Free Veterans Day Worksheets | Printable Activities for Students
Veterans Day is one of those school holidays where I think the activity needs a little more thought than “color the flag red, white and blue.”
There’s nothing wrong with coloring a flag, of course. But if we’re taking classroom time to recognize Veterans Day, it’s worth giving kids at least a little context about what they’re recognizing and why.
These free Veterans Day worksheets combine puzzles, writing, vocabulary and creative activities that parents and teachers can use as part of a larger Veterans Day lesson.
If you are looking for a Veterans Day activity for older kids, I have Veterans Day Writing Prompt worksheets in that link.
There are two student worksheets in the printable, plus answer keys for both. And yes, I’m calling them worksheets. Because that’s what they are. We don’t need to rebrand every piece of paper as an “activity mat.”
What’s Included in the Veterans Day Worksheets?
The first worksheet includes a Veterans Day word scramble, maze, a short writing prompt about what it means to be a hero, a question about when Veterans Day is celebrated and a creative medal-design activity.
The word scramble uses Veterans Day and patriotic vocabulary including veteran, soldier, American, honor, freedom, peace, brave, Army and flag.
The second worksheet includes a Veterans Day word search, connect-the-dots flag, thank-you card, camouflage design activity and the writing prompt, “If I Could Thank a Veteran…” Students also identify colors commonly associated with patriotism on Veterans Day.
Both answer keys are included, because nobody needs to spend their planning period searching a word search to make sure FREEDOM really is in there.
Download the Free Veterans Day Worksheets
The printable includes two Veterans Day activity worksheets plus answer keys. Students can work on Veterans Day vocabulary, writing, problem-solving and creative activities while learning more about the meaning of the holiday.
Use the entire worksheet, choose individual activities, or break the pages into smaller sections depending on what works for your students.
Download the free Veterans Day Worksheets below.
Veterans Day Activities With Some Purpose
The puzzles and word games are fine for reinforcing vocabulary and keeping students engaged, but I’d use these worksheets as a supplement rather than the entire Veterans Day lesson.
In particular, the writing prompts give you an opportunity to have a more meaningful conversation.
- What does being a hero mean?
- Why do we thank veterans?
- Who is a veteran?
- And perhaps most importantly, what is Veterans Day actually for?
Veterans Day honors people who have served in the United States Armed Forces. It’s observed each year on November 11.
That’s an important distinction because kids sometimes confuse Veterans Day with Memorial Day. Memorial Day honors members of the military who died while serving. Veterans Day recognizes all U.S. military veterans.
A worksheet isn’t going to teach that distinction by itself. A five-minute conversation can.
“If I Could Thank a Veteran…”
I particularly like this writing prompt because it can be adapted for different students.
Some students may write several sentences. Others might write one. A younger student could dictate an answer to an adult, draw a picture or create the thank-you card included on the worksheet.
And I would not require students to have a veteran in their family to participate.
We sometimes make school activities around military service very family-focused. “Tell us about the veteran in your family” sounds harmless until you’re the kid who doesn’t have one, doesn’t know one, has complicated feelings about a family member’s service, or simply doesn’t want to share family information with the class.
Keep the focus on learning about and recognizing veterans without requiring personal disclosure.
Using Veterans Day Worksheets in Special Education
These worksheets have several activities packed onto each page. That gives you variety, but it also means there’s a lot happening visually.
For some students, that’s going to be perfectly fine.
For others, I’d cover sections of the page and reveal one activity at a time. You can also enlarge the page, cut the individual activities apart, provide the scrambled words orally, scribe written responses or let a student dictate an answer.
If the goal is understanding Veterans Day vocabulary, difficulty writing shouldn’t prevent a student from showing what they know.
Same goes for the maze, word search and connect-the-dots. They’re activities, not a test of whether someone understands what a veteran is.
Veterans Day Vocabulary
The word activities can also be a starting point for vocabulary instruction rather than just something students complete independently.
Words such as veteran, honor, freedom, soldier, Army, peace, salute, brave and American appear throughout the printable.
Pick a few and talk about what they actually mean.
I’d be particularly thoughtful with words such as hero and brave. Rather than simply telling students that all veterans are heroes, you can ask what qualities they associate with a hero or what bravery means to them.
That turns a little word scramble into an actual discussion, which is considerably more useful.
What Grade Level Are These Veterans Day Worksheets?
I’d put these roughly in the grades 1-3 range, with flexibility on either side depending on the student.
The word scramble and written responses require more literacy than a typical preschool or kindergarten Veterans Day coloring sheet, while the maze, connect-the-dots and design activities are accessible to younger learners with support.
And, particularly in special education, I’d choose them based on the student’s skills rather than the number printed beside their grade.
And hey, since it’s November, if you’re looking for Thanksgiving Activities and Printables, more can be found in that link.