Make learning about history exciting for kids with so many creative, fun, and hands-on history lessons for kids to learn about countries around the world, US states, early explorers, colonial America, Westward Expansion, and more! Units include hands on history activities, book recommendations, and free printables. These units are fun for the whole family to learn history together – pre k, kindergarteners, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade, 6th grade, 7th grade, and 8th grade students – perfect for homeschoolers.
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, hands on to make history come alive to your homeschooling family!
“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!
Help kids to relive the exciting, unique parts of different historical periods with these 100+ Historical Fiction Books for Kids
History for Kids
Make history come alive with our free history lessons for kids come 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:
- 1-6 week lesson plans to make planning EASY!
- creative, fun, memorable, and hands on history activities
- fantastic book recommendations
- free printables – lapbooks, worksheets, etc.
- additional resources like videos and more
- history for kindergarten, grade 1, grade 2, grade 3, grade 4, grade 5, grade 6, grade 7, and grade 8 children
Homeschool History
We have tons of kids history lessons to help kids dive in and really experience what it was like to be around during these specific periods of history! You will love all our many history lesson for kids below! We have engaging, hands on history activities, free printable history worksheets / lapbooks / games / emergent readers, fantastic book recommendations, free history for kids, and extension activities to round out your homeschool social studies.
Spend 4 weeks learning about Gilgamesh and Ancient Mesopotamia. Mesopotamia History – which often referred to as the cradle of civilization and incorporates the cultures of the Sumerians, the Babylonians and the Assyrians. Lying on a large area known as the fertile crescent, 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!
The bulk of this lesson is still being finalyzed, but you can grab the free Ancient Egypt Worksheets to get you started!
Early Explorers contains 4 weeks worth of activities and printables to help students relive the adventures of early explorers for kids as they become a viking with Leif Erickson, sale around the world with Magellan, head to China with Marco Polo, discover the New World with Columbus, and more!
Your elementary age kids are going to love exploring the Middle Ages for Kids. Start out by learning about 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 .
American History for Homeschoolers
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!
Children are generally fascinated to learn about Native Americans for Kids – 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:
- Learn abou the Woodland tribes by recreating an archaeological dig, make an arrow with an arrowhead stone, try a friendship dance, and even make corn husk dolls if you like.
- As you learn about the Plains tribes you will make an epic history project your kids will remember forever! We will show you how to easily and inexpensively make a PVC tent that you can decorate just like the plains tribes did.
- Whether you live close enough to visit the cliff dwelings in Mesa Verde or not, we will help you understand the Southwest tribes oft he navajo and hopi tribes by weaving baskets and making Indian fry bread.
- Learn about totem poles as you explore the native american tribes of the Pacific Northwest.
- Make a bead necklace as you learn about the unique Seminole tribe who lived in what is now Florida.
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.
Take kids on an exciting journey on America’s path to Independence with our study on the American Revolution 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. Studnts 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!
What was the Westward Expanion? We 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.
Social Studies for Kids
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!
Our United States for Kids 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 sheets. 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.
Learn about Presidents Day for Kids with our free printable unit that contains a variety of writing activites, looking closer at American money, Mount Rushmore, comparing presidents, american presidents coloring pages, patriotic games, Presidents day crafts, and so much more!
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
Looking for more fun, creative ways you can begin homeschooling for free? We have over 1,000,000 pages of FREE pre k worksheets, kindergarten worksheets, grade 1 worksheets, second grade worksheets and more for K12. Plus see our history lesson plans, free math games, english worksheets, sight words activities, alphabet worksheets, and cvc word games for kids of all ages!
In addition, don’t miss our disney world tips and kids activities filled with ideas for every holiday and season of the year!