Elmer’s asked me to share a 4th of July–themed craft to keep little ones entertained with a simple summer project. I recently introduced this idea to my daughter’s preschool class right before Memorial Day. We created thank-you cards for veterans — a thoughtful activity any time of year, and especially meaningful for Memorial Day, the 4th of July, or Veterans Day.
The entire class was excited to try the new Elmer’s Early Learners Academy glue sticks.
Features They Loved:
- The triangular shape prevented the glue from rolling off tables and onto the floor, which kept our classroom tidier.
- The shape and size made the glue easy for little hands to grip and use independently.
- The purple glue color let children see exactly where they had applied adhesive, making placement easier and less messy.
Supplies
- Elmer’s Early Learners Academy glue stick and/or glue pen
- Pre-folded 4″ x 6″ note cards and envelopes (or make your own)
- Scrapbook, construction, or cardstock in patriotic colors and patterns
- Star punch
- Star stickers
- Glitter (optional, depending on how much cleanup you want)
Instructions
Precut your scrapbook paper to fit the 4″ x 6″ note cards. Offer a selection of patterns so children can choose their favorite background. Also precut some narrower strips of coordinating paper or cardstock for layering accents.
Use the Elmer’s Early Learners glue stick or glue pen to attach the background paper to the note card. Encourage kids to add layered strips for contrast and texture. The glue’s easy application and visible color help guide their placement.
Let children punch stars from contrasting paper and glue them onto the card. They can also add stickers, glitter, or simple drawings — there are no strict rules, and creativity is encouraged.
Design Ideas
For a guided project, help children make an American-flag–inspired card: choose red-and-white striped paper for the card background, cut a square of blue cardstock for the upper left, and add white stars. If you don’t have a star punch, kids can draw stars or use white chalk to create simple shapes.
My daughter’s teacher arranged a display of the finished cards at our local VFW post so veterans in the community could enjoy them. Each child’s card showed a unique design and heartfelt message.
Triangular in shape, the Elmer’s Early Learners glue stick and glue pen support preschoolers’ fine motor development by encouraging the pincer grasp and tripod grasp used in pre-writing. These skills, along with active manipulation of objects and imaginative play, contribute to early cognitive development and school readiness.
For more ideas, tips, lessons, and craft projects, explore Elmer’s Early Learners resources.
Buy It
Elmer’s Early Learners glue stick and glue pen are available at select retailers nationwide (MSRP varies by store).
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Elmer’s Early Learners Academy. The craft tutorial and opinions expressed here are my own.