The American Flag: A Kid-Friendly Explanation: At Flags of Valor, we operate with one main goal in mind: service. We work hard to be able to give back to others and to our communities. With Memorial Day comes an influx of images of the American Flag as people take a few moments to remember our nation's heroes that have sacrificed their lives for our continued freedom.
Now is the perfect time to put your teaching hat on and take a few moments to explain the meaning behind the American Flag to your students or your own children. Here we have compiled a guide to help kids understand what the different parts of the American Flag represent. Take the following information and read it with your kids or get creative and put your own flair on it. Whatever you do, do it with pride. We'd love to see what you come up with! Take pictures and tag us on Facebook or Twitter to share your patriotism and love for our country.
The American Flag
The American Flag was made an official flag for the United States of America on June 14, 1777 at the Second Continental Congress. That date is now known as Flag Day. The original flag had the same familiar red and white stripes but at the time there were only 13 stars forming a circle that represented the thirteen colonies that settled in America.
The Stripes
There are 13 stripes, seven red and six white, to represent the original thirteen colonies that made up America.
The Stars
There are 50 stars representing each state in the United States of America. Every time a new state was added, the flag had a new star added. There was a lot of change in the flag between 1777 and 1959 when the last states, Alaska and Hawaii, were added.
The Colors
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Red
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Red represents hardiness and valor. The original settlers fought very hard in the face of imminent danger in order to be free of the reign of the British.
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White
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White is used as a symbol for purity and for innocence. People flocked to America in pursuit of a fresh start and a desire to achieve their dreams.
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Blue
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Blue shows vigilance, perseverance and justice. The battles for freedom were long and tiresome, but the original settlers were sure that they were making the right decision. Americans fought then and continue to fight today for freedom and justice for all.
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If you are looking for a project to help teach your kids about the American Flag, Flags of Valor has you covered. Check out their Kid's Flag Build Kit where kids can use their craft skills to assemble their very own American Flag.
As part of our mission to give back, Flags of Valor has partnered with DonorsChoose, an excellent organization that helps raise funds to assist teachers all across America in molding young minds by providing necessary equipment to help students learn.
Each purchase helps us to help them and many other charitable organizations. Check out our shop for more products you may also like!
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