Presidents Day Activities For Kids are a great way to make U.S. history and civics engaging for students. Instead of just learning facts, these activities let students explore leadership, democracy, and the lives of past presidents through hands-on experiences.
By incorporating creative and meaningful tasks, you help students build a stronger connection to American history and understand the values that shape our nation. Get ready to bring history to life with these fun, educational ideas!
Why does Presidents Day Matter for Kids?
Presidents’ Day offers young learners a valuable connection to American history and civics. It’s a chance to introduce them to the lives and legacies of influential leaders like George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, making history more than just dates in a book.
The holiday also provides an opportunity to discuss the role of the presidency, the importance of leadership, and the values that guide a nation. Understanding these concepts helps kids appreciate their country’s past and their own role as future citizens.
20 Engaging Presidents Day Activities For Kids
Ready to bring history to life in your classroom? Explore diverse engaging Presidents Day ideas that make learning about U.S. leaders fun and meaningful:
1. Host a Presidents’ Day Puppet Show
A creative activity allowing students to explore history and storytelling by creating simple puppets representing presidents or historical figures and using them to perform scenes or share facts.
Material needed:
- Paper bags, socks, or paper plates for puppets
- Craft supplies (markers, crayons, yarn, fabric scraps, googly eyes)
- Simple script ideas or historical facts related to presidents
- A makeshift stage (e.g., draped table)
How To Do:
- Have students choose a president or historical figure to represent.
- Guide students in creating simple puppets using the provided materials.
- Help students research a few key facts or a short story about their figure.
- Allow students to practice using their puppets and presenting their information or scene.
- Host a classroom puppet show where students share their creations and learning.
2. Fact vs. Myth: Presidential Stories
Develop critical thinking skills by examining common stories about presidents and determining if they are historical facts or myths.
Material needed:
- Chart paper or whiteboard
- Markers
- List of common presidential stories (e.g., Washington and the cherry tree, Lincoln writing on a shovel)
- Reliable sources (age-appropriate books, vetted websites) to check facts.
How To Do:
- Share a common presidential story with the class.
- Ask students if they think it’s true or a story used to teach a lesson.
- Together, research the story using provided resources to verify its accuracy.
- Discuss the difference between historical fact and legend, and why these stories are told.
3. Presidential Coin Rubbings
A tactile and visual presidents day activity for learning to identify the presidents featured on common US currency.
Material needed:
- Pennies (featuring Lincoln)
- Quarters (featuring Washington)
- Thin paper
- Crayons (with wrappers peeled off).
How To Do:
- Place a coin flat on a hard surface.
- Lay a sheet of thin paper over the coin.
- Rub the side of a peeled crayon gently across the paper covering the coin.
- The image of the president will appear on the paper.
- Discuss which president is on which coin and why they were chosen (e.g., first president, president during the Civil War).
4. Presidential Scavenger Hunt
Get students actively moving around the classroom or school to find clues, facts, or images related to presidents, making learning interactive and fun.
Material needed:
- List of clues or questions related to presidents (facts, quotes, dates)
- Pieces of paper or cards to hide the clues/answers on
- Pens or pencils
- A map of the search area (optional)
How To Do:
- Prepare clues or questions about presidents and hide the answers or next clues around the designated area.
- Explain the rules of the scavenger hunt and the area students can search.
- Provide students with the first clue or question.
- Students move around, find the answers/clues, and solve their way through the list.
- The first student or team to complete the hunt wins a small prize or recognition.
- Review the answers found and the facts learned.
5. Write a Letter to the “President” (Civics in Action)
Teaching students about communicating with government leaders and expressing their ideas in a formal way through a practical Presidents Day lesson creates valuable learning activities.
Material needed:
- Lined paper
- Pens/pencils
- Envelopes (optional)
- Examples of formal letters.
How To Do:
- Discuss the President’s role and how citizens can contact them to share thoughts or concerns.
- As a class, choose a simple, age-appropriate topic to write about (e.g., what they like about their town, an idea for improving the community, a question for the President).
- Guide students in writing individual letters to “The President,” including a proper greeting (“Dear Mr./Madam President”) and closing.
- (Optional) Mail the letters or deliver them to a school administrator.
6. Explore Presidential Portraits & Symbols
Develop visual literacy and learn about national symbols by studying portraits and identifying key symbols associated with the presidency and the US government.
Material needed:
- Pictures of famous presidential portraits
- Images of presidential symbols (Presidential Seal, Oval Office, White House)
- Paper
- Pencils
- Crayons/markers.
How To Do:
- Show students pictures of different presidents and their official portraits. Discuss what they notice.
- Show images of presidential symbols (Seal, White House, Air Force One). Discuss what each represents.
