History for Kids
Make learning about history exciting for kids with so many creative, fun, and hands-on history lessons for kids! These lesson plans history include free printable history worksheets, games, coloring pages, fun history activites to discovering countries around the world, US states, ancient civilizations, early explorers, colonial America, Westward Expansion, United States civil war, modern history, famous Americans, and more! Homeschool history ideas history lesson plans for world history, us history, and geography for kids from kindergarten, pre-k, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade, 6th grade, 7th grade, 8th grade, and high school students too.
History Lessons for Kids
History happens to be my favorite subject! Probably because I grew up in Europe so instead of just reading about history in a dry history text book, I got to climb through ancient ruins, explore castles, marvel at a Roman aqueduct, relive the fear of Jews during World War 2, and so much more. History came alive and I got to be part of it! These history lessons for kids are creative, fun, and hands-on to make history come alive for your children! These elementary history lessons allow you to dive into whatever area of history interests your child the most! Use our kids history lessons with preschoolers, kindergartners, grade 1, grade 2, grade 3, grade 4, grade 5, grade 6, grade 7, and grade 8 students.
Lesson Plans History
Whether you are a parent looking to sneak in some fun learning, a classroom teacher looking for fun history activities to add toyour history lesson plans, or homeschoolers looking for engaging homeschool history – you will love these fun ideas to make history come alive for elementary, middle school, and high school students!
History Lesson Plans
Make history come alive with our free history lessons for kidscome alive as you use our units to teach kids about the past. Just click on any of the images below to see the history unit. Each of our units will help kids include:
World History
Old Testament
We have lots of fun Bible Crafts for Kids covering Old Testament lessons to learn about creation, Noah and the flood, Moses, the ten commandments, Joseph, Abraham, plagues of Egypt, Zerubbabel, Zechariah, Cain & Able, Kings of Israel, Nahum, and more.
Ancient Mesopotamia
Spend 4 weeks learning about Gilgamesh and Ancient Mesopotamia which is in the fertile crescent, also known as the cradle of civilization. This includes the Sumerians, Babylonians and Assyrians. Mesopotamia is generally accepted as one of the world’s oldest yet most advanced civilization. History will come alive as your chidren make costumes, recipes, maps, their own wheeled transport replica, play the royal game of Ur, make raised reliefs, practice cuniform in clay, and construct their own zigurats!
Ancient Egypt for Kids
Kids will learn about the civilization of ancient Egypt which lasted form 3150 B.C. to 332 B.C. when they were conquered by Alexander the Great. We all think of this time period including the pharaohs, pyramids, Egyptian art, geography, Egyptian gods, the Nile River, mummies, hieroglyphics, and even trying to figure out who murdered infamous King Tut! We have a variety of lessons for the whole family including free printable worksheets, coloring pages, art projects, and fun Egypt activities.
Ancient Greece for Kids
From 1000 B.C. – 1 A.D. the Greeks developed one of the most advanced civilizations of the Ancient World. They introduced the alphabet to Europe, have well-preserved writings like The Iliad, and are remembered for Hypocrates the father of modern medicine as well as famous philisophers Socratis, Aristotle, and Plato. In fact they invented politics, science, philosophy, theater, olympics, and the study of history. They lived in city-states which often were at war; the most powerful were Athens and Sparta.
Ancient Rome for Kids
Myths say that Rome was founded by two brothers—Romulus and Remus—who were raised by a wolf. The area was ruled by a series of kings for 500 years as it grew in strength and power. In 509 B.C. Rome became a republic. where male Roman citizens could vote for their leaders and other important matters. Rome expanded its borders through conquering. The basis for much of Western culture comes from Ancient Rome, especially in areas such as government, engineering, architecture, language, and literature. Romans spread Latin language throughout Europe, were also known as the Byzantium Empire, and are known for Julius Caesar and the Pax Romana, Agustus Caesar. The Roman empire fell in 476 AD.
Ancient Civilizations of Mesoamerica
Some of the most well-known Mesoamerican cultures are the Olmec, Maya, Zapotec, Teotihuacan, Mixtec, and Mexica (or Aztec). While descendants of these ancestors still inve in centarl and south america, the height of their cominance in the region was from 1800 BCE to 1519 CE. The Mayans left behind impressive architecture like the Chichen Itza pyramid, but were also know for the Mayan Calendar, astronomy, hydraulic buildings, filtration system, developing rubber, chocolate, and medicine. The Aztecs were famous for their agriculture, land, art, and architecture. Aztecs were known as fierce warriors who worshipped many gods, capital was Tenochtitlánand where Mexico City is today, and were the first to celebrate the day of the dead. The Inca began as a small tribe who steadily grew in power to conquer other peoples all down the coast from Columbia to Argentina. They are remembered for their contributions to religion, famous network of roads, and Machu Picchu.
Middle Ages for Kids
Your elementary age kids are going to love exploring the Middle ages for kids.. Start out by learning about medieval times for kids with life in a medieval castle by building your own Medieval Castle. You will also learn about the science of a catapult, dye silk, make peasant bread, and read some great books. Then learn about the important roles of knights, what their coat of arms meant, and make a bow and arrow. Next, learn about the importance of the medieval church during the middle ages. Have fun learning about the origin of pretzels, making illuminated manuscripts, see famous churches from the middle ages, learn how the invention of the printing press brought about the end of the middle ages, and more. Finally, learn about famous artist Giotto who made beautiful artwork during the middle ages using his own egg based paint. Finish it off with medieval music and weaving simple tapestries .
