Photo by: Avard Woolaver
How You Can Get Your Child Interested in History This Summer?
Children are expected to be ahead of the curve in terms of digital literacy. With their vision blinkered to everything around them except the little glowing screen in their hands, the way our children absorb information is undergoing a rapid transformation.
Images, video, sound bites, tweets and interactive apps are just some of the ways through which our children wish to learn things nowadays. They have little time for dusty old textbooks and memorising lists of dates from the history books.
However if children don’t connect with history, and remain what author David McCullough describes as ‘historically illiterate’, then the consequences for our society could be disastrous. As the famous quote by George Santayana goes, “Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
David McCullough believes that teachers aren’t the only ones responsible for the teaching of history to our youngsters – parents must also strive to make the subject of our shared past appealing. So what better time to tackle these important lessons than during the summer holidays?
This article will outline tips for getting your children into history this summer.
Find Some Historical Fiction
History itself is comprised of stories of human existence; from a very young age, children are taught to recognise and appreciate stories that they are told. At bed time especially, a wave of hushed concentration envelops the child as they hear the words ‘once upon a time’, so why not use children’s storybooks as an opportunity to teach the kids some history? There are thousands of titles that could be suitable for this and they needn’t necessarily be non-fiction books. For example, historical fiction like Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn offers readers a glimpse of what life was like in 19th century America and addresses important issues from the past – slavery, for example.
Take the time to answer any questions your child may have about the stories you choose, and pause after every chapter for a discussion about the historical context. Soon, your children may start reaching for the historical fiction shelf on their own.
Make History a Family Affair
Family mealtimes are the main way for the household to come together, eat, and discuss the day’s events. But instead of talking about the present at the dinner table, why not talk about the past – specifically, your family’s past? Genealogy is a fascinating area of study and those who do a little digging into their family’s history often find a very moving and meaningful connection to their past, one that stays with them for the rest of their lives.
Encourage your children to take an interest. It may require you doing some homework of your own, but dig out some old photos of your grandparents and great-grandparents and tell your children about them and the historical events that affected your family.
Re-enact the Past
We all learn things in different ways. Some of us are very visual learners, whereas others might remember auditory cues more easily. On the other hand, kinaesthetic learners prefer the ‘learning by doing’ approach, so why not take your child to a historical re-enactment day? There are many societies around the country covering all eras in history, so find a good event that’s close to where you live and take a picnic along.
Your children will love the gory battle re-enactment events like the Battle of Bosworth Weekend that’s happening on the 17th and 18th August 2013. Give them a toy sword and let them join in with all the running around and play-fighting. I’m sure they’ll have a blast and learn a lot from the history enthusiasts running the event.
You can also look up some other historical dates on the School Stickers Summer Calendar and sign up for some other local history events in your area. But also don’t underestimate the power of your child’s imagination; if you can’t get to any re-enactments, have a go at making your own makeshift re-enactment in your back garden.
Root around in your dressing-up box for some costumes and have a go at some craft projects or activities that were typical of the historical era you’re re-enacting. You could even invite your child’s friends along for the fun too.
If you have any other ideas for teaching your children history at home, please leave a comment below.