George Washington Activities for Kids
In this set of activities adaptable for grades K-3, parents and educators will find ideas for teaching about George Washington. These activities are designed to complement the BrainPOP Jr. George Washington topic page, which includes a movie, quizzes, online games, printable activities, and more.
Classroom Activities for Teaching About George Washington
In Memoriam
There are many ways people celebrate George Washington’s life and honor his memory. Monuments, memorials, statues, parks, streets, and schools have been named after him. Create your own memorial to George Washington in your classroom or school. You may want to create a plaque, painting, sculpture, or even name an area in the school or room after him. Have a dedication ceremony and invite students to share their thoughts about George Washington and facts about his life. Students may wish to prepare letters, poems, or even songs about the first president. Encourage them to be creative and come up with different ways to honor his memory.
If I Were President
Invite students to think about what they would do if they were president of the United States. What would they change? What would they improve? Discuss different ideas with the whole class. Then have students prepare a paragraph about how they would lead the country. They may wish to illustrate their paragraphs or create dioramas or paintings. Post students’ work so they can share and learn from each other. As an extension, have students prepare a presidential speech to deliver to the whole class about what they would change and improve.
Family and Homeschool Activities for Teaching About George Washington
Wooden Teeth
Because Washington is such a popular historical figure, there are many stories about him. Some are true, and some are not. For example, many children have heard that Washington wore wooden dentures. Is this fact or fiction? Invite your child to research at the local library or on the Internet to find out if Washington wore wooden teeth. The answer might surprise your child! You can extend the activity with other “facts” about Washington. Did he really chop down a cherry tree as a child?
Washington, U.S.A
There are many monuments, memorials, statues, cities, states, schools, parks, and streets in the United States that are named after George Washington. Invite your child to find as many places as he or she can. You can research on the Internet together and look at different maps. Make sure your child writes down his or her findings. Encourage your child to be as specific as possible. This is a great opportunity to learn about geography and develop map-reading skills.