Learning about the Presidents for Presidents Day

While Presidents Day is in February because of the birthdays of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, it’s really meant to be a holiday that represents all presidents, so it’s a great time for kids to learn about different presidents, especially those they might not have heard of or learned much about before.

Of course between the Internet and good reference books it’s easy to research all the presidents these days, but it can be a little harder to find activities related to lesser know presidents.

Kids Activity Zone has a free printable bundle with a worksheet for every president. There’s a cartoony drawing on them and space to fill in their dates of birth and death, when they served as president, what party they were in and some information about their early life and education as well as what they did as president.

By the way, the White House website has good brief presidential biographies if you don’t want kids to just search online. Or you can use the biographies at National Geographic Kids, but it doesn’t include all of the presidents.

I also like these Presidents Day pennants from The Little Ladybug Shop at Teachers Pay Teachers. This more than 100 page download includes pennant shaped pages for each president where kids can fill in their basic information, life events, achievements and quotes. There’s also a blank option where kids can write in and draw their own picture of the president they are studying.

There’s also a Presidents Day banner report printable from Tied 2 Teaching at Teachers Pay Teachers, either of which would be great for older elementary/middle school kids. This one includes fact sheets for each of the presidents as well as a three-part printable kids can fill in, color and assemble. This includes the president’s face, a section for fast facts and a portion for writing about their achievements, challenges and other facts. (The text says 45 presidents so I’m not sure it was updated to include Joe Biden.)

Explaining Dia de Los Muertos to kids can be difficult because most of us don’t generally talk about death or what happens when we die a lot with our kids. But Dia de los Muertos is actually a happy, not scary occasion that allows us to remember loved ones, share stories and come together as a community.

While it is mostly celebrated by people of Mexican heritage, the day has become more well known thanks to movies and other media representations. And there are some great children’s books to help explain and allow you to celebrate the holiday if you want.

Dia de Muertos by Jaque Jours, illustrated by Alejandra Ruiz (48 pages, hardcover, published 2025 by words & pictures, suggested retail price $14.99) tells the story of a family getting their ofrenda (altar for the dead) ready and how they remember people who have died through decorations, food and sharing stories.

It covers the classic decorations and rituals of Dia de los Muertos including using cempasúchil (in English we call them marigolds) and papel picado (cut paper banners), pan de muerto and la catrina, the elaborately dressed, skull faced women that are a common site at Dia de los Muertos gatherings.

The back of the book explores how the day is celebrated throughout Mexico as well as the meanings of different symbols. There’s a recipe for pan de muerto, a tutorial for making papel picado and tips for doing makeup to look like like la catrina/el catrin.

Want to try more traditional foods? The Dia de Los Muertos Cookbook is a companion to The Dia de Los Muertos Story, both of which are by Andrea Jáuregui de la Torre and illustrated by Laura González (52 pages, hardcover paper over boards, published 2026 by becker & meyer kids!, suggested retail price $19.99).

The book opens with some discussion of the meaning of Dia de los Muertos and why food is an important part of the day. The recipes included are easy enough for kids to make with minimal help, and all based on food memories from her childhood.

There are recipes for hibiscus iced tea, Mexican corn and salsa, tortillas, molletes (open faced sandwiches with beans and cheese), jicama fries and sugar skulls to name a few.

Other activities in the book include papel picado, coffee filter marigolds, making your own playlist and making an ofrenda.

Together these books give young readers insight into this holiday that might be new or confusing to them, while also giving you a chance to get in the kitchen together and make your own Dia de los Muertos memories.

Have you read?

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