This year’s elections have been on everyone’s minds as we get closer to November 3rd. There is a lot of conversation about various propositions, local candidates, and potential impacts of the results. While children might not be able to fully understand everything that is happening, the elections are a great opportunity to help them start to learn about what it means to vote and some of the simple basics about how our government works.
Children likely have overheard talk about different opinions from their parents, caregivers, or the other adults in their lives. With children of this age, it is best to avoid getting into the details of the different candidates and items on the ballot. As caregivers and educators, it is our responsibility to encourage children to be curious and to help them understand basic concepts so they can grow up to form their own beliefs and opinions. We can answer questions about different candidates or talk about the issues we are voting for, but we should avoid sharing our views and taking a side.
Communicate that voting is exciting because it is a privilege and an opportunity to have a say in what happens in our local communities and in our country. Keep conversations hopeful and upbeat, and ask children about what kinds of issues are important to them, or what kinds of ideas they have to make their communities a better place. There answers might make you smile!
Image and activity idea from Share and Remember.
To help children really understand what it means to vote, try holding your own elections! Children can vote on their favorite food, their favorite animal, or their favorite activities. If your program is doing virtual learning, you can encourage children to raise their hands to cast their vote, and if you are with children in-person, you can make up simple ballots for them to fill in and cast their vote. Here are a few links with more ideas and printables to set up your election:
Vote for Lunch: This article includes ideas and free printables to set up your own voting activity
Mock Election Voting Activity: These printables with ballots, from Teachers Pay Teachers, are available for download and include ballots to vote on a pet or food with “stickers” for children to wear after they’ve cast their votes
Click on each book to find more information and options for purchasing.
Click on each book to find more information and options for purchasing.
