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Everyone loves the Fourth of July, especially the kids. It is a time to be footloose and fancy free; a time to kick up your heels in celebration. This is why it's important to plan activities that will make the kids laugh until their sides hurt and activities the adults can have fun with too.

* WATER GUN TAG *

This variation of laser tag will bring gales of laughter out of your little ones, especially when they hit their desired target, which may just be you! Not only will they have to be sly and sneaky (without getting into trouble for once), but it will bring out the child in the parents as they let loose and pretend to be a child again. And let's face it, any activity that involves water on a hot day will be a sure "hit."

* PIN THE STAR ON UNCLE SAM *

Didn't we all love pin the tail on the donkey when we were young? This is another great variation, designed to remind our younger generation why we're celebrating in the first place. All you will need is a poster of Uncle Sam, which shouldn't be too hard to download, some stars to represent the fifty states, and a blindfold. Spin those kids until they can hardly stand straight and let them go to town! Whoever gets their star closest to his hat is the winner.

* WATERMELON EATING CONTEST *

This favorite summertime fruit is one that no one can get enough of, especially kids. So you line them up at the picnic table, set the timer for five minutes and away they go. I can assure you that you won't have any left over watermelon by the time they're done. Make sure they save the seeds though....

* SEED SPITTING CONTEST *

Our kids can be gross, we just need to admit this. If there is one thing that will tickle them pink, it's the opportunity to fill their mouths full of watermelon seeds, only to see how far they can spit them. Kids have this built in competetive edge, and if they win the title of "furthest seed spitter," their faces will surely gleam with pride.

* PATRIOTIC PINATA *

Now you can either make your own or buy one, but I have seen a million pinatas in the stores that are in the shape of the flag. We all know that kids live for candy so this is the perfect activity for them to engage in. Not only do they get to hit the heck out of something until it breaks, but to have it rain candy tops off the experience.

* WATER BALLOON TOSS *

Again, you can't beat a water based activity on a hot day. For this you can either have them use a basket to catch the balloons or they can attempt to catch them with their hands. Whoever succeeds in capturing the most balloons without breaking them is the winner.

* TOOTHPASTE TIME *

This one is great, especially if you have enough kids to break into groups of boys and girls. The object of the game is for the boys to lay on the ground face up with the girls standing on a chair above them with a tube of toothpaste. The boys will have an eight ounce plastic cup sitting on their chests. This cup is the intended target for the girls when they begin squirting the tube. Whichever boy-girl team has the most toothpaste in the cup at the end of the time limit is the winner. Beware though parents, it's not as easy as it sounds. Your child may smell minty fresh the rest of the day!

So there you have it - a compilation of July Fourth activities that every child (and adult) will enjoy. If you really want to make it fun, pick up some ribbons at the store to award the winners, just be sure that every child receives one for something. It really isn't hard to entertain our children. Usually it's the time we spend with them that means the most.

Learn more about this author, Mary Bubbins.
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