It’s almost hard to believe that the 4th of July is next week! While it’s a great time to unwind, relax with family and celebrate our country, it is also a great opportunity to teach our children about our country’s important milestones. In addition to the Founding Fathers and the Declaration of Independence, the moon landing is one of the most important events of our country.
Here’s more about the moon landing and placing the flag on the moon, according to National Geographic:
On July 20, 1969, millions of people gathered around their televisions to watch two U.S. astronauts do something no one had ever done before. Wearing bulky space suits and backpacks of oxygen to breathe, Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin became the first human beings to walk on the moon. Twenty minutes after Armstrong climbed off the ship, Aldrin climbed down the ladder and joined his partner. After reading a plaque that said they “came in peace for all mankind,” the two planted the United States’ flag on the surface. President Richard Nixon called to congratulate the astronauts. Armstrong and Aldrin went back to work collecting samples of moon rocks and dust. After over two hours, the astronauts brought 47 pounds back onto the lunar module. It was time to go home!
What better time to celebrate Old Glory on the moon than on the 4th of July? Read on for how to create your own and games to play!
4th of July DIY Felt Flags
Until it’s time to go watch fireworks in the evening, it can be hard to entertain the kids during the family BBQ. With so much action and people running around, having a craft is the perfect way to get them to focus. If you’re looking for a great DIY they can do while you’re cooking out, try our DIY Felt Flags! When you’re done, they’re the perfect thing to go hop into the Space Module Dome Tent with and blast off to the moon!
What You Need
For one flag, you will need:
- Red, white and blue felt
- 12″ wooden stick
- Spray adhesive
- Scissors
- White acrylic paint
- White glitter
- Star-shaped sponge stamp
How You Make Them
- Cut the red felt into in 7″ x 5″ rectangle, and cut the blue felt into 3″ x 2″ rectangle.
- Cut (2) white felt strips into 1/2″ x 3 1/4″ strips, then cut (2) white felt 1/2″ x 6 1/2″ strips.
- Spray a thin strip of adhesive on the left edge of the red rectangle.
- Make sure you are in a well-ventilated area!
- Place the stick at the edge and spray more adhesive.
- Roll edge of the felt with the stick, covering the stick and creating a flagpole.
- Spray some more adhesive onto the back of the blue felt to glue onto the red piece in the top left corner.
- Do the same for short white stripes and long white strips.
- Pour some white glue out and dab the sponge into the glue.
- Create 5 star-shaped stamps on blue felt.
- Sprinkle some glitter into wet stars and allow to dry for at least 30 minutes.
- Wave Old Glory to your heart’s content!
Space Module Dome Tent
5, 4, 3, 2 1 Blast Off! Climb into your very own “Space Module” for some super imaginative interplanetary exploration. This awesome tent comes complete with two roll-up “hatch flaps” for a super fun secret access. You can “dock” with our Docking Port 6’ Play Tunnel that connects to the hatch as well! Exciting graphics make this a real-life play experience.
This “Space Module” has a roll up entry door for easy passage, and the radius-cut hook and loops mean no cuts or scrapes! The waterproof floor keeps kids dry when playing outdoors and makes clean up super easy. There’s even a sturdy carry bag included for convenient travel and storage once your little one lands back here on Earth.
Celebrating the 4th of July
Now that you have your DIY Felt Flag for the 4th of July, it’s time to play some games! Of course, running amuck with their flags is something the kids will naturally do. But if you have some time and extra hands, organizing a game is even better.
Water Balloon Baseball
It’s going to be HOT this 4th of July! All you need are your DIY Felt Flags, water balloons, some water (of course) and a bat. Set up your flags around the yard as “bases” (they don’t have to be in a diamond like a regular baseball field – get creative!) then pitch the water balloon to the batter. Once the balloon pops, the batter has to run and pick up as many flags as possible before being tagged by the pitcher. The more flags and the more scattered they are, the more challenging the game!
Man on the Moon
Gather up all the flag and hide them around the house or yard, and put out your Space Module Dome Tent. Blindfold the children and have them gather up as many as possible, putting them inside the dome tent one-by-one. Whoever gets the most by the time the clock is up, wins!
Capture the Flag
Split the yard into two territories. Each team gets a flag, and one team must capture the other team’s flag and bring it back to their territory to win. If a player is tagged by a member of the opposing team, they must go to “jail” – AKA a designated area in the yard, such as a table and chairs. Players can get out of jail when a member of their team tags them.
Let Us Know!
How does your family celebrate the 4th of July? Are you planning to make the DIY Felt Flags? Let us know in the comments below! Happy Independence Day!