Early Explorers for Kids
4 weeks worth of early explorers for kids activities, free explorer worksheets, and printables to help students re-live the adventures of viking Leif Erickson, sale around the world with Magellan, head to China with Marco Polo, discover the New World with Columbus, and more!
World History (1900s-present)
American History
Teach us history for kindergarten and elementary age kids, but don’t just read it out of a dry, boring history book – make history come alive! Our free history lessons combine hands on activities and free worksheets / lapbooks to help students immerse themselves in a period of United States of America’s history and make it stick!
Native Americans for Kids
Children are generally fascinated to learn about Native Americans – maybe they like Western movies about Cowboys & Indians, or the idea of riding on their horse across the wild west, or perhapss the idea or unique tribes take care of one another while living in harmony with nature. Whatever the reason, it is wonderful to be able to teach when they are already naturally interested in the topic! There are 5 units in this history lesson with free black and white printable worksheets and mini books included each week:
Colonial America for Kids
Colonial America for kids takes kids on a journey back to the first permanent settlement in America – Jamestown. Students will learn about colonial life with lots of hands on projects like eating Gruel, making a Wattle & Daub house, and creating a tin lantern will make the settlement come alive. Talk about the Pilgrims, make costumes, learn how Squanto taught the settlers to plant crops, write with a quill, make simple Johnny Cakes and a traditional colonial toy – marbles! Explore the life of the Dutch and Swedes in America as you try creating homemade butter and build a log cabin. Finally discuss William Penn and the Quakers will kids enjoy making traditional silhouette art projects, a colonial punishment stock, and so much more.
Revolutionary War for Kids
Take kids on an exciting journey on America’s path to Independence with our study on the Revolutionary War for Kids. In 4 units your students will learn what events lead up to the American Revolution including taxes, the Boston Massacre, Boston Tea Party, Paul Revere’s infamous ride, signing of the Declaration of Independence, Valley Forge, women in the war and more!
Learn about famous figures like Benjamin Franklin, Samul Adams, King George III, Patrick Henry, John Hancock, Daniel Morgan, and Adam & Abigail Adams, George Washington, spy Nathan Hale, Thomas Paine, Alexander Hamilton, Baron von Steuben, Lafayette, Lord Charles Cornwallis, Benedict Arnold, and John Paul Jones, and more as kids make a lapbook of people and places of the war with a timeline to help them recall what happened first.
And as always, all the learning will have fun, hands on learning activites to make history come alive. Students will make dragon pistols, roll their own cartridges, take a virtual tour of Indpendence Hall, make a working spy cipher, cold feet activity, and so much more!
Westward Expansion
What was the Westward Espansion? This wild west history lesson will make westward expansion for kids the westward expansion come alive for kids as they learn facts about the time period from about 1783-1898. In addition to learning about the Oregon trail, pony express, gold rush, transcontinental railroad, students will also learn to match animal trails, map the united states, and learn about North American animals too. Students will make projects like a salt dough map, covered wagon, homemade crackers, how to square dance, pan for gold, and make a railroad project.
Civil War for Kids
While the Civil War deals with some hard issues, it is an important period of history for Americans to study. Students will learn about slavery, famous Americans from the Civil War, famous battles, and how our nation stayed together. Because of the strides made during the Civil War slavery would be abolished, and women would get the right to vote. We have recommendations for mapping and visiting famous battle sights nearby, printable civil war board game, make an informative emergent reader, create a flip book or people students should know, and complete some free printable Civil War worksheets.
Modern US History
Geography & Social Studies
Social Studies is the broader term to incorporate the study of both world and US history for kids as well as geography, mapping skills, learning about other countries and cultures, government, and so much more. We have several social studies games, worksheets, and fun hands on activities to make social studies fun for kids!
United States for Kids
Our United States of America section includes so many resources for kids of all ages! Learn about usa facts for kids with our free printable state coloring pages. You will love that you can just print and go with these free worksheets. We also have half page state facts for kids to color and make into a book. We have several US States Games to help kids learn state names and capitals. As students learn about 50 states for kids they can learn about various landmarks and symbols of America using our United States Worksheets for kids. Finally, you can dive in and learn about each states at a time with our state worksheets.
Countries for Kids
Learn about the children of the world and the countries they live in with our handy, FREE resources. There are individual readers kids can print and learn about country facts for kids, map of the world for kids to print and label, a printable countries of the world coloring book.
Kids love I Spy games and this HUGE pack of over 45 countries I Spy Worksheets is loads of fun and great for identifying flags and major country landmarks
Free Printable Maps for Kids
Looking for more resources to teach students about geography for kids? You will love these map worksheets, continetn workshetes, and more!
History Lessons
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Santayana
Learning about history is important for so many reasons! It is important to know where we came from, to learn from humanities mistakes, to marvel at the progress we’ve made, and to see how God’s hand has been with us from the beginning. We didn’t start off as cave men as science would have us believe, we are a creative intelligent creation as we have been from the moment God created us – and studying history proves it!
History Activities
To see all of our free activities, scroll below and click on any image to see more about that resource and print the pdf.
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