Celebrating 4th of July with little ones definitely takes more creativity - but the effort is so worth teaching your kids about our freedom and seeing those smiles on their faces. Here are 15 July 4th activities for your baby or toddler! Let's dive in:

1. 4th of July Sensory Bin

Sensory bins are a super simple way to entertain your baby or toddler, and it doesn't take much effort to make it patriotic! The options are endless. Fill a bin with red, white, and blue water beads, or dye dry pasta and rice in 4th of July colors. You can even buy colored sand for a mini sand box. Add mini stars, red sequins, and any other details for a sensory bin tailored to your baby or toddler's age.

2. Paint the American Flag with Your Baby

Painting isn't just for toddlers! Draw an American flag on a piece of paper and cover the white stripes with masking tape. Then tape the page to your baby's high chair and let them go to town with red and blue finger paint. Once the paper is dry, peel of the tape to reveal the cutest American flag.

3. Get Dressed in Your Most Patriotic Outfits

If it's 4th of July, you need to dress for the occasion too! If your toddler is more of a particular type, challenge them to wear the most patriotic thing they can come up with. If your kids are more go with the flow (or if your little one is too young to care), dress them up in adorable festive outfits. And don't forget to snag our Freedom Bandana Bib Set to complete their look! You won't want to celebrate the 4th without them;) Order here!

4. Create Some Chalk Art

Want something simple to fill your 4th of July afternoon? Decorate your driveway with red, white, and blue drawings! You can also write encouraging and patriotic messages on your cul-de-sac, sidewalk, or neighbor's driveways if they're okay with it. Teach your toddler about the reason we celebrate 4th of July while you draw - it's the perfect teachable moment mixed with loads of fun. 

5. Dye Flowers Red, White, & Blue

4th of July, but make it a science experiment 😎 Fill 2 glasses with colored water, one red and one blue. Buy some simple white flowers at the store (really whatever flowers you like best work, but daisies are a good go-to!). Then fill your glasses and wait. Over time, your flowers will turn red or blue! This is a great opportunity to share a fun learning experience with your kids while celebrating our freedom.

6. Decorate Their Scooter, Bike, or Trike

When I was a kid, our neighborhood had a big parade and we'd all decorate our bikes in red, white, and blue as we followed our local fire truck around the block. Whether your neighborhood does the same thing or not, decorating bikes, trikes, or scooters with your kids is a fun tradition together! Plus, during the BBQ later, they'll have something to ride around and entertain them (mom win!)

7. Make 4th of July Snacks

Leave all the fun to the kids? I don't think so. Get creative with these 4th of July recipes you will love making and your kids will love eating. You can even get the kids involved for a fun afternoon activity. Check out our article on easy 4th of July recipes here.

8. Write a Letter to Someone Serving

4th of July isn't just about fireworks, bbqing, and cute crafts. It's about teaching your kids why we celebrate and appreciate our freedom in America, and why we have that freedom to begin with. A great way to do that is by writing letters to those who serve. If your kids are young, you might write the letter yourself and stamp it with a tiny red or blue handprint. If your kids can draw or write, encourage them to create the letter themselves.

9. Make Firework Stamps or Sponge Stars

This 4th of July craft is so simple and fun! You really can make stamps out of anything - a sponge cut to a patriotic shape, a toilet paper tube cut and twisted, or the top of a pineapple. You can even paint fireworks from handprints. Whatever works best for you, your kids will love this festive craft. Don't forget to hang them up afterwards to show off their artistic talent!

10. Read an Independence Day Book

Teaching your kids about Independence Day is not always easy, especially when they're young. Start small by grabbing a few 4th of July books that can help you along the way. Each book is tailored for a specific age and will help your child understand what the 4th of July is all about.

11. Paint Rocks (The Patriotic Way)

Painting rocks is always fun, but it's even more of a blast on Independence Day. If you want to go the extra mile, write encouraging messages on some and leave them at your neighborhood park for other kids to find!

12. Make Shaving Cream Fireworks

This craft is the best two-in-one activity because it's a sensory activity as well! Fill a container with a thin layer of shaving cream. Then put a few drops of red and blue food coloring around the surface. Give your kid something to drag with (a toothpick, pipe cleaner, or popsicle stick is fine). Drag the color from the center to create cute fireworks, which you can preserve on a piece of paper by pressing it on top later. It's fun, easy to clean up, and perfectly patriotic.

13. Build Care Packages for Military Personnel

If you want to give back this 4th of July, building care packages is the perfect way to do it. Involve your kids in the process - have them write cards like we mentioned above, give them ownership over each box, and let them decorate the inside/outside. Make sure you follow these guidelines on what to fill your care packages with!

14. Throw Red, White, & Blue Water Balloons

Simple, classic, and full of joy - you can't go wrong with a water balloon fight. If your child is younger, they can still have fun playing with a water balloon or two on the back lawn! Just make sure they don't put it in their mouth - plastic is never is a fun 4th of July snack anyway ;)

15. Make Twig Stars

This 4th of July craft is so perfect because the end result actually looks kinda cute! And anytime we feel okay putting child's art up in our home for long periods of time is a win right? These twig stars are easy to make, fun to create with kids, and perfect for 4th of July decor once you've finished.

16. Color Free Printable Coloring Pages

We made a free printable PDF coloring page for you and your family this July 4th, and we want to share it with you! You can find the page here to print and color with your kiddos. Then you can proudly display their art on your fridge for the 4th;)

Have Fun - Stay Safe

Celebrating 4th of July with your little ones might take a little extra effort, but it's so worth it to see those smiles one their faces. And you know your kids best! Celebrate with them in the best way for your family.

As always, make sure to stay safe this Independence Day! Check out our article on 4th of July Safety Tips with Kids so you're prepared and informed for the 4th. You're doing amazing!!

Before you go, make sure to check out our favorite 4th of July baby products (we know you'll love them just as much as we do;)

^^ Our baby quilts are the perfect picnic blankets - and our Crimson Quilt is perfectly red for July 4th! Grab it here.

^^ Our Freedom Bandana Bib Set adds the perfect touch to your baby's 4th of July outfit - and 10% of our sales in this set goes towards Our Military Kids, so you know your money supports a worthy cause. Order them here!

^^ Nothing says "patriot" more than our Cherry Multi-Purpose Cover! Doubling as a nursing cover and car seat cover, you simply can't go wrong. Order it here!