Memorial Day Facts for Kids – Honoring America’s Heroes

Can you imagine placing flowers and flags on graves to say thank you to heroes who protected our country and sacrificed their lives? Keep reading to read about the importance of memorial day, why we celebrate it and some facts about memorial day for kids.

Introduction – What Is Memorial Day?

Memorial Day is a federal holiday held on the last Monday in May. It is a day to remember and honour United States of America soldiers who passed away during service. This day honours the lost lives of the soldiers and people respectfully remember and cherish their lost loved ones. 

The History of Memorial Day

The history and origin of Memorial day is rooted in sad events that happened in the United States. Memorial day began from the year 1868 as a day to honor the lost souls after the Civil War, it was called “Decoration Day” before. This day was declared as an official federal holiday from 1971 onwards and takes place on the last Monday in May. There is also a National Moment of Remembrance observed which is held on memorial day at 3:00 PM as a moment of silence across the country.

Memorial Day Traditions and Symbols

Here are a few memorial day traditions and symbols that people take part in:

• Flowers and Flags on Graves: People decorate graves with flowers and U.S flags to honour the lives of the soldiers and people who lost their lives for this country.
• The Red Poppy Flower: People wear artificial red poppy flowers on this day to symbolize the bloodshed by those who fought for this land and its freedom.
• Parades and Music: Many parades come out on memorial day with marching bands and are filled with veterans and families to honour the ones who lost their lives for this country.

How is Memorial Day Different from Veterans Day?

• Memorial day was originally a day to honor the people who died during the Civil war. After World War 1 to present day, this holiday got extended to mourning the U.S. military personnel who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. 
• Veterans day is intended to thank all veterans (living and deceased) for their service to the United States.

Memorial Day Facts for Kids

Here is a list of memorial day facts for kids:

• The first large ceremony was held in Arlington National Cemetery, 1868..
• The National Memorial Day Parade in Washington, D.C., and the Little Neck-Douglaston Memorial Day Parade in Queens, New York, claim to be the biggest Memorial Day parade in the country.
• Some of the largest parades take place in Chicago, New York and Washington, D.C.
• Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day.
• Memorial Day started out by honoring the fallen soldiers of the Civil War.

Memorial Day Activities For Kids

Here is a list of memorial day activities that kids can engage in respectfully:

• Creating Patriotic crafts like drawing the remembrance poppy
• Coloring sheets of flags of the U.S and poppies
• Solving crossword puzzles related to memorial day activities
• Make thank-you cards for veterans’ families
• Place flowers or flags at a local memorial

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Now understand why memorial day matters? This is a day to remember our heroes and pay tribute to them for their sacrifices. Children and adults alike should celebrate this day respectfully with their family and community!

External Links

EN – Memorial Day 2025