Black History Month

You can celebrate Black History Month with quotes, games, and even cake.
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How Moms Are Celebrating Black History Month With Their Kids

Here are fun ways to share this rich history.

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Coming together to celebrate Black History Month is an important time for this country, especially for Black families. We remember the bravery and resilience of all who came before us with added encouragement to continue their work. And we also celebrate the familial ties and undeniable creativity of our culture. It’s a celebration of Blackness at its finest.

But our children don’t know these rich stories unless we accurately educate them on the wealth of Black heritage and all the things we are capable of doing. History books deny them a proper perspective on the stolen accomplishments of Black men and women, leaving parents to reach for resources outside of their classrooms to give them a full view of how things went down in the past.

Because of the hardships and injustices our ancestors had to endure, life today looks much different. As a family, we get to pay respects to past achievements, live in the beauty of who we are in the present, and be excited for the future we are creating together.

While digging for some ideas on how to celebrate during February, I wasn't surprised to see how creative some moms have gotten in their approach to making this month educational, inspiring, and fun.

Watch Black History Month Videos & Documentaries

YouTube has several kid-friendly videos full of monumental feats by Black people. The ABCs of Black History is a good place to start where kids can learn about Africa, Barack Obama, and the Civil Rights Act. Other videos that offer great insight into history are the cartoon Animated Black History Stories or even the Biography of Frederick Douglass for Kids, and these 10 other documentaries can be on your list.

Black History Month Through Art

This type of learning allows kids to get a visual of historical moments through the artist's eyes. But next, you can break out a canvas and some brushes and have them create a visual of what they think a specific event in Black History may have looked like. Graphic art, music, and dance are other artistic options heavily influenced by Black artists that kids can learn from and appreciate. If your babies like to move, there are a variety of virtual African dance classes starting as low as $10.

Learn A Black History Month Word

Words like segregation or slavery don't connect to the world that our kids see right now. But when they understand them, they can better appreciate the progress that has happened. Choose a word that is a part of Black History and talk about what it means. A few words you can start with are discrimination, emancipation, voting rights, protest, and integration.

If they can use it in a sentence, even better. Spend a couple of days talking about a time in history where those words were commonly used and how it affected Black people.

Black History Door Challenge

Courtesy of Demetra

"It's the same concept as putting hearts on your children's door with affirmations," says Demetra, a Missouri-based stay-at-home mom. "But we are doing Black history knowledge, quotes, and affirmations daily for the full month of February." Your kids can wake to find a new fact about a historical Black figure taped to different doors in the home each day. As they gradually learn more, you can mix up the facts and set time to unscramble them by putting the correct note with the person it is matched to.

Redecorate With Black History Month Banners

Lakesha, mom of three in South Florida, says, "I'm redecorating their homeschool classroom." After a visit to Michael's, she racked up on their Black History decor.

We furnish rooms with red hearts for Valentine's Day and green clovers for St. Patrick's Day. And those are just single-day events. So why not decorate for this month-long celebration? It's as easy as a visit to Michael's to create your own crafts. Party City also has a special collection in celebration of Black History Month, including yard signs, air-filled balloon phrases, and banners.

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Read Famous Black History Quotes

"Knowledge is the pathway from slavery to freedom." — Frederick Douglas.

"You must never be fearful about what you are doing when it's right." — Rosa Parks.

"Fear of something is at the root of hate for others, and hate within will eventually destroy the hater." — George Washington Carver.

"Won't it be wonderful when Black history, and Native American history, and Jewish history, and all of U.S. history is taught from one book? Just U.S. history." — Maya Angelou

There are so many famous quotes made by legendary Black artists, educators, and activists. Talk about a few throughout the month. Find the meaning and impact it had on the time it was created, and discuss ways it can apply to life today.

Black History Month Trivia Games

Trivia is a fun way to learn while you play/compete. You can even split your family into teams to create a group effort. This laminated 28-pack of Knowledge Cards is a good example. The front has a photo and the words Who Am I, and the back has three points about their accomplishments. Each deck includes revolutionaries, from Alex Haley to Barack Obama.

Black Affirmations

I am enough

I am brilliant

I deserve respect

My hair boldly reaches for the sky

My Black skin is beautiful

I stand on the strength and determination of my family before me

I am a leader

I am proud to be Black

Black people continue to excel despite the odds being stacked against us. As parents, we can use daily affirmations to add an extra layer of mental toughness against stereotypes, hate, and racism so that our kids know they are worthy of love and support and have a right to be safe, educated, and have an equal chance in life.

Find your own way to creatively intertwine these activities to make them fit your family.

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