Have you ever tried teaching history only to be met with blank stares or the dreaded “Do we have to learn this?” What if history wasn’t something your kids just read about, but something they actually stepped into, experienced, and remembered? If you’ve been searching for ways to make history come alive in your homeschool, you’re not alone. This is one of the most common questions we hear from new and seasoned homeschool parents alike.

One of our country’s greatest presidents, Abraham Lincoln, said, “Fellow citizens, we cannot escape history.”

With that in mind, below are ways your family can make history become more of a “living history,” and spark interest, fun, and most of all, memories!

Election Process

  • Print out this free election process lapbook: Elections Lapbook – Homeschool Share: I found this lapbook to be thorough and full of election history that can be used to discuss and relate to current Presidential elections.
  • Election process red, white, and blue chain: Cut out strips of red, white, and blue construction paper. Write a question about the election process that was learned during the making of the lapbook. Each day as you count down to election day, take a link off the chain and answer the question. This is a great way to review what was previously learned.

Another way to increase the length of the chain is to add links with trivia questions, such as who was the first female to run for president, who is the current vice-president, etc.

  • Hold your own election: (ex: store-brand cheese puffs or Cheetos): In larger groups of kiddos, teachers tend to hold elections while teaching this in class. However, if you are like me and only have two kids, you have to find a creative way to provide practical experience to the lessons on elections. In order to make this lesson a reality, first have your kids select what they want to have others vote on, every child can then give a speech over the selected topic before a family or group vote is taken.
  • Watch the debates and discuss the topics: This activity will depend on the age and maturity level of the child(ren).  After watching the debates, discuss with your children the different topics that were addressed. Were the topics answered completely? Did the candidates stay on topic? What other topics should have been discussed? What topics would you have discussed if you were a candidate in the debate?
  • Electoral Map/U.S. Map: Print out a U.S. map with the states labeled or print out an electoral map of the U.S. As electoral votes are finalized, have the kids color in the state blue or red during election night. Divide a separate piece of paper or a white board in half. Label one side either the party name or the name of the presidential candidate. After coloring in the map blue/red for the party that won that state, the family can add up the electoral votes for each party. This, along with the map, will help provide a visual of the process for your kiddos.
  • Election trivia: Election trivia can be added to the election chain (see above), or this activity can be created as a game for your kiddos or a group of kiddos, for example, at co-op.
  • Watch the farewell speech and inauguration: Watching the farewell speech and inauguration is a way to watch the election process from start to finish. This website has a fun Bingo game that can be played during the inauguration: Presidential Inauguration Bingo Game Printable – Hip Homeschool Moms
  • Have the kids write their own inauguration speech: After watching the inauguration, have your kiddos write their own inauguration speech. You can search on Pinterest for cute pre-made pages for the kids to write on, use lined paper, or have them create their own border around the speech that is written.Once the speech is written, have the students practice public speaking skills by presenting the speech to family members, friends, or in a co-op setting.
  • Postcards: Ask family and friends to send postcards as they traveled through the different states. What kid doesn’t like receiving mail!? This is a win-win activity!

So, what can your family do with the postcards? Well, as the postcards come in, learn about that state. Research the state flowers, state bird, the flag, etc.

  • Timelines: Timelines are an amazing activity to help kiddos link events from around the world within the same time frame being studied. Another great way to link and discover how events in different places influenced other events is by keeping a “living” timeline. This can easily be accomplished by adding to a timeline daily or weekly with the people you have studied in science, an author you read a book by, an artist you studied, a musician you listened to, etc.

Field trips

If you found this interesting or helpful, please share it!

Have you ever tried teaching history only to be met with blank stares or the dreaded “Do we have to learn this?” What if history wasn’t something your kids just read about, but something they actually stepped into, experienced, and remembered? If you’ve been searching for ways to make history come alive in your homeschool, you’re not alone. This is one of the most common questions we hear from new and seasoned homeschool parents alike.

One of our country’s greatest presidents, Abraham Lincoln, said, “Fellow citizens, we cannot escape history.”

With that in mind, below are ways your family can make history become more of a “living history,” and spark interest, fun, and most of all, memories!

Election Process

  • Print out this free election process lapbook: Elections Lapbook – Homeschool Share: I found this lapbook to be thorough and full of election history that can be used to discuss and relate to current Presidential elections.
  • Election process red, white, and blue chain: Cut out strips of red, white, and blue construction paper. Write a question about the election process that was learned during the making of the lapbook. Each day as you count down to election day, take a link off the chain and answer the question. This is a great way to review what was previously learned.

Another way to increase the length of the chain is to add links with trivia questions, such as who was the first female to run for president, who is the current vice-president, etc.

  • Hold your own election: (ex: store-brand cheese puffs or Cheetos): In larger groups of kiddos, teachers tend to hold elections while teaching this in class. However, if you are like me and only have two kids, you have to find a creative way to provide practical experience to the lessons on elections. In order to make this lesson a reality, first have your kids select what they want to have others vote on, every child can then give a speech over the selected topic before a family or group vote is taken.
  • Watch the debates and discuss the topics: This activity will depend on the age and maturity level of the child(ren).  After watching the debates, discuss with your children the different topics that were addressed. Were the topics answered completely? Did the candidates stay on topic? What other topics should have been discussed? What topics would you have discussed if you were a candidate in the debate?
  • Electoral Map/U.S. Map: Print out a U.S. map with the states labeled or print out an electoral map of the U.S. As electoral votes are finalized, have the kids color in the state blue or red during election night. Divide a separate piece of paper or a white board in half. Label one side either the party name or the name of the presidential candidate. After coloring in the map blue/red for the party that won that state, the family can add up the electoral votes for each party. This, along with the map, will help provide a visual of the process for your kiddos.
  • Election trivia: Election trivia can be added to the election chain (see above), or this activity can be created as a game for your kiddos or a group of kiddos, for example, at co-op.
  • Watch the farewell speech and inauguration: Watching the farewell speech and inauguration is a way to watch the election process from start to finish. This website has a fun Bingo game that can be played during the inauguration: Presidential Inauguration Bingo Game Printable – Hip Homeschool Moms
  • Have the kids write their own inauguration speech: After watching the inauguration, have your kiddos write their own inauguration speech. You can search on Pinterest for cute pre-made pages for the kids to write on, use lined paper, or have them create their own border around the speech that is written.Once the speech is written, have the students practice public speaking skills by presenting the speech to family members, friends, or in a co-op setting.
  • Postcards: Ask family and friends to send postcards as they traveled through the different states. What kid doesn’t like receiving mail!? This is a win-win activity!

So, what can your family do with the postcards? Well, as the postcards come in, learn about that state. Research the state flowers, state bird, the flag, etc.

  • Timelines: Timelines are an amazing activity to help kiddos link events from around the world within the same time frame being studied. Another great way to link and discover how events in different places influenced other events is by keeping a “living” timeline. This can easily be accomplished by adding to a timeline daily or weekly with the people you have studied in science, an author you read a book by, an artist you studied, a musician you listened to, etc.

Field trips

If you like this, please share!