A great way for kids to learn about what Independence Day means is to have them make a collage. By finding various pictures in magazines, catalogs etc.. they can identify what it means to be American and what our independence means to all of us. Also, this is a terrific exercise to develop eye hand coordination and fine motor skills.

What you need:

• Poster board
• Old magazines, catalogs
• Glue sticks
• Scissors

What you do:

1. A nice way to kick off this project is either to read a story about Independence Day or have a discussion about what Independence Day means. This lays a foundation for the kids to build on.
2. The children can look through the magazines for pictures that represent independence and America. After cutting these out it is a good idea to lay them on the poster board to see how they look.
3. Once you have decided the location of the pictures, use the glue stick to attach them to the board. A nice added touch may be red, white and blue streamers to decorate the perimeter of the completed board.

Meet the Author
Pamela Waterman
"The Absolute Best Play Days"
From airplanes to zoos (and Everything in Between)
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Pam Waterman has written a terrific activity book for all 2-6 year olds called The Absolute Best Play Days. Pam's wonderful book is sure to keep your children busy and learning- all at the same time!!   She has grouped activities according to themes.  Pam gives us everything for your child to do that goes with the theme - arts and crafts, titles of books and videos, music, and even snacks! Each of her 52 themed activities is good for a week's worth of fun. This is one clever and fun book for the whole family.

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Artistic adventures into a world of paints, pastels, ethnic and recycled art, sculpture, 3D art, still life, perspective, charcoal, landscapes, batik, silkscreen, and much more. Encourage kids' natural creativity while exposing them to the styles of art through the ages. 500 illustrations.