How much do you know about Memorial Day? How much do your children know? This is a great opportunity to teach your family all about this important and special day. This is a day when we remember and honor those who died while serving our country in the U.S. military, it's a U.S. federal holiday observed every year on the last Monday of May. This is a often a three day weekend for most families.
Memorial Day is the last Monday of May
Honoring those that served can be as simple as taking some time out of the day to remember the true meaning of this important day and showing respect to those who have given their lives in service to our country, as well as by teaching your children about our county's rich history, the importance of freedom, and the sacrifices that have been made to make the U.S.A. what it is today. Memorial Day - Interesting Facts to Share with your Family.
When my son was in Cub Scouts, one of their traditions was to visit a local cemetery and place flags on the graves of veterans. We’d see other Scout troops there too—Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts—all quietly taking time to honor those who served. It was always a meaningful way to help the kids connect with the true purpose of Memorial Day, beyond the barbecues and long weekend. If you’re looking for a simple way to honor the day as a family, visiting a nearby cemetery to leave a flag or a poppy can spark some great conversations and leave a lasting impression on your kids. You can even make your own poppies with this easy kid-friendly craft—a thoughtful way to involve kids of all ages in the tradition.
Remember that "Freedom is not Free."
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Teaching the True meaning Behind Memorial Day
It's easy to get lost in the rush of sales, picnics, parades and fun during what many see as a long weekend kicking off the unofficial start to summer, and for some the end of the school year. However, communities all around the United States will have a variety of ceremonies and events to pay respect and remembrance to those who have died while serving our country. These events can be a wonderful way to engage and teach your children about the true meaning of Memorial Day. In addition to in-person events there are also some virtual events you can enjoy from the comfort of home.
In-Person Community Events
📅 Visit the Macaroni KID Conejo Valley - Malibu - Calabasas calendar for the most up to date Memorial Day event information.
Learn more by visiting Local Museums with your Kids
Some museum websites offer learning resources and virtual exhibits—but if you're planning an in-person visit, be sure to check the museum's website directly for the most up-to-date information on hours, admission, holiday closures, and special events. We do our best to keep everything current, but it's always a good idea to confirm before heading out.
Battleship USS Iowa Museum - Naval History Museum
Family-friendly and full of history, this is the only battleship museum open to the public on the West Coast. Explore interactive exhibits, climb aboard a real Navy battleship, and discover stories from World War II, the Korean War, and the Cold War. Known as the “Battleship of Presidents,” the USS Iowa hosted U.S. Presidents and served our country for decades. Expect plenty of walking, hands-on exploration, and photo opportunities along the way.
Open Daily: 10 AM – 4 PM
- 🖥️ visit online
- No reservations required
- Average visit is 2-3 hours - wear comfortable shoes, there is lots of walking and some stairs
- 250 S. Harbor Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90731 | phone: 877-446-9261 or 310-971-4462
- Located in San Pedro, just minutes from Long Beach
- Hours, Parking and Directions
American Military Museum - Also Known as Tankland
Step into military history at this outdoor, family-friendly museum featuring more than 170 military vehicles and exhibits from 1933 to today. Kids and history buffs alike will love seeing tanks, transport vehicles, and other military equipment up close in this hands-on experience known by many locals as “Tankland.”
- Public hours: Friday. Saturday and Sunday from 10 AM - 4:30 PM | Closed: Christmas Eve and Day and New Years Eve and Day
- 1918 Rosemead Blvd., South El Monte, CA 91733 | Phone: (626) 442-1776
- Closed Christmas Eve and Day + New Year's Eve and Day
Please note: This outdoor Museum will be closed during or after rain due to muddy conditions
U.S. Navy Seabee Museum
This free, family-friendly museum is a fun place for kids to explore military history, construction equipment, engineering, and hands-on STEM activities. Learn about the Navy Seabees - the “Can Do” construction force that helped build bases, airfields, roads, and more during World War II and beyond.
Young kids will especially love the Bee Fun Zone with free play activities, a reading corner, building stations, construction-themed fun, and interactive exhibits designed to spark imagination and creativity.
- 🆓 Free Admission and parking
- Museum hours: Monday to Saturday from 10 AM to 4 PM
- The Bee Fun Zone is open daily
- Events
- Reservations not necessary
- Located just outside Naval Base Ventura County
- 3201 N. Ventura Road - Naval Base Ventura County PH, Building 100, Port Hueneme, CA 93043
On the corner of Ventura Road and Sunkist - Front Desk: (805) 982-5165
- Closed Sunday and all national holidays
Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum
Bring the family for a day of history, amazing aircraft, and interactive exhibits at this hilltop museum overlooking Simi Valley. Explore the life and presidency of Ronald Reagan while seeing incredible exhibits including Air Force One, Marine One, an authentic section of the Berlin Wall, the Oval Office, an F-14 fighter jet, M-1 Abrams Tank, Gold Star Families Memorial Monument, and more.
