Fun Independence Day Activities

Independence day is a national holiday. Maybe this independence day you can spend your holiday doing some fun independence day themed activities with your friends and family. We’ve put together a list of ideas for you to do.

Historic Field Trip

There is bound to be at least one place in the city or town you live in that is connected with the independence movement. It could be a monument dedicated to an important nationalist or freedom-fighter or even a historic place where an important event took place. This task might be a little difficult if you live in a smaller city so ask one of your grandparents or other members of your family if they have any inside information.

Maybe you can organise a group of friends (along with an adult of course) or just make this a fun outing with your parents. Find out all you can about the place you are going to visit and share this information with the people you go with.

What were they doing in 1947?

While you’re already talking to your grandparents about historical cites where you live, you should take the opportunity to interview them about their experience during the Indian freedom struggle. Ask them if they remember what they were doing on the eve of Indian independence.

Also ask what was the one thing they remembered (good or bad) about the first year of Indian independence.

Your parents would have been very young or not even born during that time. Find out how they spent Independence day in their childhood and compare it with yours.

Rowlatt Picnic

The Rowlatt act of 1919 gave the British government in India the power to imprison people they suspected of terrorism without a trial. It also restricted the freedom of assembly. The Jalianwalla baug massacre was a result of people in Amritsar violating this restriction of assembly.

This Independence day appreciate the freedom of assembly with a picnic. Organise a gathering of friends and family and have a picnic. Sometime during the picnic you can explain how this gathering is symbolic. Begin with explaining the Rowlatt Act and then the Jalianwalla baug massacre. Ask everyone to give thanks for being able to assemble and be together in the open.

Play an Indian Game

Our national sport may be hockey and the most popular may be cricket but this Independence day try getting together a group of friends to play a native Indian sport. Ask an adult in your family if they can teach you the rules to any of the following games:

• Gilli danda – This game is a a great local game played all over India. All you need is a gilli, a small oval shaped structure usually made of wood, and a danda or stick.
• Kabaddi – This south-Asian team sport is kind of like a fun variation of dog and the bone.
• Kho-kho – Think musical chairs with a twist. You’ll need to have enough space to arrange a line of at least 5 people spread out over a distance. https://mocomi.com/kho-kho/

Timeline of the Indian Independence Movement

The Indian freedom movement started with the Sepoy Mutiny and First War of Independence in 1857 until independence 90 years later. Here are a few important dates in that time period. Can you find out which what happened on these days and draw a timeline of it? You can call it the ‘Road to Independence.’

• May 10th, 1857
• December 28th, 1885
• April 13th, 1919
• August 1st, 1920
• January 26th, 1929
• March 12th, 1930
• August 08th, 1942
• August 25th, 1946
• August 15th, 1947

India House

India house was a boarding lodge for the sons and daughters of India who were studying in London. They would often face racism when looking for accommodation so Shyamji Krishna Varma founded it in 1905. He also hoped that doing so would promote nationalist views and be a platform for exchanging political ideas. It soon became one of the most important centres of Indian revolution outside of India.

Try and find out who were these people who were housed at 65 Cromwell Avenue, Highgate. Many key members of revolutionary conspiracies that were carried out in India and one very important one that happened in London itself.

Search the internet for the names Madan Lal Dhingra or William Hutt Curzon Wyllie and find out about a conspiracy carried out in the heart of London itself.

Freedom Fighter Pageant-

Here are some pictures of prominent freedom-fighters and part of the Indian resistance. Gather a few people, they could be friends or family, and dress up as them as these freedom-fighters. They must all do some research on their character.

• Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru
• Mahatma Gandhi
• Bal Gangadhar Tilak
• Rani of Jhansi
• Veer Savarkar
• Lakshmi Sahgal
• Bhagat Singh
• Subhash Chandra Bhose
• Kittur Rani Chennamma
• Shivaji
• Tipu Sultan
• Sarojini Naidu

Use a bed-sheet as a backdrop to set up a stage where everyone in the pageant can be featured. Everyone in the pageant will then come up one by one and present their character. They should state who they are and then say one sentence about their role in the freedom struggle.
Don’t forget to invite an audience!

THE FIRST STAMPS OF INDIA POST

Make a poster about the first stamps of IndiaGet yourself a poster-size chart paper and write the title

Underneath that write:

‘The first two stamps of independent India are very important in how they are different.’

Mentally divide the chart into two parts and draw the Indian flag on one side and the Ashoka pillar on the other.

Under your drawing of the Indian flag write:
The first stamp used for foreign correspondence had an image of the Indian flag. By putting the tiranga on a stamp, India was informing the world of its existence.

Under the image of the Ashoka Emblem write:
The Ashoka pillar is the Indian national emblem. This symbol taken from India’s rich history was uniting its citizens under one office.

How to make a Gandhi /cap from /newspaper

Go Fly a Kite

Kite flying in India has been a tradition for over 1500 years. Flying kites are a national passtime all across the country to the extent that we even have a festival where people fly and even fight each other via their ‘patangs’. Click here to learn about how to fly a kite.

Kite Flying

Independence Day Recipes :- Tri Colored Dhoklas

What You Need

• 1 Bowl Sooji / Rawa (1 portion)
• 1 Bowl Curd (1 portion equal to the rawa)
• Salt to taste
• 1 tspn Eno (soda)

9 Steps to Make Tri Colored Dhoklas

1. Mix all the above ingredients together adding the Eno last.
2. Divide this mixture into 3 parts.
3. To one part add grated carrot which will give the orange color
4. To one part add green coriander chutney
5. And the third part leave it as it it
6. Steam all these 3 portions in 3 different bowls or plates as per your choice. Mildly grease the dish that you are steaming it in. This mixture should be steamed immediately and not left to lie or else the soda will loose its effect
7. Steam for 7 minutes
8. Cut in any shape you want
9. Tadka – After serving it on a platter give it tadka with oil, rai, kadi patta and chillies if desired

Tiranga Sandesh or Tricolored Cottage Cheese Bites

These are healthy low fat desserts which are great for children as well as adults.
And whats more, the recipe takes 15 minutes to make!
What You Need

• 10-12 pcs
• 1 litre Milk
• 1 Lime – Juice
• 4-5 teaspoons sugar (ground in the mixy)

How to make process :- Bring the milk to boil and add the lemon juice in the milk constantly stirring it. The milk will curdle and the cottage cheese will separate from the water. Separate the cottage cheese and drain the water out. After it cools add the sugar and mix.
Make bite sized sandesh balls.

For the topping –
Orange – Used soaked kesar for flavoring and coloring
Green – Cut Pistachios

To read more interesting festivals for kids, visit: https://mocomi.com/learn/culture/festivals/