Your toddlers might be too young to wonder why they get the day off from school the last Monday of every May, but it doesn't mean they're too young to be curious, or to learn new things. They might instead wonder about the reasoning behind the parade (if your town has a Memorial Day parade), or what the special occasion is to have family and friends over for a barbecue. You can satisfy their curiosity by explaining in age appropriate terms what Memorial Day is and why we celebrate. 

How to teach young children about Memorial Day

Every child is unique, which means that "age appropriate" is a relative term. You and your partner know your child better than anyone, so it's up to you to decide how much information to give. 

Some parents shy away from telling their children about Memorial Day because it includes topics like war and death that parents worry might frighten their children. But experts agree that children are more frightened by what they don't understand, and that knowledge can be an effective antidote to that fear. However, if your children are too young to grasp the concept of death, or if you haven't had that conversation with them yet, Memorial Day might not be the best time for that lesson. Instead you can explain that Memorial Day is a time when we remember and celebrate our country's soldiers. If you have a veteran family member, like a grandfather, who is no longer living, you can tell your child that this is a day to remember and celebrate this family member, and even bring out pictures and tell stories about this person.

How to celebrate Memorial Day with young children

Take a moment

Every Memorial Day at 3pm local time, the nation takes a moment of silence together. Gather the family around at this time to be a part of this show of honor. 

Go to the parade

If your town hosts a Memorial Day Parade, take the family to show your respect. 

Honor fallen family members

Show your children photos of grandfathers or great grandfathers or other family members who gave their lives. This is a good time to tell stories about these special people. Or, take flowers to their tombstone to pay your respects. 

Teach them about what memorials are

Maybe there is a monument or a plaque in your town honoring a founder or someone important. Or maybe there is a rock marking the burial site of a beloved pet in the backyard. All of these give context to what Memorial Day signifies.

Show support

There are plenty of charities that support veterans or the families of fallen soldiers. To get your children involved in the charities, maybe set up a lemonade stand together and send the proceeds to one of these charities.

Get Crafty

There are tons of Memorial Day crafts to do! Get the paints and the crayons and the markers out and start creating unique Memorial Day flags. 

Wear the stars and stripes

Dress your kids (or even the whole family!) in stars and stripes to show your support. Don't forget to check out Tesa Babe's Memorial Day collection, available now.

That's all folks! We hope you and your family have a wonderful Memorial Day, and we thank all the soldiers who gave their lives for us.