6 ways to celebrate Memorial Day with your family

Memorial Day is a day of remembrance, but it’s also a day often spent with close friends and family.  If you are looking for something to do with your family this Memorial Day, check out these suggestions below and pick one or two that work for you!

6. Visit a military cemetery, memorial, or flag garden – Almost every town has one, and it would be a wonderful way to teach your children that there is more to Memorial Day than just hanging out and having fun.  Be sure to look up a brief history of Memorial Day if you don’t know it already, because your kids are sure to ask questions about the holiday.  Perhaps bring small flags to put on graves of veterans, if you are able to find their spots.

5.  Go swimming – Most pools open right around Memorial Day, and it’s usually warm enough by then to really enjoy lounging in the cool, refreshing water.  Don’t have a pool nearby for the kids to play in?  Buy a small wading pool for them instead!  They’ll have a blast just splashing around, believe me.  If you want to get something big enough for you to splash around in too, you can get huge discounts on pools online this time of year.  Check out these various inflatable pools for your backyard enjoyment:

4.  Share memories and photographs of loved ones – If you have a family member or friend that died while serving our country, take some time to share your fondest memories of them with your children.  If you have pictures, pull those out as well, so they can put a face to the name and really understand that you are talking about a real person that you once knew.

3.  Throw a red, white, and blue party – A party doesn’t have to have tons of guests, you can have a party for just your family!  Pick up some red, white, and blue decorations from a dollar store, classic Bomb Pops popsicles, some blueberries and strawberries, etc.  Get colorful and creative!  You could even let the kids invite their friends in the neighborhood!

2.  Attend a local celebration – Large tourist attractions typically have some sort of celebration, and your local city probably has something going on downtown too.  For those in the Atlanta area, Stone Mountain Park always has a huge celebration with amazing fireworks, and it’s FREE with the cost of parking!  Remember to bring blankets, camping chairs, and snacks or a picnic lunch with you!

1.  Say “Thank You” – Although Memorial Day is meant to honor those that died in service of our country, it’s also a great time to stop and thank those that are currently serving, or that have retired from the military.  If there is a nursing home or assisted living facility near your home, they almost always do something to honor their veteran residents, it would be wonderful to stop by and thank them as well.

What do you do for Memorial Day?  Does your family have any annual traditions?

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