Celebrate Canada Day with these fun and easy activities for preschoolers. Many ideas are hands-on and can be done at home, while others can be completed while you are out and about. These activities explore the history, nature, Canadian flags, the maple leaf, Canadian food, and more. Here are some Canada Day activities for preschoolers:
Canada Day Activities for Preschoolers: Make an all-Canadian snack
In addition to a Canadian-themed snack, make sure to include some Canadian snacks. These typically feature maple syrup, berries, and other traditional flavors.
- Toast multigrain bread (make sure it’s not from another country).
- Again, don’t use anything imported)
- Roasted almonds or cashews
Read more: 7 Canada Day Fun Facts But You Didn’t Know
Canada Day Activities for Preschoolers: Painting
There are lots of pictures online that are great for this activity, but here are some ideas:
- A Canadian flag (you’ll probably even find it on the internet)
- A picture of a moose or bear (you could look up images online)
- How to clean up:
Host a Canada Day party at a park.
- Choose a park close to your home. It can be any size, but it is best if it has some shade because the kids will probably get thirsty and want to stop for snacks.
- Bring a picnic basket and a blanket. You will need them for your picnic later on in the day!
- Bring some toys to play with at the park, such as balls and frisbees.
- Pack some snacks! This is so important because you don’t want your hungry kids running away from you while hunting for food at the park!
- Make sure you have a camera handy so that everyone can take pictures together after having fun at the park!
- Take along music on an MP3 player or portable radio—it’s always lovely to listen to music when having fun outside in nature like this one (did I mention there were mosquitoes?).
Check also: Happy Canada Day Memes, Messages, Jokes
Dress up as a Mountie.
An excellent way for your kids to celebrate Canada Day is to dress up as a Mountie. The Canadian Mounties were established in 1873 and became famous for their red tunics, Stetson hats, and Sam Browne belts.
If you’d like your preschooler or kindergarten-aged child to dress up as a Mountie this Canada Day, be sure they have all the right gear:
- Jacket (easy to find online).
- Hat (either purchase one online or make it yourself).
- Boots (you can find them at most department stores)
Make sure you also have everything else any law enforcement officer would need: handcuffs and a nightstick if possible!
See here: Things To Do On Canada Day: Celebration, And Anniversary
Canada Day Activities for Preschoolers: Play a traditional Canadian game
If you’re looking to teach your child about Canada’s culture, consider teaching them a traditional Canadian game like ice hockey or lacrosse. You can even play it outside if the weather is nice!
In case you don’t know how to play these games, here are the basics:
- Ice hockey requires two teams of five players who use sticks and a puck (a hard rubber disc) to hit the opposing team’s net in order to score points. The first team to score 16 points wins!
- Lacrosse is another popular sport where two teams try to achieve goals by throwing or carrying a ball into an opposing team’s net. To make this game safer for your preschooler, stick with non-contact versions of these sports that encourage teamwork and good sportsmanship instead of physical contact between players.
Decorate Canada flags
Canada Day is an excellent opportunity to teach your preschoolers about the country of Canada and its flag.
- Have the kids decorate their own Canada flags. You can use red and white paper and let kids cut out their own maple leaf shapes to glue to the flag.
- Read books about Canada from the library, or check out some fun children’s songs online and put them on for a sing-along session in honor of this holiday!
Tell the History of Canada Day
To celebrate Canada Day, tell stories about how Canada became a country and some of its history. You can read books that tell you more about the official languages, the national anthem, and the symbols of Canada. You could also build a model of the Parliament buildings in Ottawa or make paper Canadian flags to hang on the wall.
The first Europeans came to what is now Canada during the 16th century. At that time, only a small number of French people lived there, but by 1763, most of them had moved away from what is now Ontario because they fought against Britain during the Seven Year’s War (1756–1763).
French Canadians mainly live in Quebec, where they speak French as their first language, but many also learn English at school so that they can communicate with other Canadians who speak only English as their first language.
Visit historical sites
If you live in a city, chances are there’s a historical site nearby. You can take your child to visit where the first Thanksgiving celebration happened or where a famous leader was born. This is also a great way to learn about Canada’s history!
If you’re not sure what historic sites are in your area, look them up online and see if there’s anything that interests your children.
Watch Canada Day celebrations on TV.
Watching Canada Day celebrations on TV (such as those held in Ottawa) is a great way to teach kids about Canada Day. You can watch the celebrations from your home, and you can also watch them on the internet, or even on your phone!
We hope you have fun celebrating Canada’s birthday with your little ones!
