This year's election may be the most talked about election that America has seen in decades. With all of the media coverage and daily political conversations, kids are more curious than ever about voting. Teaching them about the voting process at an early age will help to raise good citizens. No matter which political side you're on, we can all support that. Here are four tips to teach children about voting.
Tip #1 Create Voting Activities at Home - Creating voting activities at home can allow children to participate and learn first hand. Vote on weekly dinners, board games for Family Fun Night, and more. Turn vote-counting into math skill practice by tallying, graphing, etc.
Tip #2 Talk about Respectful Disagreements - One of the key values we like to drive home about election time is that everyone's opinion is valid. While we may not agree with a person's choice, it's important to teach children how to listen to others' point of view respectfully and accept differences. Talk about feelings and provide children specific language to use during discussions.
Tip #3 Point Out Election Signs in the Community - Pointing out signs in the community is a great way to help children understand who the signs are about, why they are there, and how they help candidates.
Tip #4 Use Picture Books to Explain About Voting - We like to help children understand the world through picture books. If You Go With Your Goat to Vote is a lighthearted and colorful picture book that shows little ones what to expect on Election Day and a wonderful choice to introduce the voting process to kids. It even includes 16 voting-related stickers. Check out this short video below!
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Disclaimer: This book was provided by The Experiment Publishing. As always, our posts are our own, honest opinions.