Memorial Day Activities for Kids: 6 Easy Classroom Ideas

It’s already May – time to start wrapping up the school year! As you’re planning your end of year celebrations, don’t forget that there’s an important holiday to observe with your students.

Falling on the last Monday of May each year is Memorial Day. This day, previously called Decoration Day, is set aside to honor the brave men and women of the U.S. military. It’s a great opportunity to teach students a bit of American history.

As a national holiday, we have a long weekend and you likely won’t be in school that day, but you can still work some Memorial Day activities for kids into your lesson plans. Here are a few of my favorite classroom activities to teach about this important day.

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Memorial Day Read Aloud

I love the picture book The Wall by Eve Bunting and it’s an excellent way to help kids of all ages understand the significance of Memorial Day. 

This book tells the story of a boy who visits the Vietnam War Memorial with his dad to find the name of his grandfather. During their visit, the young boy meets an injured veteran, sees an elderly couple mourning the loss of a loved one, and a class on a field trip learning about the wall. 

Although the boy never met his grandfather, he is able to feel his name on the wall and make a pencil rubbing of it, connecting in his own way with a man he never knew. Before departing, the boy leaves a picture of himself. He wishes his grandpa was alive, but is proud that his name is on the wall.

This book is wonderful for any age group. It really helps students understand that the people we honor on Memorial Day might be strangers to us; but they were loved by family members and friends. The gentle way Eve Bunting presents a sensitive topic is lovely.

A few other Memorial Day books I really like are:

• Twenty-One Steps: Guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
• In Flanders Fields
• A Day for Rememberin’
• The Poppy Lady

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Virtual Field Trip

One of my favorite Memorial Day activities for kids is the virtual tour of the Vietnam War Memorial. It’s a great way extend your students’ learning after reading the book by Eve Bunting. 

Check it out here: Vietnam War Memorial Virtual Tour 

Other virtual field trip tours you can take are the Korean War Memorial or the National Civil War Museum.

For older students, you might want to watch the live stream of the National Memorial Day Observance at Arlington National Cemetery. This is an annual Memorial Day ceremony with patriotic music by the United States Air Force Band and U.S. Coast Guard Band, a wreath-laying at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and a parade of colors.

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Easy Poppy Pin DIY Project

Poppies became a symbol of Memorial Day (and Veterans Day) after World War I. The connection started with the poem “In Flanders Fields,” written by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, which described poppies growing on battlefields where soldiers died. Moina Michael, an American teacher, was inspired by the poem and began spreading the idea of using poppies to honor fallen soldiers. In 1920, the American Legion officially adopted the red poppy, encouraging people to wear them as a show of support for military veterans.

An easy craft for the classroom is making poppy pins. You probably already have all the materials you need like red tissue paper or felt and green pipe cleaners. Here is a set of simple instructions for this fun craft: Make A Poppy: Crafts for Remembrance Day

Your students will love having their own Memorial Day flowers to wear or give to others.

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Free Printable Memorial Day Word Search Worksheet

Word search puzzles are an easy way to expose students to holiday related vocabulary words. They also make a fun activity for those little moments in the day when you need students to work on something independently. 

Here is a free word search that includes 12 Memorial Day-related words to find and is great for young children (no backward words). Since you probably have a day off of school, this is something you can send home to be completed over the three-day weekend.

⏬ Download a copy from the Free Resource Library: Memorial Day word search and answer key. Just print and use (personal use only).

Looking for more printable word searches with holiday themed words? Check out this complete set that includes 30 major holidays, important days, and seasons: Holiday and Seasonal Word Searches

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MILITARY CARE PACKAGE

For me, the perfect way to honor our fallen soldiers is to also honor those currently serving. Sometimes it’s difficult for younger children to understand the meaning of Memorial Day because they haven’t yet lost a loved one. By connecting with overseas military service members and doing something helpful for them, your students will have a better appreciation of the holiday. 

A fantastic way to do this is by creating care packages for military personnel!

The U.S. Postal Services offers a FREE Military Care Kit that includes all the boxes, tape, customs form, and labels you need to send several care packages You can get ideas of what to put in the boxes at the Veterans United website. Before sealing them up, have your class add their own drawings and notes. They can even decorate the inside of the box!

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I’m sure there are plenty of organizations that coordinate care packages, but I particularly like ones that let you fulfill requests submitted directly by service men and women. One to check out is anysoldier.com. You can actually click on the menu at the top to switch between anysoldier, anymarine, anysailor, anyairman, or anycoastguardsman if you want to choose which branch to send to. You can view individual requests by clicking on “Where to Send” on the menu at the top of the page and then “Search”.

Your students will love being able to personally help someone in the armed forces and it a very meaningful way to observe the holiday. I have made it a Memorial Day tradition in my classroom.

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All About Memorial Day Printable Activity

This Memorial Day Brochure is an easy way to incorporate the holiday into your lesson plans. Students will read about the history and traditions and learn about some important war memorials. This activity is most appropriate for grades 3 and up.

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I hope these Memorial Day activities for kids help your students understand the importance of this special day and make your lesson planning just a little bit easier!