Monday is Veterans Day, a holiday that unfortunately usually comes to mind only when we see sales commercials or notice that we didn’t get any mail. Even though we have many men and women serving overseas, I would guess that most kids today don’t know much about this holiday unless they know a veteran. Here are a few ideas to help your kids learn about Veterans Day this year!
America’s White Table: I had never heard of this book until I was searching for Veterans Day lessons but it looks great, so now I’m on the hold list for it at my library! Homeschool Share also has a free unit study to go along with it if you’d like to extend the lessons further.
The Wall: In this book, a young boy visits the Vietnam Memorial with his father to find his grandfather’s name on the wall. If you’ve ever been to the memorial, you know how something that seems so simple can be so powerful, and this book is a great way to familiarize kids with this amazing memorial.
All Those Secrets of the World: Unfortunately this book is out of print, but if you can get a copy, it’s well worth the money. We used this book a couple of years ago and it is one of my favorites—I tear up every single time I read it!
In Flanders Fields Book: DLTK has a nice printable book based on the poem by John McCrae.
Crafts: You know Pinterest has a craft for every single holiday you’ve heard of—and some you’ve never heard of, too! There are some nice ideas for patriotic crafts and activities for all ages.
Parades: Norman’s Veterans Day Parade is tomorrow at 10:00 and would be a great family outing.
And of course, just talking with your kids is great, too. Tell them about family members who have served, or if those people are still alive and willing to share some of their memories, get them together with your kids so they can hear their stories first hand. Remember that many people have served in many places so the rest of us can have the freedoms we enjoy today. Thank a veteran!