- Have students draw their favorite presidential portrait or symbol.
7. Create a Presidential Timeline (Interactive)
Introduce the concept of chronology and historical sequencing by collaboratively building a large, visual timeline featuring key presidents.
Material needed:
- Long strip of butcher paper or connected construction paper
- Markers
- Pictures or names of selected presidents
- Brief facts
- Adhesive tape or glue.
How To Do:
- Select a few presidents relevant to your curriculum.
- Draw a long timeline line on the paper or board.
- Work as a class to research (using provided resources) and agree on the correct order of the selected presidents.
- Help students place the pictures or names onto the timeline. Add dates and key facts.
8. Presidential Trivia Game
Reinforce learning about various presidents through a fun, competitive, question-and-answer format.
Material needed:
- Index cards or paper for trivia questions/answers
- A bell or buzzer (optional)
- List of age-appropriate presidential facts and questions.
How To Do:
- Prepare a list of trivia questions based on facts students have learned about presidents. (e.g., “Who was the first president?”, “Which president freed the slaves?”, “What is the name of the President’s house?”).
- Divide students into teams.
- Ask questions and have teams buzz in or raise hands to answer. Award points for correct answers.
9. Compare Washington and Lincoln (Venn Diagram)
Developing analytical and comparison skills by highlighting the similarities and differences between George Washington and Abraham Lincoln using a visual tool provides engaging Presidents Day learning activities for the classroom
Material needed:
- Large chart paper or whiteboard
- Markers (two different colors if possible).
How To Do:
- Review the lives, challenges, and presidencies of Washington and Lincoln.
- Draw a large Venn diagram (two overlapping circles) on the chart paper.
- Label one circle “George Washington” and the other “Abraham Lincoln.”
- As a class, brainstorm facts unique to Washington (left circle), facts unique to Lincoln (right circle), and facts that apply to both (overlapping center, e.g., they were both presidents, born in February).
10. Simulate a Classroom Election
A practical presidents day activity that introduces the basic principles of voting and elections – concepts central to Presidents’ Day and democracy – through a simple classroom simulation.
Material needed:
- Paper ballots, ballot box (a decorated box with a slot)
- Simple
- Fun options to vote on (e.g., next class movie, extra recess time, favorite book character).
How To Do:
- Explain that Presidents are chosen by citizens voting in an election.
- Choose a lighthearted, non-controversial topic for the class to vote on.
- Create simple ballots with the options listed.
- Have each student privately mark their choice and place it in the ballot box.
- Count the votes together as a class and announce the winner. Discuss the process.
11. Explore Presidential Pets & Quirky Facts
Make history relatable and interesting by learning fun, unusual facts about presidents, including their pets and unique habits.
Material needed:
- Books, printouts, or safe online resources about presidential pets and “weird but true” facts
- Paper,
- Drawing supplies.
How To Do:
- Share interesting or surprising facts about presidents (e.g., Thomas Jefferson’s mockingbird, Andrew Jackson’s parrot, facts about their hobbies or inventions).
- Discuss why these little details make presidents seem more like real people.
- Have students draw their favorite presidential pet or illustrate a quirky fact they learned.
12. Play a Hometown Matching Game
Help students learn more specific biographical details about presidents by matching presidents to their birth states or significant home states using a game format.
Material needed:
- Index cards or paper cutouts
- Pictures or names of various presidents
- Cards or labels with the names of US states
- (Optional) A map of the United States
How To Do:
- Prepare sets of cards with a president’s name/picture on one card and their birth state or a key home state on another.
- Review the concept of presidents’ home states.
- Have students play a matching game (e.g., memory game, laying cards out and drawing lines to match) to pair the correct president with their state.
- Use a map to locate the states.
13. Take a Virtual White House or Monument Tour
Use technology to explore the President’s official residence and other historical monuments, bringing locations to life.
Material needed:
- Computer or tablet with internet access
- Projector or interactive whiteboard (optional)
- Safe websites offering virtual tours (e.g., White House website, National Park Service).
How To Do:
- Explain that the White House is where the President lives and works, and monuments honor important people or events.
- Access a virtual tour website.
- Navigate through the virtual tour as a class, exploring different rooms in the White House or zooming in on features of monuments like the Washington Monument or Lincoln Memorial.
- Discuss what they see and what they learned from the tour.
14. Read Age-Appropriate Presidential Biographies
Reading books about U.S. presidents is one of the most effective classroom activities for Presidents Day to build historical knowledge and improve comprehension.
Material needed:
- A collection of children’s books featuring biographies of various presidents.
How To Do:
- Provide access to a selection of presidential biography books in the classroom library.
