It’s time to celebrate at least two of our Presidents' birthdays this month. One is George Washington and the other is Abraham Lincoln. In my opinion, this is a time to remember all great Americans and there are several crafting ways to do this. Many of the ideas I have seen simply celebrate America, and there are those that are partial to these Americans who helped to found our country.

One of the ways to help to celebrate this holiday is to do crafts in a red, white and blue theme. You could make flags, stars or other patriotic themed items and string them along to make a decoration. You could also turn them into a banner to display in a room, on a door, or in the classroom. If you feel daring, you could make red, white and blue candles. We’ve saved the parts of our candles that have not melted, melt those down and use jars or other heat-safe items to make into new candles.

Do your kids like to put on puppet shows? It could be fun making puppets and acting out some familiar stories about the presidents. One of the favorites might be George Washington and the cherry tree story. This could be something that starts out very simple, but it could also be a very involved play, especially the set! Have fun crafting a cherry tree! This could be done using a variety of items. Try using paper towel rolls, toilet paper tubes and construction paper for a tree that could actually be “cut down” or use construction paper to make one for a backdrop of your stage. Maybe your child knows a story about Abraham Lincoln and you could make a puppet that has a “stove pipe” hat.

Another cute craft that I have seen on several sites is making a log cabin. You can use many different types of materials to construct this, but it would be fun to make it like a gingerbread house, but substitute pretzels for the logs. You could use a small milk carton for the base, or “glue” graham crackers together with icing for your base.

Will you be acting out a play and need a simple way to fix your hair like George Washington? Make a “wig” out of cotton balls glued onto a paper bag cut to size. Tie it off with a ribbon or yarn at the back and you look like President Washington in his wig. This idea could be adapted for any hair color by using different materials, or coloring the cotton balls. (http://www.freekidcrafts.com/presidential-powdered-wig.html)

I hope these ideas help you get started with ways to celebrate those who helped to develop the United States. It’s a great way to enjoy time with your children while getting in a little history lesson as well.