How a Homeschool Family is Observing Martin Luther King Jr. Day

As a homeschool family, we try to learn about and observe all the special days. Whether it be National Chocolate Ice Cream Day, Earth Day, or Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we take a few moments to learn of each holiday’s history and find a few fun ways to incorporate these occasions into our day.

What is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) Day and when is it observed?

 MLK day is a federal holiday designated to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a man who fought relentlessly to protest racial discrimination in federal and state law.

 MLK day was signed into law by president reagan in 1983 to honor MLK. MLK day occurs on the third Monday of January each year.

Here are four free and easy ways our family will be learning about and observing MLK Day:

1. We’ll start by learning a bit about the history of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. checking out a few of these resources:
   • Read about Martin Luther King Jr. with National Geographic Kids
   • Read and discuss MLK Day with Time for Kids
2. Listen to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous ‘I Have a Dream’ speech.
3. Next, we’ll read a book or watch a short video or two. Here are links to a few good ones:
   • National Geographic Readers: Martin Luther King, Jr.
   • The Story of Martin Luther King Jr.: A Biography Book for New Readers
   • I am Martin Luther King, Jr.The Giving Tree- book read aloud
   • The Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. | BrainPOP video
   • The Story of Martin Luther King Jr. by Kid President video
4. Use our creativity to make a craft or project. Here are a few ideas:
   • Draw or write your own ‘Dream’ speech. What are some things you feel should be changed? What are your dreams for our world?
   • Print and fill in the blanks on this free ‘Martin’s Dream’ worksheet from The Wise Owl Factory
   • Download and print this free ‘Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Printable Pack’ from Meet Penny that includes handwriting work and writing prompts

Don’t let learning more about this important day be limited to one day a year. Use this day to open doors to conversations with your family about equality, diversity, and civil rights on MLK day and the rest of the year.

How is your family honoring today? Please comment below!

Click to check out all our guides and resources to Mid-Michigan restaurants, parks, where kids eat free, and more here!

Visit our Facebook page and Instagram to see what’s new in Mid-Michigan!