Fun Bastille Day Activities for Kids

Even though we are away from France doesn’t mean that we can’t still enjoy keeping France’s Independence Day tradition alive; in our hearts as well as sharing the holiday with our children. So go ahead and carry on the tradition in North America by celebrating Bastille Day with the kids this July 14th for a Bastille Day blast of fun. They will treasure having to fantastic celebrations in one month.

1.) Party Preparations
If you plan to have a party for the kids on Bastille Day this year plan out the party by taking notes/ writing down what needs to be done and a to do list. Be prepared for a stress free time. Know things like this:

A.)How many kids will be there?
B.)Who will be helping you with the kids?
C.)Where will it be at?
D.)What to bring and so forth.
E.)Being well prepared with plenty of food and activities; will make this Bastille Day a Celebration that will be remembered for a lifetime; it’s all about enjoying the holiday, carrying on the tradition and having fun celebrating France’s Independence Day.

2.) Picnic
It’s very typical for the French to have a picnic to celebrate Bastille Day; just as we do on July 4th let the kids help out in the kitchen for an activity that will build confidence and math skills. They will be so proud of their creations too. There are many recipes for children for making many different food items; with the theme of France’s Independence Day colors and symbols. Let’s get busy and have the kids in the kitchen. They will love to help out in the kitchen with making stuff for the big bash. What do they want to make?

It doesn’t matter if it is a picnic with food made at home, or ordered out, or if you are barbequing. The kids will have so much fun celebrating the holiday at the park; or anywhere else you decide to take them to for Bastille Day. If there are toys around and other activities for them to do they will have a great time.

Yummy yums
Kids love to have fun and on Bastille Day let the kids help prepare yummy treats for a picnic. Kids love making stuff in the kitchen all you would need to do is supervise and give direction for the ingredients and let them prepare it themselves. They will love doing that. From cakes to cookies, to preparing healthy vegetable snacks, salads and fruit cocktails. Just guide them through it but make sure they get the pleasure of doing most of it their selves; as you walk them through every step of the ingredients list. Note: For safety reasons it would be best if you put the food in the over so they don’t get burnt; safety tips for kids under the age of ten.

White Cake
With the cake you can get white frosting and have the child/children put equal amounts of it into 3 small bowls. In two separate bowls have them drop in a few drops of blue food coloring into one bowl of the white frosting and mix it well. Next add a few drops of red food coloring to the other bowl of frosting. They can decorate the cake in the traditional Flag Colors of blue, white and red with having the three bowls with the theme colored frosting.

Sugar Cookies
They can use the same method with sugar cookies as well by using the traditional Bastille Day celebration colors. The grocery stores carry cake decorating ingredients like icings, sprinkles, and stuff like that for decorations. The kids will love designing their style cookies for the picnic party.
Note: You can find great recipes with the French Food guide’s for a Bastille Day Picnic on your search engine.

3.) Activities
Kids automatically enjoy entertaining their selves in a large group with games like: Hide -and- Seek, Tag, Hop Scotch, (with sidewalk chalk) Jump Rope, and stuff like that. If you want a time for them to remember for a lifetime then encourage them to play advanced games for prizes and they will be so excited about that and also they will get a good workout while they are having a blast playing with their friends and family.

Make sure you are prepared with plenty of games and activities to keep them entertained with lots of fun activities for the celebration of the day. Kids love to play games. If you have a large group of kids with you for this Bastille Day know what they like to do the most, and incorporate that into the day. Plan ahead so you will be well prepared. There are plenty of back yard games to play like:

A.)Horse Shoe
B.)Lawn Darts
C.) Badminton
D.)Volleyball
E.)Scavenger Hunt
F.)Potato Sack Races

4.) Pool Party
Kids love having a pool party. You can let your child/children send out invitations to their friends for a pool party for Bastille Day; or you can choose another body of water that is a safe place for kids to swim while they are supervised. It really doesn’t matter if the party is at the pool, lake, and river or at another body of water for swimming. If you plan having them out on a body of water at the lake or river in a boat make sure they all are wearing life vests for their own protection. It is best to be prepared with sunscreen, drinking water and a snack for them. I pack a bag of frozen fruit for the kids for when we have Pool Parties. They love snacking on frozen fruit.

*Pool Games
A.)Marko Polo, is a game where one kid closes his eyes in the pool and says, “Marko” and he listens to the other kids when they say “Polo” he is to point directly at and name who the kid is and if he points and gets the name right than that child is now it. There is another version of this game that kids play and it is after the kid that is it closes his eye’s and says, “Marko” the other kids say, “Polo” but the kid that is it has to actually touch another child by following the voices he here’s when they call out “Polo. The two names are said until someone else gets picked.

Also there is:
B.)Treasure Hunt, Have the kids’ backs’ to the pool and toss coins into the pool. They will enjoy getting to turn around and dive around for their treasure that they find and most of all get to keep! They love this game too.
C.)Beach Ball, they can toss the ball to each other in the pool with the game: “Keep Away” or they can choose just to toss and hit the ball back and forth to each other in the pool. Even adults like to play that game. Don’t forget to pack along lots of water toys, inflatable air mattresses, and water tubes, bring goggles, towels and enjoy this Bastille Day with the children because they sure will with your help.

5.) Music/Singing
You can enjoy music and songs with the kids to celebrate this day by showing your French spirit on Bastille Day; maybe, try singing the French national anthem, “La Marseillaise,” in English or in French with the kids. A CD would work too; and you all can sing along to the song as well. If the kids love to dance they could sing and dance to the music as well.

*The Tradition
If your children don’t know about Bastille Day and you want to teach them about it through fun activities and knowledge of the history behind the first day of the celebration that took place on July 14, 1789 then teach them about it. By teaching them: how, when and where it all happened. That way they understand and will be more out to carry on the tradition of Bastille Day with their own families someday.

6.) Read a Story
Try reading a story about the French Independence Day and maybe have them do a fun activity afterwards by using the blue, white and red French Flag colors. Try an activity according to age group; Bastille Day theme coloring books and activity books about France’s Independence Day. You can order these online if you check you search engine.
A.)Color books
B.)Dot to dot books

7.) Arts & Crafts
If you have a party at home for the kids you could have a table set up for painting, drawing and other art work creations. Try having some of this stuff out on a table or picnic bench ready and waiting for the kids to have fun with. You can even add to this list of items:
A.)Colored Construction Paper
B.)White Paper
C.)Paint
D.)Paint Brushes
E.)Glue
F.)Scissors
G.)Sparkles in the theme colors
H.)Small buttons
I.) Feathers, that is small and colored with the main theme colors. There are lots of other stuff that they can glue on their crafty decoration pictures’ or they can make cards or whatever else they decide to do with the supplies that are handy for them to create their magnificent pictures. Let them choose how they do it and make it for building self esteem and confidence as they build up artistic skill level.

The main thing is for these kids to have fun on Bastille Day by celebrating Frances Independence. Once the children are done doing a couple of the things on this list they will be tuckered out; and you might be able to start kicking up your feet and relaxing after a success day of fun enjoyment.

For more information contact the: French Chambers of Commerce. They are all over the globe. So check it out and see what additional celebrations are happening in your area; for the nearest French Chamber of Commerce in your area.

Check out France’s, Bastille Day pintables for kids:
http://www.crayola.com/calendar/detail.cfm?event_i d=66&year;=2008