For Kids: Genealogy is for everybody—including you! Many people have come before you, and some of those people might have lived some very interesting lives. Whether you need to complete a family history report for school or just want to research more about that great, great, great grandfather who was a veteran, the resources below are sure to help you dig up clues about your ancestry. You’ll be a family history sleuth in no time!
For Parents and Grandparents: If you have always been into genealogy and wanted to share it with your children or grandchildren but never knew how to do it in a way that intrigued them, you’ve come to the right page. Here you will find how-to articles, activity sheets and more to get the kids talking about their ancestors!
For Educators: Teaching kids the joys of genealogy doesn’t have to involve dense textbooks and long, rambling lectures. You can offer fun activities and even encourage them to share their own family stories. Below are some resources to guide you as you craft a lesson plan, assignment and other learning materials to pique your students’ interest in their ancestry.
Also, be sure to check out all the fun activities over at The Old Farmer’s Almanac for Kids.
Other Kids’ Genealogy Resources for Parents and Teachers
WEBSITES
America’s Story from America’s Library: The Library of Congress guides kids through American history with fun facts about people, places and pastimes
AmericanAncestors Fun Family History Projects for Kids
AncestryK12 Resources
Boy Scouts Genealogy Merit Badge Requirements
Cyndi’s List: Kids & Teens
Discover Your Famous Relatives
Family History in the Classroom: Genealogy for Kids
Genealogy for Kids
Get Hooked on Your Family History
Immigration: Stories of Yesterday and Today
National Genealogical Society Rubincam Youth Writing Competition: Annual award for 6th–12th-grade genealogists
Understanding My Family History
USGenWebKidz: A kid’s companion to the USGenWeb sites popular with grown-up genealogists.
BOOKS
For a complete list of recommended titles, see “Genealogy Books for Kids (and Their Grownups)”
Creating Junior Genealogists: Tips and Activities for Family History Fun by Karen Frisch (Ancestry Publishing)
Kids and Kin: The Family History Research Vacation That Involves Kids by Patricia Suter and Corinne P. Earnest (R.D. Earnest Associates, out of print)
Links to the Past Through Genealogy: Curriculum Activities for the Classroom by Midge Frazel (Linworth Learning)
Turning Little Hearts : Over 80 Activities to Connect Children with their Ancestors by Jonah and Charlotte Barnes (Cedar Fort, Inc.)
Your Travel Guide to Colonial America by Nancy Day (Lerner Publications)
Youth in Family History by Starr Hailey Campbell (Creative Continuum)
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