I don’t know about you, but I’m always surprised when I think about the activities I engaged in as a child and (gasp…) survived unscathed!
The Fourth of July arrived with family cookouts, backyard games, homemade ice cream, military bands, parades, fireworks, and yes… plenty of sparklers for kids of all ages.
Sparkler Clip Art by SillyODesign
I’ve crafted a free math activity, American Flag Collect and Sort, to share with you and rounded up a variety of activities with patriotic sparkle to help your little ones safely celebrate the Fourth of July (and other patriotic holidays).
This American flag-themed activity engages preschoolers, kindergarteners, and beginning first graders on several levels. Your youngest learners can enhance their fine motor skills and match/ identify colors. Older learners can count, write numbers, represent quantities with ten frames and tally marks, graph, and compare quantities.
You will need:
- Card stock or paper for printing selected pages, American Flag Collect & Sort
- Laminator, optional
- 25 one-half inch counters (pompoms, buttons, or M & M’s) in red, white, and blue for each pair of players, with a more or less even color distribution
- Choose to print in color or black/ white.
- Choose to use a spinner or a cube. Print and cut. Color the black and white, if using. The spinner can be made with purchased hands, a paper clip and pencil, or a brad and paperclip. Score, fold and glue the cube.
- Print one American flag game mat for each pair of players.
- Print one sorting mat for each player (optional, 2 per page). Color code the black and white.
- Choose and print one or both optional recording sheets.
To play American Flag Collect & Sort:
- Place 25 red, white, and blue counters in the spaces on the American flag mat.
- Take turns with a partner.
- Spin or roll.
- Collect one counter that matches your color. Place the counter on your sorting mat, if using. If all the counters that match your color have been collected, you lose your turn.
- Play until all the counters have been collected.
Count to find out how many of each color you collected. Which color did you collect the most of and the fewest of? Count to find out how many counters you collected in all. Who collected the most or the fewest?
Follow-up with one or both of the recording sheets. The circles can be colored to match the color words.
Read my blog post about this same activity with a candy corn theme.
Check out these links for more patriotic math, books, crafts, and snacks!
- Fourth of July Counting Game by Playdough to Plato
- Fourth of July Addition Activity by the STEM laboratory
- Star Spangled Math Activities by A Little Pinch of Perfect
- Patriotic Bump! Number Recognition Game by Pocketful of Centers
- Patriotic Hunt by Classroom Down the Hall
- 18 Patriotic Picture Books by No Time For Flashcards
- Fourth of July Books for K Through 2nd by Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas
- American Flag Collaboration Poster by Art With Jenny K
- Popsicle Stick Flags by ginger snap crafts
- Patriotic Parade Streamers by alpha mom
- Edible Flag by The Educators’ Spin On It
- Red, White, and Blue Fun Fruit Cones by My Kids Lick The Bowl
- Patriotic Chocolate Covered Strawberries by Princess Pinky Girl
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