Memorial Day represents a day off work and the first real get-together opportunity of the summer months for many, but the day means much more than that. Impressing that upon children can be fun and educational.
Memorial Day is also known as Decoration Day and honors those who lost their lives serving in the United States Armed Forces. Memorial Day is always celebrated on the last Monday in May, and the federal holiday always means a day off school and work, as well as an unofficial start to summer. Memorial Day is joined by Veterans Day, in November, which commemorates all veterans, and Armed Forces Day, earlier in May, which recognizes currently serving members.
Start the weekend, or day, with a trip to a parade. Many local municipalities have parades for Memorial Day, and these offer the perfect time to start introducing kids to the important concepts behind the holiday. These parades usually have many veterans and members of the armed forces, and if your family doesn’t have any military members, this can be an educational moment for kids.
If you have military members in the family, or have lost family members serving, Memorial Day is a great opportunity for children to have a conversation with them and about them. Driving home the importance of sacrifice for something bigger in this context might only work with older kids, but it is an important conversation for families.
After the parades and solemn services, it not a bad idea to break out some crafts and have some fun.
Get out the art and craft supplies and join the kids in making American flag decorations. Let kids get creative and use the craft session as an excuse to teach them about the flag and what it means to Americans. Going over the symbolism of what the stars and stripe mean can act as a refresher or give the kids a leg up when that lesson comes up in school.
Take the opportunity to bake a few Memorial Day-specific desserts. Use food coloring or icing to create red, white and blue cookies and cupcakes to spruce up celebrations.
Finally, Memorial Day is a great time to get together with other family members for some cookouts. If there are enough kids gathered together, they will have a great time running around and creating their own fun with other kids their age.
Read This Next
#WhereverFamily
Insta FeedCruises
Oct 6, 2026Holland America Line Unveils New Beach Club, Food Pavilion at RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay
Holland America Line recently revealed a refreshed RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay, the cruise line’s private island in the Bahamas. Now, guests sailing on the line’s Caribbean cruises will discover a new RelaxAway, where recently completed enhancements bring more ways for families to relax, dine and play.
Sponsored Content
Best of Both Worlds
Enjoy the best of both worlds when you fly with TAP Air Portugal thanks to the Portugal Stopover program. With the program, TAP passengers, whether traveling for business, leisure or both, can stop in Portugal for up to 10 days at no additional airfare on the way to their final destination. What does this mean for travelers wishing to explore by both land and sea? It means after flying to Portugal with TAP and experiencing the country in an entirely new way, travelers can then embark on scenic river and ocean cruises from Portugal’s port cities, or fly with TAP to another European destination.
Destinations / North America
Oct 6, 2026Pumpkin Patches, Corn Mazes at New England Farms
Along with the dazzling fall foliage painting New England in the fall, October brings harvest season, when farms from Maine to Rhode Island welcome families to pick pumpkins, go for hayrides and get lost in corn mazes … and maybe stop at a pumpkin festival on the way. Here are some favorite farms to look for:
Europe
Oct 5, 2026Celebrate the Holidays on Italy’s Lake Garda
Typically thought of as a summer escape, Lake Garda offers holiday festivities for all ages, making a trip well worth it during the off-season. Grand Hotel Fasano, a historical lakeside retreat, remains open beyond its traditional early-November closure this year to welcome guests for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s celebrations. The hotel will remain open through Jan. 6, 2027.
Sponsored Content
Celebrating 25 Years of The Peninsula Chicago
June marked The Peninsula Chicago’s 25th anniversary, commemorating a quarter century for the hotel as a pillar of luxury on North Michigan Avenue.
Destinations
Oct 5, 2026Halloween Around the World
Americans often celebrate Halloween by dressing in costume, throwing parties, and eating lots and lots of candy. Going from house to house (or store to store, trunk to trunk, whatever is safest in your neighborhood) is practically a rite of passage for kids. But have you ever wondered how the holiday is celebrated in other countries? If so, read on to learn about Halloween traditions in other countries.
ShareThis