Visit the Library Take a trip to your local library and check out a few books on Martin Luther King, Jr. Some good picks include, The Story of Martin Luther King Jr. by Johnny Ray Moore, My Daddy, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by Martin Luther King, III, and Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by Doreen Rappaport. After you read through the books you have chosen, take some time to talk to your children about the different concepts, such as diversity, inclusiveness, and being kind toward others. Make a Diversity Collage
Photo source: Flickr Look through magazines together and find pictures of people of all nationalities. Help your child cut out the pictures and glue them onto a piece of construction paper. Look for pictures that depict examples of some of the themes that Dr. King promotes, such as people shaking hands or giving a hug and paste these onto the collage as well. Create an “I Have a Dream” Cloud
Photo source: Flickr Talk with your kids about the dreams that you have for the future and ask your children about their own dreams. Cut out cloud shapes and have your child write their dream onto the cloud. You can help little ones with this step. Then, have your child glue cotton balls onto the cloud,a nd hang your dreams from the ceiling with a piece of ribbon. Talk About Eggs
Photo source: Flickr This activity helps kids understand that we’re all the same on the inside. Take a brown egg and a white egg and have your child explain all the differences and similarities between the two eggs. Talk about what you think you will find on the inside. Will the white one be white and the brown, brown? Then, crack the eggs open. Your child will quickly see that they’re exactly the same. Make a Hand Print Craft
Photo source: Flickr Have your child paint his or her hand in several colors and press each color onto a piece of white poster board. Then, talk with your child about the things that need to change in the world. On each hand print, write the thing that your child dreams of changing, such as “hunger” or “racism.” This MLK Day, spend some time with your kids doing fun activities that reinforce the themes that Dr. King fought for in his lifetime. Featured photo source: Flickr
