Voting and Elections with Preschoolers

Teach kids the ins and outs of this important civic right and responsibility with these eleven awesome election videos for learners from pre-K through high school.  

Voting is part of being a good citizen, and election season is a perfect time to talk to kids about elections and the democratic process. This article details how show and tell, family “elections”, and discussions about rights and responsibilities can be important ways to teach young children about voting.  

Election season is an ideal time to establish the importance of participating in elections and practicing the right to vote. Research shows that having clear conversations about the voting process with children makes them more likely to vote when they’re adults. Here are nine books to start conversations around not only voting, but democracy, citizenship, and equality. 

This short 30-second video shows how children in PreK and kindergarten can use an attendance chart to sign in, chart, and vote daily about, “Who is at school? Who is at home?” In the video, a student explains how his classroom’s attendance chart is used. Creating mathematical routines in the classroom can help children make connections between math and their everyday lives. 

November is a time for elections. While children might not be able to fully understand everything that is happening, the elections are a great opportunity to help them start to learn about what it means to vote and some of the simple basics about how our government works. This article gives ideas for educators on how to set up mock elections and lists helpful children’s books about voting.

When you introduce young children to the concepts of democracy and citizenship, you are introducing them to a fundamental value of the American educational system. The values that the democratic process teaches are important to learn regardless of whether or not it is an election year. Educators and parents can explicitly name these values for young children and help them engage with what they are noticing.

An election year provides a great opportunity to talk with children about fairness and making decisions as a group. Families can vote on what movie to watch, book to read, or what to have for dinner.

Sometimes teachers need to require kids to do things, and it’s easier to get their buy-in if they know their voices are heard, too. This article offers suggestions on how students can make choices in the classroom using voting, kids’ choice days, and student voice.  

During election seasons, adults will be surrounded by election references—and so will the young children in classrooms. Recognizing how children perceive the process of voting can help educators integrate it into the classroom curriculum and make meaning of this social studies concept for students. This page details voting activities for young children on five scaffolded levels that build understanding of the concept of voting. 

Vote for Elmo! Data visualization can sound complicated, but it can be as simple as necessary — just two columns and stickers to count out each vote. This article lists seven easy ways to help a young child build math skills by voting.