Teaching Your Kids about MLK Through Travel

You can certainly watch videos or read books to teach your kids about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  Alternatively, you can visit cities associated with the civil rights movement so your kids can see artifacts and important sites for themselves.

During a recent trip to Atlanta, Georgia, we visited the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site. By riding the MARTA and Atlanta Streetcar, which includes a stop at the site, your kids can immerse themselves in the civil rights movement.

The National Historic Site is maintained by the National Park Service.  In addition to visiting the National Historic Site, you can also visit Ebenezer Baptist Church, where Dr. King and his father preached many sermons.  The Atlanta Streetcar line also passes by the headquarters of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), a non-violent civil rights organization led by Dr. King.  You can also walk up Auburn Avenue to visit Dr. King's boyhood home.  The King Center for Nonviolent Social Change is next door to Ebenezer Baptist Church, which is across the street from the National Historic Site.

One thing we know about how our child learns is that she enjoys kinesthetic and visual learning and remembers what she learns this way.  At her age, I know she won't be able to appreciate everything about this experience.  She's a preschooler and didn't grow up in a world where she couldn't do things or go places because of the color of her skin.  However, we can talk about her experiences as she gets older because she remembers her travel experiences.



How do you celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Day?

How do you teach your kids about MLK?

Let us know in the comments!