Presidents Day for Kids

Presidents Day is an American holiday to honor and remember the leaders of the nation. It’s a combination of the celebrations for the birthdays of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, both of whom were born in February. While they are the emphasis, it’s a time to celebrate other people who have been president as well.

123 Homeschool 4 Me has a mini unit on Presidents Day that includes a worksheet for kids to design a new coin, write about what they would do as president and explore who they would add to Mount Rushmore.

Kindergarten Creations has a writing activity for kids to write what they would do if they were president, complete with a cute photo of the kid decorated in the style of Washington or Lincoln. Older kids can write more than younger ones but this is a fun activity for a range of ages.

Get free printable worksheets about Abraham Lincoln from The Purposeful Nest.

Do a little Presidents Day STEM by cleaning some coins with guidance from the US Mint. Speaking of coins, you can also do coin rubbings or make patterns with coins (or do math with coins, for that matter!). These and other ideas are on the list from The Educator’s Spin on It.

Learn a bit about some of the favorite foods of the presidents from Make and Takes, and maybe make a presidential inspired snack. (Fun fact: Joe Biden loves peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.)

You can also read books about the presidents or do presidential Mad Libs. A few good books with general information about the presidents include A Kid’s Guide to U.S. Presidents, Facts and Stories about the Presidents of the United States of America for Curious Kids and Our Country’s Presidents, which is a National Geographic book.

Older kids can learn about the qualifications to be president and host a mock election campaign (also great for 2024 as I write this because it’s an election year).

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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