There is no denial that Memorial Day is often marked with picnics, baseball games, and viewed as a celebratory weekend to mark the onset of summer, but to so many Memorial Day is a time of honor and remembrance for those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country. If you are wanting to share and educate your family on the meaning of Memorial Day then I have rounded up some ideas and activities for you.
Local Ways to Honor Memorial Day as a Family
- Memorial Day Parade & Wreath Laying - Daley Plaza/Downtown (City of Chicago)
Saturday, May 25, Begins at 11 AM with Wreath Laying and Parade begins at 12 PM - Memorial Day Parade - McKinley Park Branch (Chicago Public Library)
Monday, May 27, 10 AM to 12 PM - Memorial Day Parade, Ceremony & Cookout - Rosehill Cemetery (American Legion)
Monday, May 27, 10AM to 12 PM (gates open at 8AM) - Visit the Harold Washington Library (400 S State Street) and see the current exhibit from the National Veterans Art Museum. This exhibit comprises 58,307 dog tags. Each dog tag represents a person in the Vietnam War and is arranged in date order of death. Each dog tag shows their name, casualty date, and military branch and is the only memorial, outside of Washington DC, to list all that were killed during the Vietnam War.
- Collect donations for our local VA Medical Center (Jesse Brown VA Medical Center) - items which are welcomed are magazines, coffee and cookies, new or gently used clothing and telephone cards. Homemade cards and pictures could brighten someone's day too. You can contact their Volunteer Services office for a current list of needs and to coordinate the delivery of items.
- Visit and pay your respects at a local Veteran's Cemetery by laying flowers on a grave or memorial. National and State Cemeteries can be located by visiting www.cem.va.gov. Rosehill Cemetery, which isn't a registered Veteran's cemetery, but is the final resting place of many fallen soldiers, typically hosts up to three services on Memorial Day. The Confederate Mound in Hyde Park's Oak Woods Cemetery is steeped in history and the local Catholic cemeteries hold a special mass to remember our soldiers on Memorial Day.
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Books and Activities Perfect for Memorial Day
- Teach your kids a patriotic song or poem like the Star Spangled Banner, My Country 'Tis of Thee, America the Beautiful, This Land is Your Land and the Pledge of the Allegiance. Older kids may enjoy and appreciate reading the lyrics and discussing what they mean.
- Check out books such as:
- "Johnny Tremain" by Esther Forbes is a Caldecott winner from the 40's and one of my personal faves as a kid. It is realistic fiction and great for readers 3rd grade and up.
- "How to Bake an American Pie" by Karma Wilson tells the recipe for America in this picture book. Recommended for ages 4 and up.
- "The Impossible Patriotism Project" by Linda Skeers is a great story, especially for children who may have a family member in the military. Recommended for ages 4 and up
- "Fly Girls: The Daring American Women Pilots Who Helped Win WWII" by P. O'Connell Pearson is a novel for middle school aged readers although I actually just purchased this book to read myself. I admit that I never even knew that there were female pilots in WWII!
- "Stars and Stripes: The Story of the American Flag" by Sarah L. Thompson is written for children ages 7 and up and will share the changes the US Flag has undergone over time.
- Get crafty as a family with one of these great activities or this one to make a Patriotic Place Mat
- Share these facts about Memorial Day
