Inauguration Day is January 20, which falls on a Wednesday in 2021. This can be a great opportunity to learn about our nation, watch history in-the-making, and celebrate together as a family. Here is a list of fun and educational ways to celebrate Inauguration Day with your children, including what to watch, what to read, what to wear, foods to eat, and games to play!
Note: Many leaders are preparing for and expecting protesters and unrest. If you choose to watch live events, be prepared for that possibility, keeping your children’s ages and developmental levels in mind. Recording and watching it delayed is one option.
Inauguration Day With Kids: What to Watch, Read, Wear, Eat, and Do
Watch
What is Inauguration Day?
Before the festivities begin, watch this short video explaining what Inauguration Day is all about.
The Inauguration
President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will be sworn in around 11 a.m. CST. Mr. Biden will be sworn in by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. on the Capitol’s West Front. Ms. Harris will be sworn in my Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latina Supreme Court Justice. You can follow along and watch the event on most major networks, or stream online.
Lady Gaga and Jennifer Lopez will both perform at the inauguration, with Gaga singing the national anthem and Lopez giving a musical performance.
The Celebration
Normally, there would be an Inaugural Ball in the evening after the Inauguration. However, due to COVID-19, this tradition will be replaced by a prime-time television event at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, hosted by Tom Hanks and featuring celebrities including Justin Timberlake, Demi Lovato, Ant Clemons, Jon Bon Jovi, Foo Fighters, John Legend, and Bruce Springsteen, who will perform from locations across the country.
Read
With your kids, read through the oath that the Vice President and President will say. Look up the definition of any words they don’t know, and discuss what it means to make an oath.
President’s Oath:
“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”
Vice President’s Oath:
“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God.”
Wear
Get decked out in as much red, white, and blue attire as you can find! Take a photo and tag us @iowacitymoms!
- Red symbolizes hardiness and valor.
- White symbolizes purity and innocence.
- Blue represents vigilance, perseverance, and justice.
Eat
What’s a party without a themed menu?!
- Red White & Blue Galore! Choose some of our favorite Red White & Blue recipes from past 4th of Julys!
- Ice Cream: President Biden’s favorite food is ice cream!
- Chocolate Chip Cookies: President Biden’s birth state of Pennsylvania claims the chocolate chip cookie as its state dessert.
- Peach Pie: Delaware, the state President Biden represented as Senator, claims the peach pie as its classic state dessert.
- Avocado: The avocado is the state fruit of Vice President Harris’ home state of California! Serve it as guacamole alongside some blue chips and red salsa, or take it up a notch by making it into California rolls!
- Mixed nuts: Almonds, walnuts, pistachios, and pecans are California’s state nuts.
- Mini fruit pizzas: What could be cuter than these RWB mini fruit pizzas?
Do
Inauguration Workbooks
Download and print these workbooks for school-aged kids between kindergarten and sixth grade. Activities, lessons, and games are not only fun and educational, but they can make great keepsakes, too.
Inauguration Day BINGO
As you watch the Inauguration, make it more interactive by looking for these key elements in a game of Inauguration Day BINGO.
