Martin Luther King Day for Kids

We’ve had many days off from school this year and as Martin Luther King Day approaches, that means we have one more.  Here are a couple of ideas to add to your MLK Day plans to make the day meaningful for your family.
 

The Hussey Mayfield Memorial Library will be OPEN on MLK Day, so stop by and pick up some books on the Civil Rights Movement.  The book, Sit-In: How four friends stood up by sitting down, by Andrea Davis Pinkney is a picture book that demonstrates nonviolent protests and can be read to all ages.  The Lions of Little Rock is a historical fiction Tween novel that demonstrates the difficulties of integration from a child’s perspective.  

Downtown Indianapolis is celebrating Martin Luther King in a major way.  Many downtown attractions will be open for FREE (or for a small donation of 1 non-perishable food item).  Participating venues include the Indianapolis Zoo, the IMAX Theater, the Children’s Museum and many more!  You can find more information here.

If you can't make it out of the house, there are many online resources you can use to learn about MLK.  National Geographic has a short video on remembering Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. They also have a short photo biography you could flip through.  You can print worksheets at home or quiz yourself online to boost knowledge of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
 

Martin Luther King's dream was to see people of all countries, races, and religions living together in harmony. To teach diversity at home, even to the youngest children, you can gather seeds of different kinds and invite each child to plant a variety of seeds in an egg carton. The seeds of different shapes, sizes, and colors will sprout side by side. Once the plants are large enough, transplant them into a large pot or in a small garden outside. (Source: Richard Ellenburg, Orlando, Florida -- Learning magazine, January 1994).