Events and resources to honor Martin Luther King Jr.

How will you and your kids recognize Martin Luther King, Jr. day this year? If you are not working on Monday, there are lots of family friendly service projects around the Greater Philly area that you can join in. But if you aren’t able to participate in community service for whatever reason, there are so many wonderful books, videos, lesson plans and other online resources that parents can use to teach kids of all ages and abilities about Dr. King’s legacy and how we can all take action to create a more just, kind and equitable country.

Here are some of my favorites:

Books

• Colors Of Us is a wonderful website to find multicultural toys, books and clothing. Check out their list of 14 children’s books about MLK for a great list of books for pre-school through middle school age.
• Brightly has another terrific list: 18 Picture Books That Help Keep Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Dream Alive. These books not only share about Dr. King’s life and legacy but also more broadly about the Civil Rights Movement, Voting Rights and activism.

Videos

• If you’re a fan of Kid President, you’ll love his Story of Martin Luther King, Jr. It’s very accessible for kids of all ages.
• For younger elementary age kids, here is a great guide to teacher-approved videos that introduce Dr. King’s story in a developmentally appropriate way.
• For older children and teens, PBS has put together this site with video clips of Dr. King’s most memorable speeches.

Educational Resources

• Parents may appreciate these great activities and lesson plans from the National Education Association to use for discussion with your kids at home.
• Teachers Pay Teachers is a great website where teachers share resources they’ve created—and in honor of MLK day, they are featuring a ton of free worksheets, books and poster activities that you can download and use at home. 

Things to do with your kids in Philly over MLK weekend

• The MLK Day of Service website has a listing of service projects around the area taking place on Monday.
• The African-American Museum in Philadelphia will feature a full weekend of family-friendly activities, with a reduced $2 admission fee through the weekend.
• The National Liberty Museum will feature a number of special projects throughout MLK Day, with pay what you wish admission.

How will you and your family spend MLK Day this year? Please share your ideas and favorite resources in the comments below.