Patriotic Preschool Hats

These 4th of July hats are always a huge hit. They are also great for Memorial Day, Veteran's Day, Flag Day, President's Day, or made in yellow, purple and green for Mardi Gras. 

For older preschoolers, fold sheets of construction paper length-wise into 1 inch strips to create cutting lines. There are a LOT of strips to be cut, so I usually only have them do one sheet of cutting. For younger children, I try to do a few strips with teacher-assist scissors. The rest of the strips, I use my paper cutter. It will take 6 strips of each color, with an extra one for every year of age over 2. 

The large stars are used to cover the seam at the center of the headband. Older children can be provided with a template to trace and cut out. Younger ones will need teacher assistance with this.

The band is two 2-inch strips cut length-wise from the child's choice of red, white or blue construction paper. We glue the seam to keep it flat, but I also staple to ensure it doesn't fall apart with repeated use. Older children with especially large heads may need an additional filler piece inserted into the band. The two 11 inch long strips can be joined to make a headband up to 21 inches long. Two year old have about a 19 inch head circumference and it goes up by about an inch a year. 

The band is turned over and placed in front of the child. 

They then create the ABC pattern of red, white and blue. Once completed, and correct, I move the strips just above the top of the band, have the child glue all over the band, especially the edges, and then begin placing the strips down onto the headband.

Once the strips are secured, we turn it over. I ask the child to glue one star on top the stapled center seam. Then, they are free to place the other two stars where they want. 

I give them a strip of silver, red and blue star stickers and let them  at it. We count the number of stars of each color each child chose and graph them. 

When complete, I measure the band to fit the child's head and staple. I then use scissors to strip curl the red white and blue strips to create a firecracker effect. 

We will use these for many activities this week, not the least of which is acting like little firecrackers.

SKILLS
Math: patterning ABC, counting, 1-1 correspondence, left/right, logic/reasoning, shapes of star and rectangle
Art: creative expression, color recognition
Fine Motor: cut, paste, trace, scissors, placing, releasing stickers
Social: history, celebrations, traditions, following directions
Tags: 4th of July, craft, art, headband, hat, red, white, blue, star, stars and stripes, flag, patriotic, patriot, 4th, july, fourth, construction paper, glue, cut, paste, preschool, elementary, child, history, celebration, Independence Day, independence, parade, costume

4th of July Fuse & Pony Beads Necklace

 This cute 4th of July necklace was a huge hit when we did it. It is a great craft for preschoolers and early elementary children, really working those fine motor skills. 

We also discussed what the colors have come to mean, even though they had no meaning when originally used and the significance is really noted for the country's seal. 

"The colors of the pales (the vertical stripes) are those used in the flag of the United States of America; White signifies purity and innocence, Red, hardiness & valour, and Blue, the color of the Chief (the broad band above the stripes) signifies vigilance, perseverance & justice."

"The star is a symbol of the heavens and the divine goal to which man has aspired from time immemorial; the stripe is symbolic of the rays of light emanating from the sun."

-USFlag.org

We did this pattern using a basic fuse bead grid.

After fusing the beads together [iron with a piece of parchment paper over the bead piece], the children picked out their red, white or blue yarn for their necklaces. With a large-eyed needle, we threaded the yarn down through middle hole of one of the top corner fuse beads and back up again on the opposite side. 

The children then were shown the red-white-blue red-white-blue pattern and asked to copy it onto each side of their necklaces with pony beads. This took some thinking, and a couple of tries, because they had to thread them on in the opposite order. We discussed SYMMETRY. When done, we tied them in the back, ensuring they were long enough to easily slip on and off. The parents said the children wore them to every 4th of July celebration.

Should have had him turn his around prior to pic! Oh well...

SKILLS
Math: Patterning, symmetry, logic/reasoning
Fine Motor: Fuse bead placement, threading yarn, threading pony beads
Social Studies: Flag, colors and meanings of the flag.
Tags: 4th of July, craft, preschool, children's, Independence Day, necklace, fuse bead, pony bead, 4th, July, President's Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, United States, Stars and Stripes

Flag Day w/printables

Today, June 14th, is FLAG DAY, here in the United States and you can get my FREE flag printables HERE.4 pages, United States flag, same with color words, a flag blank for children to make their own flag design and a Ff is for Flag printing worksheet.  

We are reading,

reciting the Pledge of Allegiance,

and discussing some of the rules of the flag, meaning of the flag elements and reasons behind flags in general.

Tags: 4th of July printable, printable, flag, flag day, fourth of july, 4th of July, united states, U.S., US, stars, stripes, childcare, daycare, preschool, pre-k, prek, kindergarten, America, North America, history, homeschool, 4th of July, craft, art, memorial day, labor day, verteran's day, writing, coloring, page, child, care, preschool, pre-k, kindergarten,