Easy Memorial Day Poppy Craft to Honor Veterans

On the last Monday in May, we honor those who risked their lives for us in military service. A popular symbol of this day is the red poppy. Sales of poppies around the world are often donated to veteran charities and organizations on this day. You may also see the poppy around on Remembrance Day or Anzac Day. Let your kids create their own Memorial Day Poppy Craft using these easy templates.

The History of the Poppy

Poppies became symbols of war casualties through a poem written by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae. He wrote “In Flander Fields” after seeing red poppies growing where soldiers lay in fields. Over the years, others have been inspired by his poem and the poppy has become a symbol of remembrance on holidays like Memorial Day. Buy some poppies to commemorate the brave men and women, or create your own poppy craft to share their heroism with your kids.

Making the Memorial Day Poppy Craft

Before making your poppy craft, talk to your kids about Memorial day and its’ importance. Use books or relatives that are in the military to explain what it all means.

Creating the craft is simple. Print the flower template onto red construction paper or cardstock. Print the leaves onto green cardstock. Then, print the writing template onto plain white paper. We like to glue ours to a large rectangular piece of construction paper so the whole craft is stuck together.

I recommend having the kids write on the white paper before gluing it on the cardstock. Sometimes, the glue underneath makes a bumpy surface and their writing looks messy.

Curl the Poppy Petals

Want to make the Memorial Day Poppy Craft really POP? Use a pencil to curl the ends of the petals. Place the pencil at the end of the petal and roll it about halfway down the petal. When you let go, your petal will be curled a little bit making the flower look more realistic.

Play around with how much curl you want them to have based on what type of paper you use and how you want it to look. I usually just curl the edges of the top layer, but curl them however you would like!

Writing Prompts for the Poppy Craft

Depending on the abilities of your kids, there are nine different writing prompts to choose from. Create the craft by itself or choose one of the following prompts to encourage kids in their writing journey. They are all available in primary or single-lined versions.

• The poppy is a symbol of… – Let kids reflect on the symbol of the poppy and write about what they have learned.
• Memorial Day is about… – Use this prompt either before or after teaching kids about Memorial day. It might be fun to do one before a lesson and another after they know more. See what they may or may not already know.
• On Memorial Day, we remember… – Use this touching piece to remember loved ones who served or reflect on what it means to serve.
• I can celebrate Memorial Day by… – Encourage kids to think about how they can support veterans and those who have fought for our country.
• MEMORIAL DAY POPPY – This is an open-ended writing prompt that allows kids to write about the beautiful poppy and its significance.
• Remembrance Day is about… Let kids write about Remembrance Day in the month of November.
• On Remembrance Day, we remember… – This is a similar activity to the Memorial Day one, but it can be used in November instead.
• I can celebrate Remembrance Day by… – Let kids reflect on how they can show their respect on this special day.
• REMEMBRANCE DAY POPPY – Let kids write about what they know about the poppy and what it symbolizes.

Kids will be so proud of the red poppies they have created to commemorate men and women who have fought for our country. Use the Memorial Day Poppy Craft any time of year to decorate a beautiful and meaningful bulletin board display.

See the craft in action below!