Learning About Old Glory
While your likely kinders encounter the American flag on an almost daily basis - at their school, around their community, etc. - what they may not know is that our Nation's flag did not always look the way it does today. Flag Day offers a fun opportunity to delve a little deeper into the history of this important National symbol and get to know "Old Glory" just a little bit better. We suggest starting with a fun slide show of how the American flag has changed over the years!
You might also consider...
- Reading Wendy Cheyette Lewison's F is for Flag and Patricia A. Pingry's The Story of the Star Spangled Banner to get a better idea of what the flag means to our country!
- Crafting your own flag - from craft sticks, beads, paint, etc. There are all kinds of great flag crafts for kids floating around Pinterest and the blogosphere!
- Discussing what the flag colors stand for - i.e. red stands for hardiness and valor - and, of course, clarifying what the words mean in terms your kinders can understand!
- Provide your kinders with some fun facts about the flag! For instance, did they know that Neil Armstrong placed a flag on the moon? Or that there is a "Flag Code" that stipulates how a flag should be used and displayed? KidGlue and KidzWorld are great kid-friendly resources to consult!
While Flag Day should be a day of fun, it's also a day of learning what it means to respect the flag and what it stands for! We hope you and your kinders have a great time exploring one of our Nation's most important symbols!
