1. Add food coloring to a vase of flowers for an easy centerpiece.

 

2. Shield kids’ hands from sparkler burns with a plastic cup.

 

3. Create lawn stars with marking chalk and cardboard.

 

 

4. Freeze blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries with water, and use in Sprite for a patriotic drink.

 

5. Have kids make their own 4th of July handprint shirts.

 

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6. Tie red and blue bandanas together for a festive table runner.

 

7. Use a cookie cutter to create watermelon stars, freeze, then use them as ice in a blue beverage.

Kool-Aid or a blue sports drink like Gatorade works well.

 

 

8. Keep drinks cold with frozen water balloons.

When the balloons are completely defrosted, have a water balloon fight!

 

9. Play bean bag toss with decorated cans and socks filled with rice.

Fill a couple of small socks with rice and tie the ends with rubber bands and patriotic ribbon. Then, cover 6 empty and cleaned 15-ounce cans with red, white, and blue tape, making sure the tape covers any sharp edges. Set cans up in a pyramid and have kids stand several feet away. Whoever knocks down all the cans within two tries wins!

Adapted from Patriotic Beanbag Toss by Better Homes and Gardens.

 

10. Dip ice cream sandwiches in red, white, and blue sprinkles.

If you want to make them ahead of time, just store them on a cookie sheet in the freezer.

 

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