Happy Birthday, America!   The History Behind July 4th July 4th is the United States of America's birthday. On July 4, 1776, America claimed independence from England with the signing of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Each year on July 4th, Americans celebrate that freedom and independence with cookouts, parades, professional fireworks displays, and family parties.   Did you know... America is celebrating its 225th birthday this year?   Independence Day is the first American holiday? (It's older than Thanksgiving!)	Did you know that the first official day of summer is June 21? Along with summer comes the warm weather, no school and all around fun, fun, fun, Before you know it, July 4th (Independence Day) will be here. It's important to remember to play it safe when it comes to fireworks this summer. Fireworks are exciting to watch but they can be very dangerous to touch and play with. Each year, fireworks injure thousands of kids. Here are some fireworks safety tips to remember when you are getting ready to celebrate Independence Day.   Sparky's Fireworks Safety Tips Fireworks are not toys. Always leave fireworks to trained professionals. That means sparklers too, which can get as hot as 1200 degrees Fahrenheit. (Wow, that's hot!) Attend only public fireworks displays put on by trained professionals and stay back at least 500 feet from the display. (Besides being the safer way to see fireworks, public fireworks displays are more spectacular that anything you'll see at home.) If you or your friends find fireworks, don't pick them up; tell a grown-up right away. Click here for a fun game to create your own virtual fireworks display. Make a "Sparky's Sparkling Sparkler" (Say that three times fast!)   What you need: pipe cleaners (red, white, and blue, of course), glue, glitter, and scissors   What to do: Cut two of the pipe cleaners into four pieces. Roll the eight pipe cleaner pieces in glue and cover them with glitter. When the glue is dry, glue the glitter-covered pieces onto the third, whole pipe cleaner. Let the sparkling sparkler dry. Make a bang at all your Fourth of July activities with your great, and safe, Sparky Sparkling Sparkler. Check out our other "Cool to Do" pages: Valentine's Day Snowdog! Countdown to a safe holiday "Turkey Tips" place cards Say thanks to your firefighters Back to school cool Sparky's Bike Safety Tips Sparky's Easter/Passover greeting cards Sparky's Safety Rap Origami Sparky Puppet Fireworks are Risky Business! Sparky's ABCs of Fire Safety Breeze into Spring with a Sparky windsock 20 Questions with an Emergency Room Doctor Sparky's Snack Time! Make Your Mark! 20 Questions for a Fire Chief Making Your Great Escape Fun!   Sparky® and Sparky the Fire Dog® are registered trademarks of the NFPA.
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