Presidents Day Activities for Kindergarten: Leaders and Citizens

This free Presidents Day activities lesson helps kindergarten students understand why Americans remember leaders and how citizens help their community. Students learn about George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr., and the current president including Donald Trump while practicing discussion, drawing, and role-play.

Overview

Students explore Presidents Day and the idea of leadership in ways they can understand. They learn that leaders help people, make decisions, and try to improve the country. The lesson connects past leaders such as George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, civil rights leadership through Martin Luther King Jr., and modern leadership through the current president. Students also discover they can be leaders in their classroom and families.

Subject Connections

The lesson is grounded in social studies through citizenship and national holidays. English Language Arts supports the work as students listen to stories, speak during discussions, and dictate sentences. Art is used to express understanding through drawing and role play, but the primary learning focus remains civic understanding.

Learning Goals

• Students explain why Presidents Day is celebrated
• Students recognize George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr., and the current president
• Students describe simple leadership qualities such as helping and fairness
• Students demonstrate ways they can be good citizens

Materials

• Portrait pictures of Washington, Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr., and Donald Trump
• Chart paper
• Crayons and markers
• Construction paper
• Glue and scissors
• Dress-up props such as hats or simple costume pieces

Preparation

Prepare simple visuals of each leader and a classroom chart labeled “What Leaders Do.” Set up a space for role play and gather art supplies for drawing and poster work.

Teaching Procedure

Each session fits a standard class period of 30–40 minutes.

Session 1 – What Is a Leader?

1. Activity: The teacher shows a portrait of a leader and asks students to describe what they notice. Materials include printed photos and chart paper. Students discuss observations and the teacher records ideas. Students produce a class chart of leadership traits such as helping and solving problems.
2. The teacher explains Presidents Day and students draw a picture of someone who helps others at school.

Session 2 – George Washington and Abraham Lincoln

1. The teacher reads a short story about Washington and Lincoln and discusses honesty and responsibility. Students orally retell one fact and draw a picture of the leader.
2. Activity: Students create simple hats from paper to represent Washington and Lincoln. Using construction paper and scissors, students assemble the hats and role-play being a president. Students produce a short spoken sentence about helping the country.

Session 3 – Martin Luther King Jr.

1. The teacher explains fairness and peaceful problem solving. Students share examples of being kind.
2. Students draw ways people can treat each other kindly and present their drawing to the class.

Session 4 – The President Today

1. The teacher explains that the United States has a current president who makes decisions and speaks for the country. Students learn basic information about Donald Trump and what the president’s job is.
2. Activity: Students hold a classroom vote for a simple choice such as a read-aloud book. Students cast paper ballots and observe counting results. Students produce a completed ballot and discuss fairness.

Session 5 – We Are Leaders Too

1. The teacher asks students to brainstorm ways children can be good citizens. Students contribute ideas to a class list.
2. Students create a “My Promise” drawing and dictate one sentence about how they will help others.

Assessment

Students are assessed through discussion participation, drawings, and their ability to state one fact about a leader and one action that shows good citizenship.

Differentiation

Students needing support may dictate responses instead of writing. Advanced students may add multiple sentences or explain how leaders help communities beyond the classroom.

Grade Adaptation

Kindergarten students identify leaders and describe simple leadership actions. For Pre-K students, focus only on helping behaviors and drawings with teacher narration. For Grade 1 students, add short written sentences and additional facts about each leader.

Extension Ideas

• Create a classroom leadership job chart
• Invite a community helper to speak to the class
• Hold a classroom meeting where students solve a problem together