🎆 Independence Day
July 4 Grades K–5
The Fourth of July is America’s birthday — the day in 1776 when the Declaration of Independence was adopted.
📅 Next dates
- Saturday, July 4, 2026
- Sunday, July 4, 2027
- Tuesday, July 4, 2028
📖 The story
The 13 colonies declared that they were free from Great Britain. Thomas Jefferson wrote most of the Declaration, and the Continental Congress adopted it on July 4, 1776, in Philadelphia.
John Adams predicted people would celebrate with "illuminations" — and today fireworks light up the sky all over the country.
✨ Traditions
- Fireworks
- Parades
- Picnics and barbecues
- Red, white and blue everything
✂️ Activities
Paper-Plate Fireworks
- Splatter red and blue paint on black paper with a fork or straw.
- Add glitter for sparkle.
Fourth of July Trivia
- Make 10 questions about America’s history and quiz your family at the picnic.
Independence Day quiz
What happened on July 4, 1776?
Who wrote most of the Declaration?
Where was it adopted?
How old was America on July 4, 2026?
💭 Let’s write
If you wrote a "declaration," what would it say?
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