- Read aloud from a biography of George Washington or Abraham Lincoln during story time, emphasizing key life events or challenges.
- Encourage students to choose and read books about other presidents independently or with a partner.
- Discuss key facts and stories from the books.
15. Engage in the Art of the Campaign
Explore the process of presidential elections by having students learn about historical campaign strategies and create their own simple campaign materials for a mock election.
Material needed:
- Examples of historical campaign posters or slogans (pictures or printouts)
- Poster paper, markers, crayons
- Ideas for simple campaign platforms (e.g., “More recess,” “New books for the library”)
How To Do:
- Discuss that presidents campaign to get elected.
- Show examples of past campaign materials and talk about how they try to persuade voters.
- Choose a simple, fun topic for a classroom mock campaign.
- Have students create their own campaign posters or slogans for one side of the topic.
- (Optional) Hold a simple campaign speech activity where students present their poster.
16. Examine the Art of Speechmaking
Develop listening and critical thinking skills by analyzing excerpts from famous presidential speeches and discussing how presidents use words to inform, persuade, or inspire.
Material needed:
- Age-appropriate text or audio/video excerpts of famous presidential speeches (e.g., parts of the Gettysburg Address, Washington’s Farewell Address themes simplified).
- Chart paper or whiteboard for discussion points.
How To Do:
- Explain that presidents give speeches to share ideas and connect with people.
- Read or play short, age-appropriate excerpts from a presidential speech.
- Discuss what the president was talking about.
- Talk about words or phrases that stood out.
- Discuss how the president seemed to be trying to make people feel or what they wanted people to understand.
- (Optional) Have students practice reading a short, impactful sentence from a speech with expression.
17. Create Presidential Fact File Cards
Develop research and organization skills by creating simple fact cards for different presidents.
Material needed:
- Index cards or cut paper
- Pencils
- Markers
- Age-appropriate books or printouts with presidential facts.
How To Do:
- Assign each student or pair a president to research (or provide facts for).
- Provide index cards.
- Guide students in writing key facts about their president on the card (e.g., name, what number president they were, one important thing they did).
- Students can draw a small picture on the card. Collect and share the cards.
18. Learn About the Electoral College (Simplified)
Introducing a simplified concept of how the U.S. President is elected, going beyond just the popular vote to explain the Electoral College system.
Material needed:
- Map of the U.S. (simplified by state or region)
- Colored blocks or counters to represent electoral votes
- Tally sheet.
How To Do:
- Explain that when people vote for president, their votes in each state help choose “electors” who then vote for president (simplify heavily for elementary).
- Use a simplified map and assign a different number of blocks (electoral votes) to a few different “states” or regions.
- Conduct a mock election where students vote for one of two options.
- Tally the popular votes in each “state,” then award the “electoral votes” (blocks) for that state to the winning option.
- See which option wins based on “electoral votes,” discussing how it might be different from the total popular vote.
19. Simulate a Presidential Press Conference
Learning about the President’s interaction with the public and media through a fun role-playing activity provides engaging Presidents Day Activities For Kids.
Material needed:
- A microphone prop (optional)
- Chairs arranged like a press conference.
How To Do:
- Discuss how the President sometimes answers questions from reporters.
- Have one student act as the “President” (they can even wear a simple prop like a top hat).
- Have other students act as “reporters” and ask simple, age-appropriate questions about the President’s job or what they would do if they were President.
- Encourage the “President” to answer the questions respectfully. Rotate roles.
20. Teach the Declaration of Independence the “Fun Way”
Introduce the importance of the Declaration of Independence, a key document signed by early American leaders, using engaging and age-appropriate methods beyond simple reading.
Material needed:
- A simplified, age-appropriate version of the Declaration of Independence text or its key ideas.
- Props or visuals related to the time period or concepts (e.g., quills, parchment-like paper).
- Materials for a related activity (e.g., drawing the signing, acting out parts, creating a “class declaration”).
How To Do:
- Explain that the Declaration of Independence is a very important paper from when the U.S. started.
- Introduce the main ideas in simple terms (e.g., freedom, all people are equal).
- Use visuals, storytelling, or role-playing to make the concepts understandable and engaging.
- (Optional) Have students create a simple “class declaration” about something important to them.
Wrap Up
Incorporating these practical and engaging Presidents Day Activities For Kids is a wonderful way to make history, civics, and government concepts accessible and exciting for elementary students.
From hands-on simulations and critical thinking exercises to creative projects and virtual exploration, these multiple activities offer varied approaches to celebrating American presidents and teaching valuable lessons. Use these ideas to create a meaningful and memorable Presidents’ Day experience in your classroom!
