Election Day Activities for Kids

Mock Election: A mock election can really help fit all of the pieces together for your kids when it comes to understanding voting and the election process. Again, you can create pretend candidates or have an election based on real candidates. Have your kids create posters and brochures for their candidate of choice and then let them present their posters and brochures to an audience (you, their siblings, a classroom, whoever!). Next, create a polling place with sheets or cardboard boxes as dividers so your kids can have 'privacy' while they vote. Have them place their completed ballots in the ballot box (take a shoebox and make a slit in the top) and then tally the results. Let the children know who won and then discuss why that candidate probably won and what the other candidate should have done differently.

Watch the returns: No, don't make your kids watch the hours and hours of news coverage on election night, but do let them watch a little of it so that they can see how votes are counted and reported. Explain the difference between a red state and a blue state and even delve into the differences between the parties...if you're feeling up to it!

The real importance of Election Day for kids is helping them to learn the value of voting and to get them excited about when they will be able to vote. By letting your kids have fun learning about the election process they will come to view voting and politics as a positive things that they will want to be involved in. So let the future voting populace have a good time learning all about our great American elections!