The library also features rotating special exhibits and family-friendly holiday events throughout the year, so be sure to check the calendar before your visit.
- Check their calendar for special events and holiday activities
- Museum hours: Open Daily 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
- Closed: Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day
- 40 Presidential Drive, Simi Valley, CA 93065| Phone: (805) 577-4000
Not so local - but worth a Day or Weekend Trip to visit
USS Midway Museum and Aircraft Carrier Museum
Step aboard one of the most famous aircraft carriers in U.S. history and explore this massive floating museum in San Diego. Families can walk through real aircraft, tour the flight deck, explore crew living areas, and learn what life was like at sea aboard the USS Midway.
The USS Midway served for nearly 50 years and played important roles during the Cold War, the Vietnam War, the evacuation of Saigon, and Operation Desert Storm. Today, it’s packed with hands-on exhibits, historic aircraft, simulators, and fun photo opportunities for kids and adults alike.
This museum makes a great day trip from Southern California, or turn it into a weekend getaway and explore more family fun around San Diego while you’re there.
- Open Daily: 10 AM - 5 PM - last admission 4 PM
- Visit online for tickets, exhibits, and special events
- Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day
- (619) 544-9600
- 910 N. Harbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92101
Honor and Remember With your Kids:
1. Organize a neighborhood parade
Get the kids to decorate their bikes and trikes or use red, white and blue decorations to adorn wagons and strollers to parade around your neighborhood with others. If you prefer a socially distanced option organize a car parade through your neighborhood. End with a refreshing ice cream treat and enjoy the time with your neighbors.
2. Pause and observe a moment of silence
Anywhere you are at 12:00 PM PST pause for two minutes in memory of our fallen heroes.
3. Fly the American flag
On Memorial Day, the flag should first be raised to the top of the staff, then slowly lowered to half-staff, until noon when it should be raised to the top of the staff for the rest of the day. Guidelines for displaying the American flag
4. Visit a historical site or cemetery
Tour a historic battlefield or a soldiers' memorial for a personal look at the sacrifices made by our servicemen, many virtual options are available. Decorate the graves of soldiers with flags or flowers, many scout troops do this.
5. Attend a local event in honor of Memorial Day
Be it a parade, memorial service or another public gathering, join those in your community to mark this special day. There are also some virtual events to choose from.
6. Talk to a veteran
Take the kids to hear the story of a serviceman or servicewoman and encourage them to ask questions to better understand the sacrifices military members make. Bring cookies or flowers or a handmade note as a sign of thanks. Teach your kids to say "thank you for your service" anytime they see a military member in uniform. I often see retired military wearing a hat indicating they were in the service and I make it a point to thank them for their service.
7. Make a patriotic craft or recipe to commemorate the day
Enjoy some hands on kid-friendly fun by creating some patriotic art and tasty treats.
DIY A Beaded American Flag Pin to Show Your Patriotism
Make Poppies to Honor Memorial Day
Homemade Patriotic Fruit Popsicles
Get Crafty With Salt Dough To Make Patriotic Magnets
Recycle/Re-Use Craft: DIY Candle Holders
Did you know that . . .
- The Grand Army of the Republic began decorating the graves of fallen service members with flowers in May 1868, which was then known as "Decoration Day."
- Several towns across America claimed to observe their own version of the holiday as early as 1866.
- The first Memorial / Decoration Day commemoration may have actually been much earlier and organized by former Black slaves less than one month after the Confederacy surrendered in 1865, read more about it here.
- In 1971 Congress declared Memorial Day a national holiday, to be observed on the last Monday in May, moving it from the static date of May 30th, in order to create a 3-day weekend.
- On the Thursday before Memorial Day, small American flags are placed at each of the 400,000+ gravestones at Arlington National Cemetery and other cemeteries nation-wide.
- To encourage more people to observe Memorial Day, Congress passed the National Moment of Remembrance Act in 2000, which asks people to stop what they are doing at 3:00 PM local time and observe a minute of silence to honor those who lost their lives defending the country.
- On Memorial Day, the flag should first be raised to the top of the staff, then slowly lowered to half-staff, until noon when it should be raised to the top of the staff for the rest of the day.
- Red poppies are considered the Memorial Day flower. There is a poem called "In Flanders Fields" that refers to the fields of poppies growing among soldiers' graves during the First World War.
- Interesting things you may not know about Memorial Day
Learn more at:
"We come, not to mourn our dead soldiers, but to praise them." ~Francis A. Walker
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Updated by Macaroni KID Conejo Valley - Malibu - Calabasasas
