How to Honor Veterans on Veterans Day: 12 Ideas for Kids!

Last Updated on October 25, 2024

As a mom, I never thought much about Veteran’s Day until after I’d started interviewing World War II veterans for a novel I was writing. Yet as November neared, I knew I wanted my children to have the same privilege I did in getting to know the men and women who served our country.

So when Veterans Day arrived, we pulled out paper and markers and worked on posters. “Thank you for your service” and “Happy Veterans Day,” we wrote.

We got in the car and drove to the local Veteran’s Day ceremony. I was saddened to see that we were the only young family present. My kids held their posters as we listened to the speech, watched the 21-gun salute, and teared up as the bugler played Taps.

We’d planned on approaching some of the veterans after the ceremony, but they were the ones who approached us.

“Thank you for coming.”

“I like your posters.”

“Can I get my photo taken with you?” they asked.

Smiling veterans posed with my kids as their gray-haired wives snapped photographs.

I realized then how much us being there meant to these veterans, and after that I started considering what more we could do.

Below is a list of 12 ideas for how to honor veterans on Veteran’s day with your children. Some of them I’ve done with my older children. The rest of the list are things I’m planning on doing once my toddler gets older. What ideas would YOU add to this list?

12 Ways to Help Your Children Honor Veterans on Veterans Day

1. Interview a veteran.

Ask a family member, neighbor or friend from church to share his or her story. Use a video camera or digital audio recorder if you have one. Here are a few questions to get you started:

• What branch of service were you in? What type of work did you perform?
• Tell me about a couple of your most memorable experiences.
• What is one of the hardest things you faced?
• What was it like to come home?
• Anything else you want to share?

2. Support the Veteran’s History Project.

If you have older kids, have them do a more formal interview and submit it to the Library of Congress through the Veteran’s History Project.

3. Watch educational movies/films.

I recommend the short films Der Fuehrer’s Face and Donald Duck Army Ranger produced by Disney that discuss World War II.

4. Teach your children about the history of Veterans Day.

One great way to do this is through a Unit Study. Learn about how the holiday got started and about the men and women we honor.

5. Write a letter to a service person.

Check out doing this through the Packages from Home Project. Those who are serving love to know people think of them and care!

6. Have children draw a picture of Veterans Day.

Tell them to draw something that expresses what this holiday means to them. If your child knows someone in the military, they can draw a picture of that person.

7. Create thank you cards.

Take your cards to veterans at a local VA hospital or retirement community.

8. Attend a local Veterans Day parade or ceremony.

Make posters to take with you. Take time to introduce yourselves to the veterans afterward.

9. Learn how to properly fold an American flag.

This can also be a learning opportunity for parents! Discuss what each fold means together.

10. Call up your local VA hospital or VA organization.

Ask if there is a way your family can volunteer for the day. Who knows, you might just want to make it a regular occurrence.

11. Read a novel that deals with World War II with your teen.

I wrote a few, including From Dust to Ashes and Remembering You.

12. For more activities, check out this FREE Veteran’s Day resource guide. 

I hope you choose one or more of these ideas to get you started. I know your family will be blessed by the veterans you connect with … and they will be blessed by YOU!