Veterans Day - FUN, Creative Projects for your Kids!

These days, many children know someone who serves or has served in the military, whether it’s their father, mother, aunt, uncle, grandparent or teacher. Doing something to celebrate Veterans Day with kids is a great way to honor those they love and all who have served the country. In the U.S., Veterans Day celebrates the people who have served in the military during times of war and peace. It’s held annually on November 11th and is also called Armistice Day. Other countries, including Canada, Great Britain, and Australia, observe a similar holiday called "Remembrance Day" on or near November 11th. With kids, you might choose to host a festive party or commemorate the day in a more subdued way. Here are some ideas:

Host a Care Package-Packing Party

Invite neighborhood kids or friends to the party and ask them to bring donations of beef jerky, DVDs, CDs, books, magazines, leftover Halloween candy and phone cards to your house. You supply the packaging and postage. During the party, the kids write letters to veterans stationed overseas and sort the donated items into boxes that you’ll then send off to the troops. Since, for safety reasons, packages addressed to "any soldier" cannot be accepted, it's best to call a nearby military base to find out how best to reach troops in need.

Host a Service Day

Just because kids are too young to serve in the military doesn’t mean they can’t serve their country in other ways. On Veteran’s Day, invite a group of your child’s friends to help at a soup kitchen, pick up litter, bring treats to a senior center or volunteer their time in some other way. When you're done, invite everyone to your house to eat an all-American meal.

Veterans Day Craft Party

Very young children might enjoy a make-and-take craft party on Veterans Day. Set up three or four craft stations, such as for making Liberty Bells out of Styrofoam cups, star-shaped paperweights, or red, white and blue paper candles. Another idea is to sew your own American flag. Older kids might enjoy Veterans Day learning activities, such as word searches and crossword puzzles. They could also draw a family tree with pictures of relatives who have served in the military.

Thank a Veteran

Throughout Veterans Day—or on any day, really—ask your children to thank the servicemen and women in your community. That could mean making cards and bringing cupcakes to patients at a nearby Veterans’ Administration hospital or simply saying “thank you” to people they see in uniform. CHSH-Teach has a variety of resources that are designed specifically for Veterans Day. See what is available!    

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(Above image by Scrappin Doodles)