20 Simple Ways to Teach Kids about Politics [What They Really Need to Know]

The headline flashes across the screen, and you’re not sure which is stronger: your reaction to the political update or your consternation about what to say to your child sitting next to you. Oftentimes we don’t know how to teach kids about politics. How much should we say? What do they really need to know? In this post, we break down what kids really need to know about government and share 20 simple ways to teach kids about politics so you feel confident going forward.

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Why It Is Important to Teach Kids about Politics

While politics is often on the no-no list of topics for conversation in public settings, our children and society are better off when we teach our kids about politics within our homes.

In fact, helping our kids begin to understand the purpose of government and their role in society is an important part of their formative early years.

One reason to teach kids about politics is because politics affect their daily lives to one degree or another. Both local policy and national news affect how we live. The more kids understand why things are the way they are, the more empowered they are moving forward.

Another reason it’s better to teach our kids about politics and government is that they are hearing it already. Whether it’s among their friends, in our conversations, or through technology, our children are hearing bits and pieces of political news. One study found that kids were interested in politics, but that they had wide gaps in knowledge. When we are intentional and open about what we teach, we can help our children understand more and bring meaning and assurance to the fragments they are catching.

Additionally, these early years are formative of the adults our kids will become and the opinions they will hold. Collectively, we as a public elect our leaders and shape our country. Wherever we personally lie on the political spectrum, it is part of our democratic duty to raise the next generation to understand their role in politics.

Where Political Action Comes From

Civic engagement includes things like the way we participate in our communities, vote, and eventually support or rebel against governments.

Simply put, our civic engagement comes from both our values and our understanding of politics.

So there are two fundamental things our kids need to eventually understand about politics:

One, our kids need to know which personal values bring about the best forms of governance.

For example, important values might be human life, equality, justice, liberty, and compassion.

And two, our kids need to understand how politics work.

Understanding about politics might include laying a foundation of the basics in history and the way government functions. For example, in the United States we elect leaders who make decisions and create laws. Sometimes we vote directly about laws.

This is important in helping kids see the role of government in our lives, importance of choosing leaders, and brilliance in learning from the past.

I encourage you to take a moment and think about what those important values and politics are for you and your family.

Teaching Kids about Politics Doesn’t Need to Be Dry or Intimidating

Teaching politics and government in our homes doesn’t need to be a lecture. In fact, kids learn better when they participate in activities or are involved in the learning in meaningful ways.

That being said, we don’t have be civics teaching professionals to help our kids understand important concepts about government or political action. We can incorporate this teaching into many of the things we are doing already.

We can teach kids about politics and important values in simple ways.

Here are 20 ways to help get you thinking about how to teach kids about politics.

20 Simple Ways to Teach Kids about Politics

These ideas focus on both teaching values and government particulars.

1. Serve in your Community

Serving in the community sets a great example for our kids. Even better, find ways to serve as a family! When our kids are involved in their communities, they develop relationships with different kinds of people, connect with the idea of community, and begin to learn their impact on the world.

If you want some service ideas, Raising Compassionate Children in a Conceited World includes 101 Service Ideas for Families. You can request a free copy of the eBook Raising Compassionate Children in a Conceited World HERE.

2. Follow-through with Appropriate Consequences

Family rules and consequences are an ideal way to help kids begin to understand abstract concepts like laws and justice. Once in a while, you can bring in a discussion of these bigger ideas too.

Related: Keeping the Love in Discipline: How to Teach and Reach Kids

3. Vote

Allow your kids to see your civic engagement. You can take them to the polls, or tell them what you are doing and why. This is also a good chance to talk about what you feel makes a good leader and ask your children their opinion about the same topic.

Additionally, use a vote to decide things within your family sometimes like what game to play. This is a great way to teach how voting works and to practice going with the majority after a vote.

4. Model Respectful Problem Solving

It’s really important that our kids understand that it is normal, healthy, and okay to disagree. We have ample examples of disagreeing on a daily basis. Whether it’s about what activity friends want to do or what time your child should go to bed, when disagreements happen, we can model respectful problem solving. Use a calm tone, listen to each other, and compromise. These are powerful traits in political learning and action.

5. Listen to Music that Teaches

You can choose music that teaches both about the country, political principles, and/or important values.

This site has 10 Fun Patriotic Songs for Kids.

Additionally, you can select artists or songs with themes that exemplify principles or values you want to teach.

6. Watch Debates Together

Even if our kids don’t understand all the jargon, watching debates together is a great way to teach kids about politics. They can see us learning about candidates and issues. It’s an example of both sides having a turn to speak (usually! 🙂 ), and we can pick specific topics from debates to discuss. After a debate simply ask, “What did you think of that?” This is a great way to see what our kids understand and allows them to participate.

7. Praise Values

When you see values that are important to you exemplified in others, praise them. You might notice these in your children, characters in books or movies, friends, or public figures. Point out the positives to help your children understand how these values play out in real life.

8. Visit Historical Sites and Museums

My husband and I have had to exemplify compromise on this one. I could spend all day in these kinds of places, where he can move through much faster. However, we have both felt the worth for us and our children in visiting historical sites and museums.

Some of these places are really well done, immersing our kids in history. Even a placard that leads to telling a story or learning more from Wikipedia is beneficial. The more we all understand about history, the better decisions we can make moving forward.

9. Read Books that Teach

Like music, we can choose books that teach both about the country, political principles, and/or important values.

Here are some books I recommend to help teach kids about politics.

