President's Day Activities for Children

It is President's Day, the kids are home and you are needing a way to occupy them. So celebrate President's Day with some fun activities instead of just letting them turn on the tv.

This project is for kids of all ages, although some might need your help. Our new President, Barrack Obama, has ignited the imagination of everyone. And kids are not immune to the excitement. Children everywhere were happy and jealous for the Obama girls. An interesting activity would be to write the Obama girls a letter and tell them whatever they would like. After all. It isn't like you don't know their new address!

Preschool children will have fun making colored money. All you need is different coins, paper and either chalk or colored pencils. The process is simple, and I'm sure that you have done it before. Lay a piece of paper on top of the coins. With the side of a piece of chalk or colored pencil edge lightly rub over a coin. A colored copy of the coin will appear. The children can make several different kinds and cut them out.

Glueing the front and back together to form a 'whole coin' is always an option. My children loved to go shopping with their money. It is easy to play store. Place prices on small items like candy or cheap toys. Let the children make their purchases and enjoy their profits. You, the store, will have to take happiness for the real payback.

A patriotic wind sock is easy and fun to make, and is also fun to keep. This project is perfect for children five years old and up. It is also easy enough that you won't get a headache from helping your child do it. You will need one round oatmeal box, blue and white construction paper, red and white crepe paper, glue, string, scissors and a hole punch.

Begin by cutting the bottom out of the oatmeal box so that you have an open-ended cylindar. Cover the box by gluing on blue construction paper, then glue on white construction paper stars. The stars can be replaced with star stickers or glitter if cutting out the stars is too difficult.

Cut the red and white streamers about two feet long and glue them to the bottom of the wind sock. With the hole punch, put four holes equidistanced from each other. Cut two 12 inch pieces of string. Tie one string to the wind sock and tie the end of it to the opposite hole. Repeat with the next string in the other two holes. Cut another long string and tie one end to the center of the other two strings. Use this string to hang the windsock.

For older children present a paper with the words "If I was president, I would...." written at the top. Young people are full of interesting ideas and simple notions. Give your kids a chance to come up with funny and creative ways that they would change our world for the better. After all, even the most famous presidents were kids once.

Have fun this President's Day!