How to expose kids to democracy
During the recent presidential election, your kids probably got a taste of democracy. Maybe they watched the debates with you or you brought them to the polls. You probably explained to them the meaning of elections and voting and how every citizen has the right to help choose our country's leader.
Now that the election is over, you shouldn't stop your child's education in democracy. The ball is rolling and it's a great time to deepen their knowledge and help them connect the dots by bringing them along on a vacation where they can actually see some of those historic places where our country's democracy was shaped. Concepts such as government, freedom, voting, citizenship, and justice are difficult to explain to a young child. But when you're in Washington D.C. looking at the original Declaration of Independence, or in Philadelphia checking out the Liberty Bell, it's much easier. Here are three destinations where your kids will learn to understand democracy.
Philadelphia
This big city with small-town charm is essentially the birthplace of our country. It's where the founding fathers signed the Declaration of Independence and you can see where they did it in Independence Hall. You can even see the very chair that George Washington sat in. In the "City of Brotherly Love," you can also check out the Liberty Bell and the National Constitution Center. At the main visitor center (next to the Constitution Center), pick up a booklet of kids' activities and attractions. If kids visit certain sites, they can earn a Junior Ranger Badge.
Washington, D.C.
In our nation's capital, take the elevator to the top of the Washington National Monument, built in honor of our nation's first president; visit the White House and bring along a copy of the "My American Journal" (downloadable from The White House's Web site) that invites kids to share their hopes and dreams for the country; and see Abraham Lincoln's top hat and Cesar Chavez's union jacket at the National Museum of American History, which is reopening after a two-year renovation on November 21. Be sure to stop by the Lincoln Memorial for an opportunity to talk through freedom. Lincoln firmly believed that all people should be free. At this site in 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech.
Boston
This New England city sparked both the American Revolution and the ensuing American Revolutionary War. The Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party, and several of the early battles of the Revolution occurred near or in the city. During this period, Paul Revere, William Dawes, and Dr. Samuel Prescott made their famous midnight rides. If you follow the city's famed 2.5-mile Freedom Trail, all of this history comes alive. You'll stop by Paul Revere's House; the USS Constitution, the oldest commissioned vessel afloat in the world; and Granary Burying Ground, where everyone from Samuel Adams to Mother Goose are marked with gravestones.
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