Teaching Young Children About Martin Luther King Jr.

Inside: Discover Martin Luther King Jr. activities that teach children about timelines, life events, and how our stories impact others.

Which Martin Luther King Jr. Activities are Right for Kindergarten?

We often want to protect young children from the harsh truths of the world. But, when we say yes to keeping them in a “bubble,” we say no to difficult conversations that could lead to impactful learning.

Last January, I spent a cozy winter weekend learning more about the important events of Martin Luther King Jr.’s life and wondering how I might use these events to teach my kindergartners about the impact his life has had on theirs.

It was challenging, emotional and uncomfortable, but this only elevated its importance for me.

I pulled together a timeline of events and carefully linked each to developmentally appropriate activities and video clips, that not only teach about each life event, but also highlight important, more conceptual, aspects of his life and work.

These included:

• He was once a kid too.
• His experiences growing up taught him that peace and fairness were important.
• He stood up for what he believed.
• He lived his life “out loud” by writing down his thoughts and giving speeches.
• He marched for justice.
• He dreamed of a better world for every kid.
• He used his life for good.
• He can be honored today and everyday with our service.

Sharing the Timeline and Activities

So that next week, I set aside time in the afternoons to work our way through the timeline.

We toured Martin’s childhood home.

We listened to school-aged children tell how he had impacted their life.

We played the peacemaker/peace breaker game.

We stood up for the things that WE believed in.

We created peace signs, took a peace pledge, and had a peace march.

We drew pictures of Martin giving a speech and chose a few important words to write in his “talk bubble.”

We looked at our own hands and thought how we might use them for good.

With each activity, the children became more and more invested in Martin’s story.

When I got to the part that told of his death, they were visibly impacted. One little girl cried in her car, as she told her mom all about Martin, on the car ride home.

But, as I pointed out to the children, his death is not the last thing on the timeline. His story lives on.

Kids go to schools and parks that bear his name. We attend parades and celebrations in his honor. We dedicate his birthday to a national day of service.

And most importantly, many think and act differently today, because of the thoughts and ideas he was brave enough to share.

My Own Take-Away

I learned something very important that January as I shared Martin’s life with the kids. Telling other people’s stories is really important.

Even in kindergarten.

And not just Martin’s.

I need to tell lots of stories about people who have used their life for good. And maybe even a few cautionary tales as well.

The timeline of events, links to activities and videos, along with several printables, can be found in this Martin Luther King Jr. Virtual Event. It can be used in the classroom or for remote learning.

For more ideas on teaching kindergarten, visit the Roots & Wings Resource library.