No plans for the 4th? I’ve got you covered!

The 4th of July has always been my favorite holiday, even as a young child I would choose July 4th over Christmas.  Now, some of this may have to do with the fact that my birthday is on July 9, so my family often had my birthday celebration on the Fourth of July.  But even as I got older, I loved singing along with the patriotic country songs that they play on the radio all day, wearing my star spangled t-shirt, saluting our troops, creating the barbecue to end all barbecues, and oohing and ahhing as fireworks exploded in the sky.

We never had huge Fourth of July celebrations, but we do have a few traditions that make the day special. These include spending most of the day preparing dinner, a portion of which must be grilled, even if it’s raining.  We also make homemade ice cream every year, and attempt to eat all of it in one sitting.  I will definitely spend part of my day creating some type of craft, because that is how I relax, and then of course ending the night with fireworks.  Where I live many of the local communities do fireworks on July 3rd, so we get to kick off the holiday with fireworks, and then end them on the Fourth with more fireworks.

I’ve gathered some easy activities, crafts, and of course, deserts that will get you in the mood for a little patriotic summer fun.  All of these are simple enough that you can still find the supplies and pull it all together in the next couple of days!

These crowns are a perfect Fourth of July craft because they have no age limit – I would absolutely wear one of these, and so would the five year olds in my class! This photo is from Fumbleweeds, and they have a great tutorial, so follow the link!

I don’t care how much you do or do not cook, you can make this dessert, and I promise that it will look just as good as this photo from Thistlewood Farms.  Follow their recipe or use a can of whipped cream layered with berries, either way, it’s a light, fresh dessert that is perfect for summer.

I love this bean bag toss from Chica and Jo. I don’t know which is more genius – terra cotta saucers for targets or jean pockets for bean bags. The entire thing is adorable, and easy, and thrifty…

As for other games, my husband’s family is notorious for outdoor games at their annual Fourth of July party.  We do two rounds of each game – the kids go first, and then the adults. It really is just as much fun for the kids to watch the adults! The lineup includes the classic egg toss and water balloon toss, a wheel barrow race, and a challenge to see who can make a bubble with a brand new piece of bubble gum first.

I would love to hear some of your favorite Fourth of July activities or traditions, let me know in the comments!