As parents we know the importance of Remembrance Day but it can be hard for kids to relate to, especially when their attention is drawn to more festive events around Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. We’ve found some Fabulous ways to remember our veterans and mark Remembrance Day with your family.
| Colouring Pages |
Colouring is an activity even the youngest kids can do. Some websites like Coloring and Coloring Book Fun have a few Remembrance Day themed pictures you can print off for your kids to colour.
The Veterans Affairs Canada has a variety of other activities to help kids understand the importance of Rememberance Day and our veterans.
The website The Color also offers a few Remembrance Day pictures you can colour right online, including a nice Canadian Flag.
| Crafts |
Remembrance Day crafts can be made as a gift for a veteran you know or as a decoration in your window to show your support. Working on the crafts gives you a great opportunity to talk more about the significance of the day and it’s symbols. Kinderplans has a few craft ideas, including a Cross Craft with a poem
DLTK’s Growing Together has a large assortment of poppy crafts, including a fingerprint poppy and a lacing poppy. If you are a coffee drinker, than this coffee filter poppy on Kaboose might be something you want to try.
| Poems and Songs |
A great way for kids to remember the meaning of something is through stories, poems and songs. CanTeach provides the words to some of the more famous Remebrance Day poems and offers up a few you many not know but your children will be eager to learn.
| Books |
Stories are also a great way to address a topic, like war or death, in a way you might not know how to do yourself. Some stories ideal for Remembrance Day are A Bear in the War (5-8) from Key Porter, Proud as a Peakcock, Brave as a Lion (4-8) from Tundra Books, A Poppy is to Remember (5-9) from Scholastic Canada and The Kids Book of Canada at War (9-12) from Kids Can Press.
| Stories from WWII Veterans |
There are books we can read and photos we can look at, but nothing compares to hearing a first hand account from an actual veteran. The problem of course is that not many of the World War veterans aren’t around to share their stories. The Memory Project is working to preserve these memories while these storytellers are still around.
| Say Thank You |
You can show our veterans that you appreciate the sacrifice they made so many years ago by sending them a postcard. Veterans Affairs Canada has a postcard you can print off as well as a list of addresses for veteran associations and hospitals where you can send your postcard.
The Veterans Affairs Canada site also has an online email form where you can send your support to the troops currently serving over seas, away from their country, family and friends.
| Baking |
No special occasion is completely without a little baking. I love these Remembrance Day cookies from Vanilla Bean Baker and a Piece of Cake’s Poppy Cake is a great idea too