Hold a Vote at Home
The simplest way to begin teaching the concept of voting to young children is to jump right in and hold a vote . You can hold a vote about what movie to watch , what restaurant to go to for dinner , or what book to read next . Explain that everyone in the family gets one vote . Create little ballots and help your child mark their choice . At the end , lay out the ballots and count them . Explain to your child how the most votes win , and ask him or her to announce the winner . For older children , you can set up an actual ballot box and , after explaining a bit about each candidate , ask them to cast their own vote for President .
Take Advantage of Online Resources
Type “ free election day printables ” into your search bar , and whammo ! Tons of resources are right at your fingertips ! There are coloring pages , voting cards , Bingo cards , mock election ballots , and so much more ! Homeschool websites are another great resource . Try homeschoolgiveaways . com and ihomeschoolnetwork . com . There you ’ ll find links to crash course videos on YouTube , election unit studies , free printables , and more .
Get Crafty
Make your own future voter badge ! I found this fun craft at kidsactivitiesblog . com . You ’ ll need red , white , and blue crepe paper , a black permanent marker , scissors , tape , blank paper , a plastic lid , and star stickers . Cut 6-inch streams of crepe paper of each color and tape them together . Tape the crepe paper to the back of a plastic lid . Cut a circle from the blank paper that fits the lid and tape onto the front of the lid . Write “ future voter .” Decorate with star stickers and attach the button to your child ’ s shirt !
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