Presidents Day Kids DIY Crafts & Activities That Are Creative, Fun & Educational

Celebrations

Growing up a Baby Boomer, I'm reminded once again of the good old days when Presidents' Day rolls around each year. Readers younger than I am might not realize it, but this is a relatively new American holiday. When I was a kid there were two separate days this month set aside to honor presidential birthdays -- February 12, the day Abraham Lincoln was born, and February 22, George Washington's birthday.

My brother as Lincoln, me as Florence Nightingale - Costumes by Mom 

I vividly remember both holidays were a really big deal in the 1960s, widely celebrated in elementary school classrooms of the day with arts and crafts and other fun and educational activities. In 1971, President Richard Nixon moved to establish Presidents' Day, a Federal Holiday to celebrate the birth dates of all U.S. presidents on a single day. Since then we've marked this special day on the third Monday of February each year.

10 Crafts that Celebrate Presidents' Day

All the crafts below are great ideas not only to keep your child busy but to do something that's both creative and educational, too. When they are off from school for Presidents' Day not only will they be doing something fun, they'll also be aware of our history and the true meaning of this holiday.

Image from DLTK.com

1. From DLTK comes this Cherry Tree craft made from colored issue paper. How To

2. Just as fun is this printable Lincoln Word Jumble from Apples for the Teacher Download Here

Image from Spoonful.com

3. This adorable Craft Stick White House idea from Spoonful is simple to make. How To

4. Looking for a craft that you and your K-5 child can make together? How about a Little Lincoln's Log Cabin by Enchanted Learning that you make with an old cardboard box, twigs and a glue gun? How To

Image from Crafts Kaboose

5. Pictured above is another Log Cabin to make with young children. This one is made with pretzels so it's edible. An idea that comes from Crafts Kaboose. How To

Image from Education.com

6. Another fun recycling project to make is this one curated from the Education.com site. The craft uses empty cardboard toilet paper rolls to create figures representing Presidents Washington and Lincoln. How To

7. If you're up for an online activity, your child might find this Interactive White House Jigsaw Puzzle from Primary Games fun to do. Access it Here

Image from Scholastic.com

8. Scholastic is a great destination for free craft and educational materials any time of year. For President's Day, how about making this clever Lincoln Hat Pencil Holder created with a paper toilet paper roll? How To

9. I also love this Scholastic activity: Match the Presidents' Portraits Gallery Game for teachers and for moms and dads to play with their kids at home. Access & Print Here

I snapped this pic of my hubbie & daughter at Mt. Rushmore, 2010

10. Our family has been to Mount Rushmore multiple times on road trips so I can't imagine any Presidents Day blog post being complete without a project involving the only U.S. National Monument that was carved out of a mountain of granite. Here's the perfect coloring page, courtesy of Activity Village, to print out one of America's most famous manmade landmarks. Download Here

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