Helping Your Child Understand History

Memorial Day, Veterans Day, President's Day they all seem to come and go and many times all we enjoy is having the day off. Why is it that our nation observes these days? What is so important that even in our busy, hectic, never can get everything done, lives we take the day off for anything?

It's important to share with your children the historical reasons why these days are national holidays. Why young men and women still fight for our country and the freedoms we enjoy. Why we pause to honor those who have died for our rights, and who still fight for those rights.

While doing my own research for my children I came across an informative website that breaks information into age appropriate materials. With each idea they present an age appropriate activity to help explain the topics.

Here is one of their ideas taken from the Helping Your Child Learn History - No child left behind act.

Time to Celebrate
Grades 4–5
On quarters, dimes, nickels and pennies is written the phrase “E pluribus
unum,” which is Latin for “Out of many, one.” It is an appropriate phrase
to describe how our country has developed and the many different people
and groups who have made it so great.

What You Need
U.S. coins
Map of the world
Calendar

What to Do
 Have your child look at U.S. coins for
the phrase “E pluribus unum.”
Explain that the phrase means “Out
of many, one,” and that it refers to
our country as one nation with many
peoples and cultures. Explain that it
isn’t our families’ ethnic heritages that bind us together as
Americans, but shared democratic values. With your child, talk about the following holidays that are celebrated
in the United States. Look at a calendar and add other holidays, if
you choose. Next to each holiday write (or have her write) when it’s
celebrated and what it celebrates.


New Year’s Day January 1 New beginning
Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday January 15 Birth of a leader
Presidents’ Day Third Monday of February Originally, honored
Presidents Lincoln and Washington; currently honors all U.S. presidents
Memorial Day Last Monday of May War dead
Independence Day July 4 Adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776
Labor Day First Monday of September Working people
Columbus Day Second Monday of October Landing of Columbus in the Bahamas in 1492
Veterans Day November 11 War veterans
Thanksgiving Day Fourth Thursday in November Day of thanks for divine goodness
Christmas Day December 25 Birth of Christ