History and kids: Five fun ways to learn about the past

Children all over the world are experiencing a different kind of schooling this academic year due to the pandemic. As if teaching history is not hard enough, parents and teachers are presented with an all-new challenge in homeschooling and blended learning. Dr. Paul M. Willette shares on this blog five ways to teach children about the past.

Simplify history for children. Fight the temptation to overwhelm kids with exact dates of events. Instead, encourage them to understand time period, people, and major events. Zeroing in on dates early on could lose a child’s interest in learning. Highlight stories. Chronology is key in history lessons. However, focus on the events that took place and their importance to the present society.

Review relics and facts through games, stories, and projects. Make learning a family thing. Involve kids in the projects that aim to highlight a certain time period. Hold games that focus on events, names, and places. Offer older kids reading materials that encourage self-learning. When the global health situation lets up, visit museums and historical landmarks. Museums offer interactive tours tailored to children, while historical landmarks generally have descriptions inscribed in monuments or walls.

Dr. Paul M. Willette reckons that while kids these days must be weaned off using devices too much, encouraging them to watch historic films can help them understand the past better. Balance is key to effectively passing on to kids the love and interest for history. With distance learning in full swing, now is the perfect time to help children develop an appreciation for the past.