Martin Luther King Jr.

     “If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.” - MLK JR

Credit: Erickson

      I've always admired him. He was a strong man, a faithful man, and certainly an American hero.  We'll make a day of learning about King and civil rights. I like to read and listen to his iconic Dream speech. My kids may not fully understand now but I want this part of our history to be remembered by them. It's never to early to begin teaching them about these things, in my opinion. If you're looking for last minute ways to honor the day with your kids:

    A while ago we borrowed this beautiful book from our local library. The illustrations are just incredible. It definitely caught the attention of my little ones. They bring the content of the book to life.

   Do you have netflix? Click here or search "Scholastic: Amazing America". The third episode is 10 minutes attributed to King's life.

   Here's a printable crossword and a craft from crayola appropriate for older kids. A simpler coloring page from teachervision for younger ones.

    Some other interesting things to read:
Tuscaloosa News - April 11, 1963 - Negroes to Defy Ban 
The Letter from Birmingham Jail 

 
    If you really want to have fun make a cake or cupcakes in honor of his birthday! He would have been 85 years old today.

This Week's Library Grab

     Here are the books we picked out at the library this week! Quite an eclectic selection, I think. Some we've read before and some we haven't. The kiddos are enjoying all of them.

    This is a beautiful book highlighting Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech. I don't think it could ever be read too many times. The illustrations are beautiful too. I love that my 3 year old and almost-2-year-old are all ready beginning to learn about such very important public figures.

 

     This is a very colorful book with a short, sweet style to it. I love it almost as much as Frederick.  

    There are some things we want our kids to learn about and never forget. The Great Depression is one such thing. Children's literature like this is an easy, beautiful way to share such history even with the smallest kids.

    Dinosaurs + numbers. Just what my 3 year old needs. I'm convinced she can soak in just about anything if it is somehow tied in with dinos.

     Our local library has a fantastic kid's non-fiction collection. They have books from Pebble Plus to Kid's Britannica. They are great resources. My kids love these books just the same as the fiction. The colorful pictures don't hurt.