Whether Independence Day falls on a Tuesday or a Friday, Fourth of July is meant for celebrating our freedom with family, friends, fun activities, and delicious food.
If you’re searching for ways to create a memorable experience this year, take a look at our top seven ideas for Fourth of July that are sure to keep your family entertained—without breaking the bank.
Opt for a parade and fireworks switcheroo
Did you know that 2023 set a new record for people traveling 50+ miles to celebrate the 4th of July? It was more than 50 million! If you’re accustomed to staying in your own backyard for the 4th, consider switching it up this year by heading from a big city to a small town or vice versa.
Each environment offers its own unique benefits. For instance, in a smaller town, you can park more easily, get a first-row view of a charming parade, and sit on school bleachers to watch a boutique fireworks display.
On the other hand, a big-city celebration will have more elaborate parade floats, more extravagant fireworks, and more ground to cover. (But keep in mind, you’ll have to deal with more crowds and traffic.)
Read more: Family Road Trip Hacks to Make Travel a Breeze
Host a food contest
Hotdogs, hamburgers, chips, potato salad—they’re all Fourth of July classics. If you’re including a backyard BBQ or potluck meal in your plans, how about gamifying it?
Add a contest element to the day by:
- Choosing one food type, such as cookies, salads, desserts, barbeque, or chili, and having everyone cook that type of food (consider keeping costs low with something that uses simple grocery store ingredients)
- Assigning a panel of judges (including children) to rank each dish
- Creating multiple awards to give out (i.e., most unique ingredients, most aesthetic, best-tasting)
Organize a tie-dye party
Yes, tie-dye can get messy, but the fun is well worth it. This ancient practice (which is surprisingly 6,000 years old) is making a comeback after its resurgence in the 1960s. Once you try it for yourself, it’s easy to see why! Create unique patterns featuring vivid colors with just a few rubber bands, paints, and white t-shirts.
For this activity, you’ll need one or more adults who enjoy fiber arts and don’t mind a mess, and tie-dye supplies from places like JOANN, Michaels, Walmart, or Amazon. Consider keeping it Fourth of July themed and use reds and blues on your white tees.
Plan a July 4th prize hunt
If your gang enjoys an annual Easter egg hunt, recycle it as one of your 4th of July ideas this year. Hide small prizes like sparklers, noisemakers, or American-flag-adorned sunglasses and party hats in an age-appropriate zone, whether that means the house, yard, or neighborhood.
Then, choose a hunt style:
- Shout “Go” for a free-for-all in the hiding zone
- Pair a map-reading lesson with a hand-drawn map that shows prize locations
- Use riddles to direct the search team to each subsequent hiding spot
Additionally, keep costs down by hitting a dollar store, Five Below, or Target for small prizes.
Make fireworks scratch art
Need some quieter crafty time? Kids of all ages can enjoy creating handmade scratch art paper, and then using it to draw dramatic fireworks designs.
For this activity, you’ll need cardstock, crayons, black acrylic paint (with a little dish soap), foam brushes, and toothpicks—a quick order from Walmart or Amazon should take care of any supplies you don’t have on hand.
Scope out new locations to watch fireworks
Some families have a route and schedule mapped out to reach their ideal fireworks perch each year—a key spot along a river, a rooftop view, or a hill near a casino or amusement park.
If you usually stop on the road to get a partial view of a far-off fireworks display after driving around too late, consider planning ahead of time this year.
Ask friends and neighbors about their favorite fireworks locations and secrets, check out online suggestions, and head out early with snacks, beverages, bug spray, and a bathroom break plan.
Organize a "rummage un-sale"
In the ongoing interest of decluttering and re-using, how about putting together a “free” pile at a July 4th gathering, where attendees take home anything they find useful? You may want to:
- Set up a specific table, blanket on the lawn, or other area for freebies
- Invite everyone to bring a few items to swap and share
- Plan for donating or otherwise re-homing whatever is left
Enjoy effortless earnings this 4th of July (and all year long, too)
As you plan your July 4th holiday, take advantage of RaiseRight to earn money back for your favorite church, school, or community organization while you shop.
RaiseRight makes it easy for families to contribute to fundraising efforts by simply using gift cards to pay for goods or services already in their budget. Plus, with RaiseRight, you’ll find hundreds of brands to shop from, including department stores, sporting goods stores, gas stations, grocery stores, hotel chains, and much more.
If your favorite nonprofit, church, or child’s school, sports team, or band isn’t using RaiseRight yet, help them learn more about how RaiseRight works or download and share The RaiseRight Playbook.
Or, if you're looking for more family-friendly activities and inspiration, check out more articles on lifestyle and parenting.
