An Organized Collection of Teaching Activities for MLK Day

While things aren’t perfect, equality and diversity acceptance in the United States have come so far in the past few decades. The civil rights movement set off a change that has opened opportunities to so many members of our society. Martin Luther King Jr. Day gives us an opportunity to remember the sacrifices so many people made and to teach our children to strive to create a more just world.

Because I want my children to be aware of the freedoms we are blessed with, I am planning to spend some time focused on civil rights and on MLK Jr. I’m organizing and sharing a few of my favorite resources here to save you time if you are looking for ideas for MLK Jr. Day too.

Favorite MLK Day Teaching Activity

Here is an MLK Day activity I love. I think it’s a great starting point for discussions on race and the complex history surrounding it.

Kids Activities Blog cracked different-colored eggs, guiding kids to see how the shells look different, but the insides are the same. I think this egg demonstration from Kids Activities Blog is a great starting point for discussions about race and stereotypes.

MLK Videos

I had a hard time deciding on just one video. So, I am sharing two. The first video is short and sweet. It does a good job of explaining who Martin Luther King Jr. was. The second is a full-length movie that my daughter was captivated by.

Book Recommendations

There are so many great children’s books about Martin Luther King Jr., but I narrowed my list down to just three of the best. These are geared toward elementary school children.

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•  Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is a great book for elementary school-aged students. The gorgeous illustrations really make this book special.

• My First Biography: Martin Luther King, Jr. is perfect for introducing Martin Luther King Jr. to very young children.

• March On!: The Day My Brother Martin Changed the World shares his sister’s memories in a way that kids can relate to.

Quotes From Martin Luther King Jr.

I also wanted to share a few of my favorite quotes from Martin Luther King Jr. with you. I’ve made them into free printable pages. You can get the free posters here.