Martin Luther King Jr. changed the face of America. He fought tirelessly for civil rights, and his actions helped our nation take great strides toward racial equality. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is the perfect time to teach children about Dr. King's legacy. When you celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day with children, you teach them the importance of equal rights.
Instructions
Have a Birthday Party
1. Invite your children and their friends to a birthday party for Martin Luther King Jr. The invitations can include photos of King and quotes from his famous "I Have a Dream" speech. Let kids know that they will be celebrating a very special birthday.
2. Serve a variety of foods. One of the most important things Dr. King taught was to befriend people from all races and backgrounds. Help kids understand this by offering such diverse foods as Chinese stir-fry, Mexican tostadas, Greek pita sandwiches and Italian calzones. You may also want to serve sweet tea or peach pie in honor of Dr. King's hometown of Atlanta.
3. Play a trivia game with questions based on Martin Luther King's life. Many interesting facts can be found at the Nobel Prize website and at the website of the King Center (See Resources below). Award prizes to all children for taking part in the game.
Live the Legacy
4. Find a local nonprofit organization that allows children to volunteer. Kids could help serve food at a soup kitchen, read to hospital patients or clean up litter.
5. Explain to the children that people can honor Martin Luther King's legacy by helping others. Even the smallest actions can help a person in need.
6. Ask kids to contribute other ideas about how they can "live the legacy" of Martin Luther King. They might mention being kind to people, speaking out against racism or fighting poverty.
7. Read to children from books about Martin Luther King. Possible choices include "I've Seen the Promised Land" by Walter Dean Myers and "Happy Birthday Martin Luther King" by Jean Marzollo.
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