Memorial Day Craft for Kids: Fireworks Marble Painting

Let’s do a Memorial Day craft with the kids!

Memorial Day is an American holiday, observed on the last Monday of May, honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Memorial Day 2021 will occur on Monday, May 31.  – History

Memorial Day also marks the beginning of summer! Enjoy celebrating this holiday with your family and together you can make this fun and easy Memorial Day craft for kids which celebrates the red, white and blue while thinking back to the early “fireworks” that Frances Scott Key wrote about realizing that there is a cost to our freedom in America.

Celebrating Memorial Day with crafts for kids…

Easy Fireworks Marble Painting Craft for Kids

Fireworks definitely make me nervous when kids are around and for the most part, my kids have a love and hate relationship with them. But, for this craft I only heard squeals of excitement as they rolled the marble around the pan to create their very own fireworks!

I loved that this craft was so easy to put together and my boys had a blast. Their favorite part was watching the marbles roll in the paint. (And if I’m being honest, mine too.)

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How to Paint Fireworks with Marbles

Let’s start with the basics.  You will need just a few things — have the kids help round up your art supplies!

Supplies you will need

• • Marbles
  • Washable paint
  • Paper
  • Baking pan– like a cookie sheet or jellyroll pan

Marble Painting Directions

1. Place your white paper inside the cookie sheet baking pan. 

2. I used red and blue paint for a fireworks effect but you can use whatever colors you want. Place a small amount of paint in the pan. Just a tiny squirt. I made the mistake of putting too much the first time and had to redo it as it just looked like one big glob of red and blue paint on the paper.

3. Roll the marbles around in the pan.

4. Let it dry and start all over again with your next print!

Best Ages for DIY Fireworks Painting

My kids are 10, 7 and 3 and none of them got paint all over them, but I gave them clear instructions not to touch the marbles.

Because this is such a simple Memorial Day craft idea, the ideal age can be quite young.  Even toddlers can get in on the marble art fun because it doesn’t require any crafty skills.  Preschoolers love this simple marble painting activity because they can really embrace the process.  Kindergartners and above will look to control the marble which takes coordination similar to a in-person video game!

To make a more advanced activity for older kids: Have the kids blow the marbles around for an added twist to this activity!

Celebrating Memorial Day with Kids!

Using this as a Memorial Day Craft for Your Celebration

While fireworks are generally associated with the Fourth of July (which this craft would also be great for), we liked the idea of tying in a war reminder that kids could wrap their minds around.  The familiar words of the Star Spangled Banner, our National Anthem describe the scene:

O say can you see, by the dawn’s early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming,
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,
O’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there;
O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

Pairing this Memorial Day craft with one of our flag crafts (see end of this article) can be a really lovely way to talk about those who bravely fought so that we can be free.

Here is another fireworks craft for kids you might like…

More Fireworks Crafts for Kids

• If you want another way to make a fireworks craft, check out this fireworks glitter art idea that kids of all ages can do.
• We have another fireworks craft that works really well with younger kids, check out the fireworks crafts for Kindergarten!
• Another really easy way to make fireworks art is with a painting technique using recycled toilet paper rolls…yep, you read that right!  Here is the simple tutorial for making fireworks out of toilet rolls…or fireworks painting with toilet rolls to be more exact.
• Or if you want to try some straw painting, we make fireworks art that way too!

Let’s make a flag craft for Memorial Day!

More Fireworks Crafts for Kids

• Make a popsicle stick American flag craft for kids!  So cute.  So fun.
• Simple handprint, footprint and stamping paint ideas to create American flag craft for kids.
• We have found over 30 of the best American flag crafts that you can make…check out the big list!

Memorial Day celebrations start summer for families!

More Memorial Day Ideas for Families

1. We love these simple ideas for Memorial Day recipes kids will love, families can eat together and summer can be kicked off in a tasty way…
2. At your Memorial Day celebration this year, create this simple and lovely fallen soldier table poem printable activity.
3. This massive list of patriotic crafts will keep the entire family having fun together.
4. I absolutely love this big list of red white and blue desserts for any patriotic celebration.
5. These easy red white and blue patriotic food ideas are so simple kids can help make them!
6. Red white and blue decorated Oreos are a hit anytime!
7. Print off the USA banner for your Memorial Day celebration!
8. And don’t miss our giant list of over 50 family time ideas for summer…

How did your fireworks painting craft turn out?  What did your family do together on Memorial Day?