Happy 4th of July everyone! May your barbecues sizzle, your flags fly high, and your toddlers not have access to firearms.

Have fun and stay healthy,
Dr.MOZ

(vintage card on Flickr)

If you’re looking for a collection of fun (and cheap) things to do with the kids this holiday weekend, here are four ideas from your favorite moose M.D. All four patriotic ideas can be

enjoyed for $4 or less from anywhere in the US!

1. Make a Patriotic Pinwheel: One of my favorite craft blogs Skip to My Lou has a fun pinwheel project. It comes with three free templates ready to print. (expected cost for paper and ink used, under $1)
2. Go to a 4th of July Parade: The kids will be bouncing off the walls first thing in the morning, so why not pack them up and head to the nearest parade? Nearly every town in the country will have some kind of parade or festival, and you’ll finally have a use for those pinwheels you made earlier. By the way, don’t forget to pack the sunscreen and a few snacks! (expected cost for event, $1-$4 for gas)
3. Sidewalk Chalk Drawing Contest: Most kids love drawing with chalk, and the bigger the canvas the better. I recommend holding a patriotic-themed sidewalk chalk art contest. Just make sure everyone wins by rewarding your little artists with the prize below. (expected cost for chalk, $2-$4)
4. Celebrate with a Root Beer Float (aka “Brown Cow”): The “ice cream soda” is an American treat invented in the late 1800′s and the root beer (aka sarsaparilla) version has always been a favorite. All it takes for the perfect root beer float are a few glass mugs, one pint of vanilla ice cream, and your favorite old-fashioned root beer. (expected cost, $2 ice cream + $1.50 quart of root beer = $3.50)

I’d love to hear about your July 4th festivities and patriotic projects, so click on the comments bubble above to share your ideas!

Have fun and stay healthy,
Dr.MOZ

Toddlers and Fireworks:
Despite the fact that you may have played with fireworks as a child, no form of firework is safe for a small child. This includes sparklers which burn incredibly hot and and where responsible for 1,100 injuries to children under 5 last year alone. Approximately 40% of all 4th of July injuries occur to children 14 and under, so try and find new ways for the little ones to participate in the light show. A few creative options might include giving your toddler the important position of “king of the flashlight”, or handing

out glow sticks which make them more visible in the dark and are great fun at night.

Pets on the 4th:
Our dogs and cats are particularly vulnerable during the 4th, and the main danger tends to be their own fear. They often panic when surrounded by the loud explosions and hurt themselves while attempting to escape. I recommend keeping both cats and dogs indoors during the festivities. In a perfect situation, owners would stay at tome with their pets throughout the day and night. If you decide to go to a fireworks show at night, leave your pets at the house and keep the blinds closed. The less chaos they are exposed to from outside the better off they will be.

Adults:
You’ve probably already heard the usual safety steps from all directions earlier in the week, so we’ll emphasize one single tip. Stay away from firecrackers! According to the last fireworks injury report provided by the Consumer Product Safety Commission in 2005, firecrackers were responsible for 1,700 of the 6,500 fireworks-related injuries and they grow each year.

Thanks for visiting and have a safe and healthy 4th!

Yours,
Dr.MOZ

The 2006 issue of the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s Fireworks Annual Report (pdf file) suggests proves that there is nothing more dangerous on July 4th than an American male with a handful of firecrackers. I think most of us are more surprised to hear that the Fireworks Annual Report actually exists than we are to know that men regularly blow themselves up on the fourth, but here are four government-backed safety systems currently in place that you may not be aware of:

1. The War on Watermelons by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (jump to .mov)
Executive Summary: (a) stay away from watermelons with M-1000s packed inside, and (b) blowing-up illegal fireworks by destroying creepy mannequins is a “win win”.

2. The George H. Bush Fireworks Movie (jump to .mov)
Executive Summary: (a) he has faced many challenges, and (b) “don’t let youngsters light fuses”, and (c) keep a “bucket’a water nearby”.

3. Kidd Safety (jump to Kidd Safety Fireworks site)
Executive Summary: (a) kids should NEVER play with fireworks, and (b) blowing-up watermelons looks like more fun than hang’in with Kidd Safety, and (c) time for new safety mascot.

4. The National Council of Fireworks Safety Test (jump to safety test pdf)
Executive Summary: (a) most Americans take fireworks safety tests right before they begin drinking on the 4th, so we should all be fine, and (b) consider carrying a fire extinguisher until the 5th.

So there you have it folks, we are all really pretty safe when you consider the government programs running behind the scenes. In the off chance you were hoping for actual safety tips for the 4th, come back tomorrow for a full collection of slightly more useful ideas.

Happy 4th of July!
Dr.MOZ