July 4th Fun Facts That Your Family Will Love!

Pique your child’s interest in learning with these 5 great facts about our Independence Day!

1. Engage your child with fun facts: Did you know that two presidents, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, actually died on July 4th, on the same date exactly 50 years after the Declaration of Independence was signed. Both of these founding fathers signed the Declaration, and Jefferson wrote the majority of it.

2. Talk about the why everyone gets a free day away from work. The federal government made it a federal holiday in 1870. Why do most adults have to work? This is a great bridging topic to slowly expose your children to the greater world out there. It also is a good way of fostering a sense of curiosity, by forcing your children to consider and question their conception of the world.

3. Read a story about Independence Day. Patricia Pingry’s book The Story of America’s Birthday is a great picture book that explains why we celebrate the 4th of July. Talking about the origins of Independence day is a great way to engage children with the deeper meaning surrounding events

4. We might have celebrated July 2nd instead of July 4th. John Adams wrote in a letter to his wife that July 2nd would be the “the great anniversary Festival.” July 2nd is the day that the United States actually (at least legally) become an independent country after Congress met and voted for a motion of independence from the British. This is a great opportunity to talk about importance of the day and the history of our country.

5. Talk about some science. The US launches a ridiculous amount of fireworks every July 4th, about 200 million pounds worth. Talk about how fireworks work or watch a video together that explains it, such as this one by Macomi moms.

Every day, especially July 4, is an opportunity to grow with your children. Go out and have fun!

_____________

Want to share your stories? Sign up to become a Spoke contributor!

Eiko Nakazawa

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

I'm a NYC mom who is passionate about early education. I created Dearest to solve the quality issues of child care in the city, by connecting families with community of educators who can take excellent care of the children while inspiring and teaching them. (www.dearest.io)