Inauguration Day – How to Celebrate With Your Kids

Barack Obama will be sworn in as the 44th president of the United States on Tuesday, January 20, 2009. This is a historic event to share with our children.

Read books about Obama, plan a party, have a parade, and decorate your house. Hang streamers, and blow up red, white, and blue balloons.

Plan a patriotic menu of red white and blue food:

– Appetizers: red salsa, blue corn chips and white popcorn
– Lunch / Dinner: Serve Obama’s favorite food: Chile, mexican food or pizza
– Dessert: Make patriotic cupcakes and serve Ben & Jerry’s Yes, Pecan! Ice cream.

Make simple things like napkin rings, placemats, or noisemakers or for the advanced crafter make a white house out of Popsicle sticks. Find the project how-tos on the Amazing Moms and Kaboose.

The inauguration along with LOTS of other commentary will be aired on most of the networks, including MTV and Nickelodeon from morning until night.

If you would rather not watch this historic event alone here is a list of where to watch the Inauguration Live in Rhode Island on January 20, 2009. If you know of other venues, please tell us in the comments below.

Inauguration Watch Celebration

Sponsored by Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch
Watch the inauguration on a big—screen TV at Providence Performing Arts Center Inauguration Watch Celebration.
Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC)
220 Weybosset St., Providence, RI
Phone: (401) 421-2787
Doors open at 10:30 a.m.
The swearing-in ceremony for Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden is set to begin at 11:30 a.m.
Cost: Free, open to the public

Inauguration viewing at Rhode Island State House

Hosted by Lt. Governor Elizabeth Roberts to host
The Rhode Island State House
82 Smith St., Providence, RI
phone: (401) 222-2357
The event will be in the Bell Area Rotunda.
Doors open at 10:30 a.m. for the ceremony beginning at 11:00 AM. It is free and open to the public.
Cost: Free, open to the public

More Inauguration Activities you can do with your children:

If You Were President
Scholastic has a little website where kids can see what it’s like to be president. They must choose their cabinet, make a balanced budget and then be interviewed by the press about their decisions. At the end it creates a newspaper article about their presidency with their own real quotes.

PBS Kids’ Speak Out
Watch videos of kids talking about what they’d like to see Obama do in office to make the world a better place, then vote for the ideas you think are best. Kids can also submit their ideas for Obama.

Read books about Barrack Obama
Read Barack Obama: Son of Promise, Child of Hope by Nikki Grimes and Barack by Jonah Winter. Children can learn more about the life of Obama from boyhood up to now.