Do your kids love to learn about the United States' history? Get them excited for President's Day with these fun activities that are both educational and entertaining! From hands-on crafts to interactive exercises, we have plenty of exciting ideas that will keep your little historians engaged and learning—while having loads of fun simultaneously.
Whether you’re looking to spend some quality family time together or want great ways to honor this special day, our list of President’s Day activities has something everyone in the family can enjoy!
What is President's Day?
President's Day is a national holiday in honor of our first president, George Washington, and is celebrated in the United States each year on the third Monday of February.
Although the holiday began to celebrate the birthdays of two great American presidents – George Washington and Abraham Lincoln – it eventually became a celebration of all presidents, regardless of their political party. While Presidents Day is an official government holiday, it does not necessarily require employees to take off.
Why President's Day is Celebrated?
Presidents Day is an annual holiday in the United States commemorated on the third Monday in February. Of course, presidents day is primarily celebrated to honor presidents of the United States and recognize their contributions to our country. It was first established to recognize and honor our nation's past and present presidents.
In addition, it is also a chance for all of us to appreciate our nation's progress under America's presidents. The day offers citizens an opportunity to pay tribute to their chosen leader and decide how to continue serving democracy through their daily actions and civic engagements.
Fun President's Day Activities for Preschoolers
Presidents Day can be especially fun and informative for young children by engaging them in President's Day-related activities such as making a president's day craft, playing presidents' bingo, or completing a president's word search. Kids can even have fun while learning through presidents day worksheets – perfect for preschoolers!
These activities reinforce educational concepts like memorizing facts and strengthening fine motor skills and nurture respect, encourage critical thinking, and have great potential for inspiring lifetime citizens.
Here is what we're doing to celebrate the day and introduce vital topics in America's history!
Reading & Writing
Besides reading many topical books (see below), I'm bringing in letter learning with No Time for Flashcards wonderful Letter of the Week exercise for the letter ‘P' using pennies.
I described the project and had him begin by coloring the page.
Then we talked about the letter “P,” the sound and words that begin with the letter “P.”
He did well putting the glue on the penny. Fine motor skill development is all around us. We also painted the “P” with glue and made dots. All work well for getting those pennies to stick on the page.
As he worked on his “P,” we talked about the penny, who is on it (Abe Lincoln), and that one penny equals one cent.
He tried to keep all the pennies within the line of the “P” (I may have guided him here) but does it matter? Not at all.
Art Activities for President's Day
Coloring pages are the perfect way to introduce figures to your child's life. We'll be using FREE PRINTABLEs from Apples4theteacher. We're doing the portraits of George Washington, Martha Washington (I like the idea of introducing the women behind the men that founded the United States of America.), Thomas Jefferson, and Abraham Lincoln.
Geography – We'll be using our Melissa & Doug United States puzzle focusing on the state of Virginia. I am printing out this coloring page for Virginia.
Craft – Lincoln's log cabin is relatively easy to put together for your preschooler, with varying levels of approach depending on your child's age. All you need is construction paper, Popsicle sticks, and glue.
Our Lincoln Log Cabin was very colorful.
I drew a line matching each color of the stick so he could match the stick to it. He spread glue across the lines.
Then he added a door, window, chimney, and smoke (white pom poms). I used sticker paper for the door, window, and chimney. You just as easily could use construction paper and glue.
During this process, we talked a bit about Lincoln. It was helpful to read The Story of Abraham Lincoln before the craft.
For the exercise, I am laying out a picture of where each part (and the glue) goes (e.g., I will draw each log signifying that a Popsicle stick goes in that area) to avoid any frustrating meltdowns by the 2.5-year-old.
If your child is older, have him cut his stripes from construction paper and take the lead. I plan to create an environment that enables my child to complete the activity (I am not looking for a perfect cabin or flag, just that he finishes the project).
Coin Sorting
Kids love activities with money! For teachers, I printed and laminated images of each penny, a dime, and a quarter-and-a-half dollar coin from the Mint's website section.
Fabulous education resources are available on this site, with loads of great downloads, lesson plans, and activities for kids. I highly recommend the site.
I placed these images in front of empty containers. In front of those items, I placed a container filled with coins. To make it even more fun and challenging, I cut a slit in each container's cover, simulating a piggy bank and bringing in an excellent fine motor skill exercise.
More President's Day Activities
- What If You Were President for a Day?
- Abraham Lincoln President's Day Craft
- Free Presidents Activity Cards
- President's Day Bingo
- Word Search Puzzle
- Children's Books for Presidents Day
- White House Coloring Page
- President's Day Counting Activity
- George Washington Portrait
Thank you for visiting! Happy President's Day!
Marnie