for everything from the most colorful to the most surprising art. For younger kids, dedicate an area outside for chalk art. Supply the colored chalk and let the kids take the lead on their creative designs.
2. Watermelon Carving
   Buy round watermelons and carve them into summer jack-o-lanterns. Perhaps you can show off your carving talents by etching Uncle Sam or Lady Liberty into a watermelon. What’s more is that everyone gets to eat the insides!
3. Water-ball Splash
   Cool things down on hot days by adding water to the baseball game mix. Place a bucket of water at each base and have each player dump a cup of water on his/her head instead of tagging the bag.
4. Explore a Culture
   Go online to learn about other independence days such as Mexico’s emancipation from Spanish rule, El Grito (September 16); or South Africa’s end of apartheid, Freedom Day (April 27). Celebrate with international flair by making leis. Or step into another culture through folk dancing. Get started learning about other cultures by making a special party piñata.
5. Host a Multicultural Potluck
   Invite friends or family from diverse backgrounds to share their country’s stories of freedom and their favorite foods at your own multicultural independence celebration. Or check out a nearby historical museum or ethnic restaurant together.