Presidents’ Day is a federal holiday that originally started in the mid-1800s to recognize President George Washington’s birthday. In its popularity, it was eventually moved “as part of 1971’s Uniform Monday Holiday Act, an attempt to create more three-day weekends for the nation’s workers” (HISTORY).
For many educators and homeschoolers now, this day becomes an opportunity to share about the history of the presidential office, as well as study past U.S. Presidents and their impacts on our country. If you’re looking for unique ways to teach about this day (and a few free resources), keep reading!
Unique Ways to Teach About Presidents’ Day in Your Homeschool
Start with the history.
As I briefly mentioned before, this became a legal holiday in 1885 and originally started as a birthday celebration of Washington, a founding father. It would then be changed to a national holiday that would incorporate both President Washington and Lincoln. It wasn’t until the early 2000s that this day would gain the official “Presidents’ Day” on all calendars and would be nationally celebrated as a day to recognize all who have been America’s Chief Executives. Don’t forget to teach how the name of the holiday changed from George Washington’s birthday to Presidents’ Day.
Highlight a few Presidents of the United States.
To date, there have been 45 individuals who have served as president. While it may be a little overwhelming to try and teach about all of them, you could pick a few to highlight throughout the month of February. You can use a variety of resources to learn about their lives, where they grew up, the positive impact they made while president, and more. Notebooking pages and educational videos are often our go-to because they keep learning fun and hands-on.
Teach about the different roles presidents have.
Being the Chief Executive, the president has many roles to play. In addition. the President’s role includes implementing and enforcing laws written by Congress. They also appoint the heads of government agencies. The President is both the head of state and head of government of the United States of America and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces (whitehouse.gov).
Talk about the differences between federal and national holidays.
This may not seem like a big deal until you try to go to a bank or another government-based building to find they are closed. This is typically the biggest indicator that a day being observed is considered national or federal. Federal workers will always have federal holidays off and be paid for it. In addition to Presidents’ Day, there are other federal holidays as well:
- Memorial Day
- Veterans Day
- Columbus Day
- Labor Day
Just to name a few… Although Presidents’ Day falls on the third Monday of February, you can use the entire month to do one big unit study. If you’re looking for resources to use, I have several goodies for you below!
Worksheets and Resources for President’s Day
The office of president is the highest one held in the United States. And while the office itself has history, the men that have held it over the last several hundred years also have their own history. That’s why I’ve included a plethora of different printables to help students continue their learning.
Presidents Coloring Pages
Want a fun and simple way to introduce the presidents to your children? These Presidential coloring pages include every President up to Donald Trump (#47). This set of 180 coloring pages is available in 4 different handwriting levels for PreK-5th grade.
U.S. Presidents Playdough Mats
Now your little ones can have fun and study the U.S. President’s at the same time! These fun Playdough Mats are geared toward Preschool – Kindergarteners. Includes letters that correspond with the image and numbers 1-10.
U.S. Presidents Tot & PreK-K Pack
With more than 30 pages of activities, your Tots and PreK-K crowd will have fun with this U.S. Presidents pack. It is perfect for President’s Day or any unit study on the presidents. Included in this pack: wall word signs, prewriting practice, clip cards, beginning sounds, first letter activities, Read, Trace, Build & Write mats, and SO MUCH MORE!
U.S. President Emergent Readers
If you’re studying the presidents, little ones will love these U.S. Presidents Emergent Readers. Includes all 47 Presidents in both Black & White and Color. These fun Emergent Readers are geared toward Preschool – Kindergarten readers. Includes 4 levels of readers in full color and black & white.
Presidents Notebooking Pages
Notebooking pages are a GREAT way to help kids remember all they have learned about a particular person or subject. This set includes over 288 pages for Presidents George Washington to Donald Trump (#47).
Presidents MEGA Activity Pack
Creating a unit on the Presidents of the United States doesn’t have to be hard. We’ve combined all the above printables into a crazy-huge MEGA pack that is crammed full of activities, research pages, notebooking exercises, and so much more!
With nearly nearly 900 pages, this Presidential MEGA Research Pack includes everything you need – and more – to help you create a well-rounded unit study all about the presidents.
Final Thoughts
Teaching about American Presidents can be fun and exciting. Use the suggestions and resources above to teach about important American history, the present, and the future. I’d also like to hear how you teach about this day in your homeschool. Do you do anything special for Presidents Day weekend?
Don’t forget your FREE Mini Activity Pack!
This mini activity pack is the perfect morning-time introduction for President’s Day. With a variety of puzzles, word activities, coloring pages, and more – this pack is great for kids of all ages!
MORE President’s Day Resources
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Annette lived many years as an exhausted wife of 1 and mother of 6. Grab your fuzzy blanket, pour your favorite drink, and browse through our encouraging tips, printables, and curriculum options. Read more about me and the ministry here at In All You Do