Instilling a Love of History in Your Children from a Historian's {& Graduated Homescholer's} Point of View

It is back to school time and for homeschooling moms that means putting the final touches on your curriculum for the year. Today, I’ve partnered with Amy Puetz from Golden Prairie Press to share our family's tips for instilling a love of history in your children!

In May, Ceesa graduated with her bachelor's degree in history with a minor in Language Arts. It was an emotional day. We are so proud of her and what an honor to was to get to see her walk across that stage in her cap and gown to receive her diploma. 

I recently asked Ceesa what she would say contributed to her love of history. She mentioned 3 things that stood out to her. 

The first was the wonderful, high quality children's literature we read. She has always been an avid reader and has an extraordinary imagination. The historical readings were instrumental in sparking her love of history. Our list of favorite books are in 3 places: Books for Young Readers, Middlish Readers, and Teens and Young Adults. I'm constantly updating these lists as we find new treasures!

Secondly, she says getting out to historic places was instrumental in her love of history. For as many years as our schedule and weather has allowed, we have taken a weekly field trip. During those trips, we've visited museums, historical sites, historic homes, and historic villages. For several years, she volunteered at a local historical society and for the last 4 years she has worked as an interpreter, weaver and blacksmith in a historic village. Being out there, immersed in history was vital.  

And finally, using history textbooks sparingly and instead using living, breathing curriculum that incorporated hands-on activities, music, books, games, recipes, and art. 

One of the fantastic curriculums we discovered was from Golden Prairie Press. We highly recommend these curriculums. And the great news is from Monday, August 19th to Friday, August 23rd, 2024, you can get $10.00 off your purchase from Golden Prairie Press by using the code Bethany!

There are two complete history curriculum sets to choose between. Each curriculum is a thirty-week program designed for 1st through 6th graders. You have the option of a digital version in color or a print version of the curriculum in black and white. The curriculums include lessons, recommended literature, vocabulary, memory verses, extra resources (timelines, video recommendations, maps, historical art), hands-on activities (games, recipes, crafts, skits, experiments), and an audio file collection. Answer keys are provided and you only need basic supplies and the materials provided. 

Many years ago, we reviewed and used the Heroes and Heroines of the Past American History curriculum. The American History curriculum's lessons are split into two sections - one with basic info for younger students and another with more advanced details for older kids. You'll get to learn about the amazing people who shaped our country's past through stories that bring history to life. You can dive into history in a whole new way with this set recommended for grades 1-6.

You can read our original review here: Golden Prairie Press: Heroes and Heroines of the Past {A Review}

You can see a sample here: The Period of Discovery

In addition to the Heroes & Heroines of the Past: American History curriculum set, there is also Heroes, Heroines, and Tales of Ancient History.

There is a sample section to check out: From Creation to Alexander the Great.

So that's it. Pretty Simple! Three steps to encourage a love of history: 

1) Read lots and lots of good quality historical books (fiction and non-fiction).

2) Get out there and be in the places where history happened.

3) Incorporate a curriculum that focuses on hands-on activities and sources.

Looking to instill a love of history in your children? We can recommend the Golden Prairie Press curriculum for that. And remember Monday, August 19th to Friday, August 23rd, 2024, you can get $10.00 off your purchase from Golden Prairie Press by using the code Bethany!

If you liked this post, you might also like our reviews of Golden Prairie Press:

Count Down to Thanksgiving

Summer Countdown

Heroes and Heroines of the Past

Connect with us!

Want more?

Sign up for our email list! We'll send you a newsletter with all of our freebies, updates on blog content, and notifications about new posts!

Sharing with you is so much fun! You can share too!

If you enjoyed this post, we'd love for you to share. Like it, save it for later, or share it with your people! Or all three! It helps us know which content you want more of and your support opens up our little corner of the internet and builds the blessings in our community! Simply click the share icons below.