10 Family-Friendly Ways to Celebrate Memorial Day with Kids (Under Age 5)
Need some toddler-friendly Memorial Day ideas? These 10 fun, low-cost activities are perfect for little explorers — from parades to patriotic snacks.
Meaningful, Easy, and Budget-Friendly Ideas for Your Littlest Patriots
Memorial Day weekend hits differently when you have little ones. You want to make the most of the long weekend — but naps, snacks, and meltdowns don’t exactly fit into an all-day BBQ or crowded parade.
The good news? There are so many sweet, simple, and low-key ways to mark Memorial Day with kids under 5. Here are 10 ideas that combine fun, connection, and a little meaning — perfect for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers.
1. 🇺🇸 Attend a Local Parade (Just the Start!)
Many cities host short, kid-friendly Memorial Day parades with music, marching bands, and flags. Pack a snack and go early to avoid the crowds.
Here are 3 local (Westside LA parades) you can check out:
Three fun, family-friendly Memorial Day events happening across Westside LA — perfect for little explorers and big memories!
🇺🇸 33rd Annual Canoga Park Memorial Day Parade
Date & Time: Monday, May 26, 2025; Opening ceremony at 10:00 AM, parade starts at 11:00 AM
Location: Sherman Way from Owensmouth Avenue to Cozycroft Street, Canoga Park
Details: This heartfelt hometown parade features marching bands, vintage cars, and community groups. It's a vibrant celebration honoring our heroes and is suitable for all ages.
🎉 MAINopoly: A Taste of Main Street
Date & Time: Sunday, May 25, 2025; 1PM-5PM
Location: Main Street, Santa Monica
Details: This Monopoly-themed tasting tour lets participants sample dishes from Main Street's best restaurants and bars. It's an all-ages event, and kids will enjoy the game-like experience.
🏖️ Memorial Day Weekend Swim at Annenberg Community Beach House
Date & Time: Saturday to Monday, May 24–26, 2025; 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Location: Annenberg Community Beach House, Santa Monica
Details: Enjoy a family swim at the historic Annenberg pool. It's a great way to cool off and have fun by the beach.
2. 🎨 Make Red, White & Blue Crafts
Bust out the finger paint, dot markers, or pipe cleaners and let them create their own “flags,” stars, or patriotic handprints.
Even the messiest art becomes fridge-worthy.
3. 🧺 Have a Backyard (or Living Room) Picnic
Lay out a blanket, bring your toddler's favorite finger foods, and enjoy lunch outside. Add bubbles, chalk, or a water table for extra fun.
Low-effort win: Turn your regular lunch into a “picnic party” with zero extra planning.
4. 📖 Read a Book About Kindness or Heroes
While Memorial Day is about honoring fallen heroes, it’s also a good time to talk about bravery, helping others, and kindness.
Baby and Toddler-friendly picks:
Brave as Can Be by Jo Witek
Kindness Makes Us Strong by Sophie Beer
5. 💦 Cool Off with Patriotic Water Play
Add red and blue water-safe toys or frozen berries to a water bin, or create a red-white-blue splash with colored bath bombs or ice cubes.
Bonus: Keeps them cool and buys you 30 minutes of peace.
A festive red, white, and blue sensory bin that’s fun, safe, and totally baby-friendly for Memorial Day play!
6. 🌳 Visit a Veteran’s Memorial or Cemetery (With a Toddler Twist)
Take a quiet walk through a local veterans’ memorial or cemetery. Bring a flower or draw a thank-you card and place it together.
Keep it short and meaningful — even a moment of reflection matters.
7. 🍓 Make a Red, White & Blue Snack Together
Easy crowd-pleasers:
Strawberries + bananas + blueberries on skewers
Yogurt parfaits with fruit and granola
Star-shaped watermelon slices
Let them help "assemble" for bonus engagement.
Red, white & yum! These toddler-friendly Memorial Day snacks are almost too cute to eat.
8. 💡 Create a Kindness Jar
Inspired by the idea of service and gratitude, help your child come up with kind things they can do for others:
"Help clean up,” “Give hugs,” or “Share toys.”
Put them in a jar and pull one out each day this week.
9. 🎶 Play Patriotic Music & Have a Mini Dance Party
Even toddlers can jam to classics like “You’re a Grand Old Flag” or “This Land Is Your Land.”
Throw in some bubbles and streamers for extra flair.
10. 👨👩👧 Connect with Family — Past & Present
Use the day to share stories (in simple terms) about anyone in your family who served. Or just FaceTime a grandparent to say hi — it’s all about connection.
Final Thoughts
Memorial Day doesn’t have to be all parades and BBQs to be meaningful. Even small, simple traditions help introduce little ones to the ideas of gratitude, community, and remembrance — in ways they can understand.
Whether you’re crafting, playing, or simply spending time together, these early moments matter.
💛 Want more activity ideas tailored to your child’s age and interests? That’s exactly what we’re building at Maxplore.
Join the waitlist to be first in line when we launch!
The Story Behind Maxplore
Maxplore started with one simple question: why is it so hard to find baby-friendly classes near me?
Why I’m Building a Better Way to Find Activities for Our Littlest Explorers
Hi! I’m Sherrie — mom to a very active (and easily bored) little guy named Maxwell, and the founder of Maxplore.
Max has the attention span of a fruit fly. We set up a cute little playpen in our small LA apartment, thinking it would keep him entertained for a while. Five minutes in? He’s already whining. Ten minutes? Full-blown fuss mode. Nothing held his attention — not toys, not music, not even me performing my best one-woman puppet show.
From Fussy Walks to Big Realizations
Out of desperation, I started taking him on walks. And that’s when I noticed something magical: the moment we stepped outside, he stopped fussing. He was calm. Curious. Happy. Whether we were strolling the block or watching kids play at the park, he lit up.
That’s when it clicked for me: this kid needs to be out in the world.
Doing things. Seeing things. Exploring.
The Problem: Why Is This So Hard?
So I started searching for more activities we could do — storytime, baby classes, sensory play, anything that would get us out of the house and into the world.
And wow… it was way harder than it should’ve been.
I was juggling 15 open tabs. Some sites had outdated info. Others linked to broken booking pages. Instagram teased me with cute baby class videos but gave me no way to book them. And when I finally found something promising, it either wasn’t age-appropriate or was already full. It felt like a full-time job just to plan one weekday outing.
Sometimes just stepping outside was the reset button we needed — fresh air, new things to see, and no more fussing.
The Spark That Started Maxplore
That’s when the idea for Maxplore was born.
It’s the tool I wish I had: a simple, beautiful app where parents and caretakers can discover and book enriching activities for kids under 5 — all in one place. With filters that actually make sense. Real-time availability. Age-specific suggestions. From free library storytimes to premium movement classes — and everything in between.
Maxplore helps busy parents discover and book baby & toddler classes — all in one place.
What Maxplore Aims to Solve
Because those early years? They go fast. And they matter.
And kids like Max — the busy, curious, “what’s next?!” types — thrive when they get to explore.
Maxplore is for them. And for you.
If you’ve ever found yourself searching “things to do with a baby near me” for the tenth time this week, you’re not alone. We’re building Maxplore so that discovery feels easy and exciting — not overwhelming.
Join Us as We Build This Together
We’re just getting started, and I’d love for you to be part of it.
👉 Join the waitlist
👉 Or drop me a note with what you wish existed
Thanks for being here 💛
— Sherrie