Monday, January 15, is Martin Luther King Jr. Day this year. Kids are never too young to learn about civil rights and how to treat others with kindness and respect. Here are some resources for teaching kids about this important holiday.
Watch
In this segment from “Sesame Street,” Elmo, Abby Cadabby and their friends learn about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s life and dream. The characters work together to decorate a Peace Treaty showing how they can be part of Dr. King’s wish for a fair and kind world.
Read
Here are three picture books written by civil rights leaders:
- My Daddy, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by Martin Luther King III, illustrated by AG Ford. Dr. King’s oldest son shares his memories of his father and his family.
- I Am Ruby Bridges by Ruby Bridges, illustrated by Nikkolas Smith. Ruby tells the story of how she became the first Black child to integrate a white elementary school in Louisiana in 1960, when she was only 6 years old.
- That Is My Dream by Langston Hughes, illustrated by Daniel Miyares. Beautiful illustrations of a young Black boy’s dreams of peace, freedom, and joy go with Hughes’ beautiful poem “Dream Variation.”
Do
- Make a Peace Tree in your classroom, just like in “Sesame Street”! Have kids decorate paper leaves with hearts or pictures of themselves showing love and being kind to others.
- Find ways for your children to spread kindness in your community. Little kids can decorate cards for people at a local senior center or shelter. Bigger kids can do simple volunteer work like collecting donations for a food pantry or petting cats at an animal shelter. Here’s a list from Highlights magazine with more ideas!