When I was newly engaged some friends of ours invited us to their beach club for 4th of July. Their four year old daughter was worried about the fireworks even before it got dark because she remembered being frightened the year before. As she and I were building sandcastles I started to shape a birthday cake and we chatted about the 4th of July really being America’s birthday and that since America was so big it had to have REALLY big candles – those were the fireworks. We decided that during the fireworks we would watch laying on our stomachs with a blanket over our heads and hands over our ears. There is always strength in numbers! I’m not sure she was happy with the fireworks but we made it through with no tears and that is a lesson I used with all of my kids.
Happy Birthday America! (Nicole’s Cakes)
Protect Little Ears
Many years later we know that fireworks can actually cause hearing loss. “Just one big explosion to close to your ears can result in total permanent hearing loss,” said Audiologist Bradly Edgerton from Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic of the Northwest. In many areas doctor’s office give out free ear plugs, I discovered where on our local news website for the Portland metropolitan area, check your local news stations for your area. Or try these great headphones that are easier for little kids to wear and harder for them to remove. Now the whole family can enjoy fireworks together!
Ear Plug Store
Again your local news is probably the best place for fireworks displays in your area but Map Muse is the largest online listing nationwide of fireworks your family can enjoy.
March for Joy
We spend our Fourth of July’s in the small town of Ocean Park, Washington and one of my favorite things is the crazy small town parade. The highlight being the employees from the only real supermarket in town who march together performing synchronized shopping cart maneuvers. Find a manageable parade by you – maybe one that lets your kid’s decorate their bikes or themselves to become part of the fun!
Kindermusick
Draw the Line
If your kids, and/or your husband are anything like mine they will want to set off a few fireworks themselves. I have never liked this part and can’t count the number of times I have had to pull kids back out of range. One year the kid’s had been drawing with chalk on the driveway earlier in the day so I took a piece of chalk and drew a large circle only dad was allowed inside everyone else had to keep their toes out! My enjoyment of fireworks went up considerably! Now that we celebrate at the beach and the kid’s are older I still draw an area in the sand and only the designated fireworks lighter is allowed inside. One person at a time, one firework at a time. For more ideas read Ten Fireworks Safety Tips That Can Keep Your Kids Safe this 4th of July collected with input from a Fire Marshall’s office.
Keep Down the Sugar
The 4th is already a late night filled with adrenaline pumping activities, tantrums are practically inevitable. But if you keep your menu on the healthy side, you can at least keep the sugar high from colliding with the late night excitement. Think clam bake or shish-ka-bobs rather than the millions of flag cakes on Pinterest.
Party City
Be a Rock Star
If you want to have the best 4th of July party on your block plan some unexpected activities for the kids in the long hours between dinner and fireworks. I love this idea from Alpha Mom to make 4th of July poppers that are shaped like rockets. You can find all of the instructions on her blog. It will fill even more time if the kids make the poppers before pulling the string!
Top it Off
Really go the extra mile and have your oldest child or a neighbor/babysitter watch some of the fun videos about how to make balloon animals on YouTube from the Twisted Sisters. It’s not the easiest one there but it certainly would be impressive to be able to master How to Make an Uncle Sam Hat! But let’s face it your kids would be impressed with a balloon sword or a wiener dog!
Whatever you do just enjoy your time together! I will be in a tiny town in Southern Washington, probably freezing, watching a shopping cart brigade and kids on bikes march the three blocks through town.
Weston & Kali at last year’s parade
Then we will be hanging on the beach, playing family sports, cooking over a bonfire and setting off some fireworks while I am fretting about keeping everyone safe. It will be marvelous, just like it is every year.
Colton in the holiday spirit – 4th of July 2012
Happy Fourth of July!