3 Ways to Get Your Child Excited About History and Government

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Even if you’re a history lover and you’ve always been curious about how the country is governed, your child might not share these feelings. Whether you have a reluctant learner or a kid who is bored after reading a list of historical dates, there are ways to change your child’s opinion about studying history.

  1. Explore History

Kids learn in different ways. One child might enjoy looking at timelines, but another might want to know about the stories of the past. Who did what? Where did the people live? What did it look like? To satisfy your hands-on storyteller, consider visiting towns, parks, and buildings of historical significance. Find out if you have any local history museums in your area, too. Many museums offer family discounts and have exhibits catered towards children.

  1. Read About History

If your child is a bookworm, try sharing history through the written word. There is a wealth of nonfiction and historical fiction for children. Maybe you will give your child a series of historical fiction chapter books and then learn more about the real history together by going to the site of the books’ events. If your child always has questions about what’s going on in the world, plan to read a presidential inauguration book or a book about elections. If you have a writer as well as a reader, encourage your child to write another story about the people you are learning about together.

  1. Watch History

Go to a play, put on a play in your house, or watch a movie or documentary. Some older children might learn a lot from watching a dramatized retelling of history, while younger children might prefer learning through playacting. What does your child enjoy?

Try different things. Your child might only discover a love of reading historical fiction, or you might learn that you have a future senator or president in your household.