The last Monday in May each year is honored as Memorial Day. It is typically seen as the first day of summer and families usually clean their barbeque grills off and plan big get-togethers. But, what is Memorial Day all about and how can you involve your children in the true celebration of this holiday?
President Harry Truman proclaimed this day in 1950 to be a day of remembrance of those who died while serving in the armed forces in the line of duty. It is a memorial to them and the great sacrifices that they made for our country.
There are many ways that you can teach your children about what Memorial Day is all about. Here are some suggestions:
Lay flowers at the grave of a person you know who died serving his/her country
Visit monuments of fallen soldiers. Some of the most famous in the country are found in Washington D.C. However, if visiting the nation’s capital is not an option, you can always find graveyards and memorials in or around your town to visit.
Purchase an American flag to put outside your home or have your children draw and color some to put in the windows of your home.
At the website below, military.com, there is a link to a coloring page for the Medal of Honor.
There are crafts, worksheets, and projects for children at https://www.military.com/memorial-day/celebrating-memorial-day-with-children.html
To learn more, please visit:
https://www.military.com/memorial-day/celebrating-memorial-day-with-children.html