Recent results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress has found that only 15% of children are proficient in the subject of history. Knowledge about key events, including the American Revolution and the voyages of Christopher Columbus, is at an all time low and there was a general perception that history is boring. Students certainly weren’t considering how important history is and why we need to learn from it - so that humankind doesn’t repeat the same mistakes again, and we have a chance to grow and improve. History is a rich and glorious subject, and if we spark our children’s interests while they are young, they can continue to be passionate about history as they get older.
The 1560 painting Children’s Games by Pieter Bruegel the Elder.
Bedtime stories
A bedtime story is the ideal way to wind down and relax at the end of the day. Reading with your child is also a great way of bonding. There are some wonderful historical fiction books for all ages, even toddlers. For little ones try Meg and the Romans by Jan Pienkowski - the bright, colorful images will help them to visualize the story. The Cat Mummy by Jacqueline Wilson & Nick Sharratt is another fun book for the 7-9 age group. The Horrible Histories series by Terry Deary is still incredibly popular and has inspired a long-running TV series. For older readers, there are some incredibly exciting books that will really bring history to life, such as The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff, and the TimeRiders series by Alex Scarrow.
Local History Walks
History isn’t a million miles away - it’s right on your doorstep, and you can learn about it every day. Have a look on your local town website and see if there are some organized heritage walks that you can do together. Take a trip to the library or the local museum and see if you can find out about the people that lived in your area one hundred years ago. What kind of clothes did they wear and what kind of food did they eat? How was life different for the children? There is so much to find out about the area where you live.
Start a family tree
Learning about the history of your family is one of the most exciting and interesting ways that you can get your children engaged. You can find out so much even from talking to your immediate relatives, as well as grandparents. You can start a family tree on paper, or use a website like Ancestry.com to create a tree. There are a wealth of resources that you can find online, from birth and death certificates, to census details and military records. Together you can find out about the history of your family and learn how things have changed from one generation to the next.
History can begin at home, and there is so much you can do to inspire children to learn. Together you can find out about the history of your local area and your own family.
