50 Ways to Celebrate the 4th of July at Home

Not going on vacation over the July 4th weekend? Staying home doesn’t mean forgoing family fun! We’ve listed 50 ways to help you make some amazing memories this summer. Hopefully you’ll be inspired to try something new! Have more ideas? Tag your photos @memphismomsco and we’ll be sure to share on our Instagram page.

CRAFTS

Painting fireworks
image courtesy of Pinterest
Sponge star paintings (paint in the bathtub with red & blue tub paint — extra easy clean up plus end of the day fun for the kids!)
Red, white and blue pinwheels
Popsicle stick flags
image courtesy of Pinterest
Happy 4th handprint
Parade wands
* all you need is a dowel rod, fabric scraps, ribbons, and washi tape! Using the tape, decorate the rod. Tie to the top of the rod varying lengths of strips of fabric and various kinds of ribbons!
Paper plate lady liberty hats

RECIPES

Southern Mac n’ Cheese
Red, white and blue fruit skewers
image courtesy of ideas.evite.com
Really good baked beans:
1 big can of Bush’s Homestyle beans
1 big can of Bush’s Onion beans
1 package Hormel already cooked bacon — cut into 1 inch pieces
1/4 C chopped onion
Heat both cans of beans + onions until boiling. Stir a lot! Reduce heat and add bacon!
The perfect All American hot dog
How to cut a watermelon in 1 minute:
- Cut off the ends. Lay the watermelon on a cutting board and trim both ends with a sharp (or serrated) knife
- Slice in half. Stand up the watermelon and slice down the middle to create two big halves
- Quarter
- then finally make triangles
Independence Day truffle dessert
Blueberry tomato caprese salad

DRINKS

Red, white and blue layered jello shots
Red, white and blue sangria
Kid friendly patriotic punch
Start by filling your glass about 1/4-1/3 of the way up with the drink with the highest sugar content per serving (we suggest can-cherry juice for red).
Then, fill the cup FULL with ice.
Pour the drink with the next highest sugar content (we suggest a alcohol-free Pina colada mix for white) very slowly over the ice. You’ll use the ice as a sort of buffer – pouring directly on to the ice with a very slow pour — pour too fast and the colors will combine into pink
Repeat with the last layer (blue — some sort of blue raspberry punch)
Snip the ends off of a red twizzler candy and place in the drink for a fun straw!
image courtesy of Pinterest
Easy kid smoothies : strawberry (red) or blueberry (blue)

OUTDOOR THINGS TO DO

Decorate your bike for a parade
image courtesy of Pinterest
Cornhole
Find the mini flag
Similar to hide and seek, one member of the family hides a small American flag (indoors or outdoors, but specify where). When a person finds the flag, they simply stay quiet and come back and sit down at base. The last person to find the flag hides it the next round!
Sprinkler fun
Slip n’ slide
Family scavenger hunt
Hula hoop competition
4 square
DYI balloon piñata
Flag Tag Relay
DYI marshmallow shooters
Build a fire
Roast weenies and smores

INDOOR THINGS TO DO

4th of July trivia
Independence Day bingo (free printable)
Make patriotic playdoh
In a medium saucepan, add 1 cup of flour, 2 teaspoons of cream of tartar, and 1/3 cup of salt. Next, add 1 cup of water and 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Turn your burner on medium/low and stir. (It might be a little lumpy and that’s fine!). Before it starts getting thick (this is going to happen fast, so be ready), add your red food dye. Keep stirring as it thickens up. Once, the dough is thick and not wet, put on wax paper and allow to cool. Once cool, knead for 30 seconds. Store in a zip-lock bag. Makes 1 batch. Repeat with blue dye and keep one batch “plain” for white.
Paint your nails red, white, and blue
Listen to patriotic songs
Teach younger kids the pledge of allegiance
Put together an American jigsaw puzzle
Patriotic Glow stick party (for extra points create glow stick people!)