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When Grace learns that there haven’t been any female presidents in the United States yet, she decides to become President. Her teacher embraces the idea, and class elections begin. In Grace for President by Kelly Dipucchio, we learn about campaigns, the electoral college, voting, and dreaming big. There’s also a sequel, Grace Goes to Washington.

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Bad Kitty for President by Nick Bruel is a short children’s chapter book. It takes us through the process of primaries and elections by following the silly character of Bad Kitty as she runs for president of the Neighborhood Cat Coalition.

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Vote! by Eileen Christelow is a picture book that teaches about voting, some history of voting rights, political parties, recounts, and more. The book combines pictures and speech bubbles from people and dogs about a mayoral campaign with nonfiction text to be a great introduction for kids to voting.

Additionally, there are countless books with characters that exemplify important values. One example is the ValueTales Treasury.

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Each character in A ValueTales Treasury: Growing Good People One Story at a Time personifies one positive personal characteristic. The stories and pictures are fun and relatable to kids.

10. Teach Bias in Commercials and Elsewhere

When interpreting politicians and political commentary, it’s helpful to understand bias. An easy way to introduce bias is through commercials. We can explain that these people think this toy is the greatest ever, and they have bias because they want us to buy the toy. We all have bias, so feel free to point it out at times and admit your own as well.

11. Exemplify Digging Deeper

We can show our kids that we don’t want to take every piece of information as hard fact. Reasons could include bias, the person speaking could be misinformed, or that not everyone is trustworthy. Exemplify and encourage your kids to keep reading or study out ideas whether political or not in nature.

Discussion could include questions like can you see another side to that argument? How do you think they learned that? Or, where could we learn more about this topic?

12. Own a Copy of the Constitution

Own a copy of the United States Constitution. You can find beautiful Authentic Replicas or The Constitution of the United States in an inexpensive pamphlet. You never know when a child might pick it up.

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13. Avoid Vilifying Others

One study highlighted a very interesting phenomenon. “The research involved the participation of almost 3,000 people: Israelis and Palestinians in the Mideast, Republicans and Democrats in the U.S. The study shows each side felt their own group is motivated by love more than hate, but when asked why their rival group is involved in the conflict, pointed to hate as that group’s motivating factor.”

It is far too easy to vilify those who think differently than we do. However, it is much easier to compromise, act neighborly, and create positive change together when we trust each other’s motives. In general, people want what is best for all but have different ideas of how to get there.

14. Watch a Movie that Connects

Watch Liberty’s Kids, a star-studded cartoon about the founding of America, or change things up at family movie night with the classic Mr. Smith Goes To Washington starring Jimmy Stewart. This article has good movie recommendations about government for older kids or teens. If you’re not sure if a movie is appropriate for your child, Common Sense Media is a great resource with details, age suggestions, and reviews.

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Additionally, in connection with nearly every movie you can also discuss personality traits of the characters or messages of the movie. Were they good leaders? Did the character show integrity or stand up for something important? What was the message of the movie? Do you feel that event in the movie was just? Connect the movies your kids already enjoy to themes you want to teach.

15. Ask their Opinion

Dr. Ludwig, a psychotherapist and reporter suggested, “You can’t force a child to be interested in a subject. But a parent can expose that child to information and engage her in discussions.” Spark great discussion with questions.

Whether you’re talking about a local school bond or an election, ask your child’s opinion. Listening rather than lecturing usually encourages kids to think and apply ideas to their own lives.

16. Display Themed Art

Find and display artwork that represents principles that are important to you or moments in history. Here are some examples.

Decorative Sepia Framed U.S. Declaration of Independence

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Declaration of Independence Rustic Vintage Pillow Cover

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Martin Luther King Jr. Poster

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17. Explain Current Events

One time we were on a tour bus and had to stop as a protest marched across the street. This was an ideal time to engage our kids in a discussion about the right to assemble, freedom of speech, and the role of peaceful protest in our country.

Sometimes the negative current events get all the buzz. Therefore, sometimes these are what our children pick up on. But be sure to also explain how positive current events are related to political decisions.

Be honest, and do your best to explain. If you don’t fully understand, it’s always okay to say that.

18. Avoid Doom and Gloom

History is full of turbulent times, protests, and change. Chances are good that current events are part of the process. But if the country is falling apart, those are problems for adults to solve, not for children to have anxiety about.

It’s good for us to show our children emotion, but we also need to remember that our emotions loom large in the eyes of our children. Try to show positivity and optimism. If you are feeling down about things, opt for empowerment by getting involved somehow.

19. Show Gratitude

As stated on Dummies.com, “When you hear the talk show hosts and comedians complain about government bureaucrats, remember that many good people work for the government because they want to make the country a better place for us and our children…When you meet a government employee who goes out of their way to help you or to be accommodating, don’t forget to thank them and tell them that you appreciate their courtesy.”

We can show gratitude to individual government workers and for broader principles such as freedom. There is always something to be grateful for.

20. Love Uncle Jo, Neighbor Jane, or Whoever It is That’s Different

Watch how you talk about the relative, neighbor, or friend who votes differently. If we can’t love and work “across the aisle” within our families and communities, how can we expect politicians to do it with mere acquaintances?

And importantly, our children may grow up to vote or think differently than we do. We don’t want to make it a divisive issue or ever give our kids cause to question our love.

What Kids Really Need to Know about Politics

In the end, what our kids really need to know about politics is that one day they will have an important role in the country.

They are practicing that role in the way they interact with others and make decisions each day. And they can further prepare for that role by developing the character of a compassionate, responsible citizen and learning how politics and government function.

And as their parents, we can find simple yet meaningful ways to teach our children these important principles.

What are ways that you teach kids about politics? Please share in the comments.

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