Presidents Day is today, and I am sure you have the kids at home and you probably feel more inclined to just stay inside; especially if you are in regions where the weather isn’t so favorable. I understand your sentiments, trust me! I believe President's Day can be overlooked; and it doesn’t help when the current President is one that doesn’t serve the rights of the people, no matter what political party affiliation you prefer. Nevertheless, President's Day is a day we
should teach our children about politics on a small scale (heavier scale for those teens) additionally, it's a day when we can share with them information about the Presidents that
have been important to the history of our nation and to African Americans (since its Black History Month). I have a couple activities you can do an AT home that can make you feel confident that your child learned something new today about a President that they didn't know before.
Money - Presidents are the face of the U.S. Currency. Sharing with your children who those individuals are and why they got a spot on currency is a great way to hone in on the day. With using Credit/Debit cards so much, I think this is a great day to play around with currency.
Movie Time - Check any streaming service you subscribe to and watch for movies that are President based or are about actual Presidents. Here are a couple options:
“Southside With You” - This is for the teen who is well aware of President Obama and would like to enjoy the backstory to how him and Michelle Obama got together.
“Game Change” - A look into John McCain's Presidential campaign. This is for the teens that understand the presidency but are interested in a deeper knowledge about those campaigns.
“The Special Relationship” - All about the relationship between President Bill Clinton and British Prime Minister, Tony Blair.
“The Wheelchair President” - This is a wonderful way for your child to understand that even with a disability, you can still be President.
“Barry” - This movie is a great inside scoop on the makings of President Obama.
“Young Mr. Lincoln” - Film about Abraham Lincoln in his younger days.
“Lee Daniels The Butler” - This film is for older children.
“Lincoln” - During the civil war, the film shows the hardships Lincoln faced to make changes.
“The American President” - Love story about a President.
“First Kid” - This is a comedy about what it's like to be a child of the President.
Book It - Dig in those bookshelves and find a book that is about presidents. If you don’t have a book here are links to a couple books on youtube, with pictures. Just navigate to the links and let the video do the talking.
Mock Campaign - If you are in the mood to be creative, have your child create a mini campaign and give a speech. They can create a powerpoint presentation if they would like to get fancy.
Women And The Presidency - Share with your children, some of the brave women that ran for President or Vice President.
Listen To A Speech- Sometimes listening to a great speech is great for the entire family.
I can't wait to see how you spend the day!