Presidents' Day Activities for Kindergarten to 5th Grade (Feb 15, 2027)

Presidents’ Day 2027 is Monday, February 15, and the strongest activities for kindergarten to 5th grade connect the holiday to real skills: coin math with the presidents on U.S. coins, timelines of Washington and Lincoln, “If I were president” opinion writing, a class vote and a simple lesson on what the president actually does. The federal holiday falls on the third Monday of February, and its official name is still Washington’s Birthday. Because many schools are closed that day, most teachers fit the activities into the week before (around Valentine’s Day) or the days after. Below are ideas by grade band, a nonpartisan approach and a short mini-unit you can copy. For more dates across the year, see our school calendar 2026-27.

A quick background

George Washington was born on February 22, 1732, and his birthday became a federal holiday in the 1800s. In 1971, a federal law moved several holidays to Mondays to create long weekends, and Washington’s Birthday moved to the third Monday of February. Because Abraham Lincoln’s birthday, February 12, falls nearby, many states began calling the day “Presidents’ Day” and using it to honor more than one president. Spellings vary (Presidents’ Day, President’s Day, Presidents Day), and different states officially use different names.

For students, the key ideas are simpler: the president is the leader of the executive branch of our government, is elected by voters every four years, and must follow the Constitution like everyone else. Those ideas are the backbone of the activities below.

Kindergarten and 1st grade

Coin detectives. Give students real or play coins and magnifying glasses. Who is on the penny? (Lincoln.) The nickel? (Jefferson.) The dime? (Franklin D. Roosevelt.) The quarter? (Washington.) Students sort coins by president, then by value.

Coin counting. Kindergarten counts pennies to 20; 1st graders count combinations of pennies, nickels and dimes. “Lincoln and Jefferson are in my hand. How much money do I have?” (6 cents.)

What does a leader do? Brainstorm leaders students know: the principal, a team captain, a parent. What do good leaders do? Listen, make fair rules, help people. Create a class chart.

If I were president. Students draw themselves as president and complete the sentence: “If I were president, I would ___.” Expect ideas like “make recess longer,” which is a perfect segue into “Would that be fair for everyone? Who would decide?”

Tall and short. Lincoln was one of the tallest presidents, about 6 feet 4 inches. Mark his height on the wall with tape and have students measure themselves against it with nonstandard units.

2nd and 3rd grade

Washington and Lincoln timeline. Give students 6 to 8 event cards for each president (born, early jobs, became president, key events). In pairs, they order the cards and glue them on a timeline. Then they compare: who was born first? How many years apart were they born? (77 years.)

Coin word problems. “Washington and Lincoln go to the store. Washington has 3 quarters. Lincoln has 4 dimes and 2 nickels. Who has more money? How much more?” Students solve and then write their own problems using the presidents on coins.

Branches of government. Introduce the three branches with a simple analogy: the legislative branch makes the rules, the executive branch carries them out, the judicial branch decides if the rules are fair. Students sort job cards into the right branch.

Opinion writing. “Which president would you like to have dinner with, and why?” Students choose Washington or Lincoln, give two reasons from their reading and write a closing sentence. Use the frame “I would choose ___ because ___. Another reason is ___.”

4th and 5th grade

Research and present. Each student or pair chooses a president, researches five key facts using trusted sources, and creates a one-page fact sheet. Teach students to note their sources, and give them a checklist: dates in office, two important decisions, one challenge, one interesting fact.

Presidential data. Give students a table of presidents with their age when they took office. They find the youngest and oldest, calculate the range and the mean of a sample, and create a line plot. This is great practice for 5th grade data standards.

Mock election. Hold a class election for a fictional “class mascot” or “best field trip.” Candidates give a one-minute speech, students vote by secret ballot, and the class counts votes in pairs to check accuracy. Afterward, discuss: why secret ballots? Why do we count twice?

The Constitution and the president. Read a kid-friendly summary of Article II. What are the requirements to be president? (At least 35 years old, a natural-born citizen, and 14 years living in the U.S.) Students create a “Job posting: President” with the requirements and duties.

Quick activities for any grade

When time is short, these take 10 to 15 minutes and still teach something real:

• Two truths and a myth. Read three statements about Washington, such as the cherry tree story, and have students vote on which one is a legend. Discuss how stories about famous people grow over time.
• Dollar bill hunt. Show students the one-dollar and five-dollar bills. Who appears on each? (Washington and Lincoln.) What buildings or symbols do they see on the back?
• Monument match. Show photos of the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial and Mount Rushmore, and have students match each with the president it honors.
• Exit ticket. “Name one job the president does and one thing the president cannot do alone.” This quick check shows whether students understood checks and balances.

A nonpartisan approach

Presidents’ Day is about civics, not current politics. A few guidelines help:

• Focus on the office, the Constitution and history rather than today’s political debates.
• If a student brings up a current politician, acknowledge the question, then return to the facts of the job.
• Model respectful disagreement during class votes: “We can disagree and still respect each other’s choices.”
• Include multiple perspectives when teaching history. For example, older students can learn that Washington enslaved people, and that Lincoln’s presidency led to the end of slavery through the 13th Amendment.

A three-day mini-unit you can copy

If you only have one day, combine the coin math, a short read-aloud and the “If I were president” writing.

Connecting to February

February is busy: Groundhog Day, Lunar New Year, Valentine’s Day and Black History Month all compete for time. Presidents’ Day pairs well with Black History Month when you teach about Lincoln and the Emancipation Proclamation, and about Frederick Douglass, who met with Lincoln several times during the Civil War. Our Black History Month activities post includes ideas that fit this connection. If you’re planning the week of February 12, our Valentine’s Day activities can be scheduled for the same week without overlap.

Supporting every student

For English learners and students who need extra support, use visuals: photos of coins, timeline cards with pictures, and a word bank with president, vote, citizen, law, government. Pair students for research tasks, and give sentence frames for opinion writing. For students who are new to the U.S., invite them (if they wish) to share how leaders are chosen in another country they know.

Prep in less time

Coin pages, timeline cards and a leveled reading passage about Washington or Lincoln are the most time-consuming parts to prepare. An AI worksheet or lesson tool can draft them for your grade in a few minutes. Always check the historical facts against trusted sources before printing.

Presidents’ Day is a short window to teach how our government works and why voting matters. For more dates and classroom ideas for the rest of the school year, visit our school calendar 2026-27.