Our neighborhood is hosting a Fourth of July parade this year and would love to find some great ideas that aren't too expensive. What would you recommend?

You don't have to spend a bundle to throw a first-class Fourth of July parade. With a little planning and a lot of red, white, and blue, any family can organize a fun celebration of our country's birthday. Here are a few ideas to start your parade off with a bang:

•Have the kids decorate their bikes or wagons with tape, streamers, balloons, ribbons, or even blue and red soda cans tied to the back with string.

•Set out colored chalk and invite kids to draw sidewalk murals. They might try their hand at sketching colorful fireworks or a giant American flag. If you have a sunny, dry July, your sidewalk show of patriotism could keep the spirit of the Fourth alive for weeks.

•Use newspaper to make firecracker hats or posterboard to make Uncle Sam hats.

•Have the kids strike up a minuteman marching band featuring oatmeal-container drums, paper towel fifes and kazoos.

•Make a batch of red, white and blue twirlers--perfect for hanging from the front porch.

•Decorate a batch of star-spangled tees for parade-goers to wear.

•Set out red, white and blue face paints and let older kids paint stars and stripes on the younger ones' faces.

Ann Hallock is the editor of FAMILYFUN, a magazine for parents of kids ages three to 12 that reaches 1.3 million readers monthly. She also contributed to the books FAMILYFUN CRAFTS, FAMILYFUN'S PARTIES and DISNEY'S FAMILY COOKBOOK, and appears regularly on television, including the PBS series, "Hands on Crafts for Kids."