Presidents’ Day shows up on the calendar every year, and for military families, it might even coincide with a 72 or 96 (a chance to hang out together as a family). But as a military family, it’s more than a long weekend. It is also important to pause and reflect on the role of Commander-In-Chief, since the role is also the leader of the Department of Defense in addition to the country.
Here are some meaningful ways to mark Presidents’ Day this year.
Presidential Books for All
Reading together provides bonding time, not just being together and reading aloud, but an opportunity to learn. These books share the history of the presidential office in every area. Try picture books for the youngest of the family, and biographies for older children and adults to truly reflect on the history of our nation’s leaders.
Tip: Read aloud as a family, even if children are of different ages. Everyone may not understand the words, but they will hear the discussion that happens.
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- Who Was…? Series: These books are great snippets on all the presidents, and bonus, they have fun and vibrant covers and pictures.
- The President’s Visual Encyclopedia: This book offers an abundance of visuals and general facts that provide opportunities for deeper conversations.
- John Adams: The biography by David McCullough is so epic that it won a Pulitzer Prize. The biography builds on the letters and diaries of our second President and details the building of a nation from a collection of colonies. This is a meatier read, but recommended for teens and above to read on their own as well.
Free Resources
If you don’t have the above books at home or they are all checked out from the library, there are many free resources on the Presidents.
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- The White House Historical Association: While the White House Historical Association may be known for its annual White House Christmas ornament, they are so much more. Their website is a wealth of topics, which includes biographical information, pictures, and paintings of every president to date.
- The National Archives: Learn beyond just words with digital documents, photos, blueprints, copies of speeches, and so much more at The National Archives. This primary resource is a great way to learn about the Presidents of the past.
- The Library of Congress: More primary resources like original letters, photographs, and even political cartoon,s are available on the Library of Congress website
Presidents Day Crafts
- Presidential Silhouette Art: This is a fun craft. But definitely age-dependent on scissor skills.
- Print a picture of a President
- Cut out the outline of the President (parents can help with this)
- Overlay the outline of the President on a black sheet of paper and cut around the outline to create a silhouette.
- Bonus: Can you guess the President based on the silhouette alone?
2. “If I Were A President” Craft: This creates an opportunity for discussion about what goals or dreams everyone has for the country. It’s also an opportunity to discuss what a President can do, as per the U.S. Constitution.
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- Younger children can draw what they think they would look like as the President
- Older children can write about their plans if they were the President.
- Teens and Adults can talk about what their goals for a presidency would be
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History in Person: Presidential Homes and Historic Sites
Consider planning a trip to check out a Presidential Home if there is one near you.
Thankfully, several historical associations across the country thought to preserve the historic homes of our Presidents. The National Park Service is part of the preservers of many presidential sites and offers a comprehensive list of the parks and homes dedicated to memorializing these figures. They also preserve history, in addition to drawings and photographs of each Presidential Home. Not every home is listed here, though, since not all homes are administered or documented by the notable National Park Service.
Mount Vernon
One such home that is maintained separately from NPS is Mount Vernon, George Washington’s home. Mount Vernon is maintained by the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association of the Union, a non-profit organization relying solely on private contributions. The grounds are expansive and maintained just as George Washington would have maintained the home in his time. Highly recommend making a planned visit here and checking out the forest trail in addition to the home and museum. The education center will reopen in 2026 with more exhibits.
Experience History in Person: Presidential Libraries
The Presidential libraries are a combination of library, museum, and archive. Some libraries, like Dwight D. Eisenhower’s, have his childhood home on the property. You can truly learn about the Presidential Figure from the very beginning of their lives. Many of these libraries offer virtual exhibits if travel is cost-prohibitive.
A favorite of ours personally is the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library in Abilene, Kansas. Thanks to military orders, we were able to stop in as a learning opportunity and adventure mid-PCS several summers ago. The library participates in the Blue Star Museums program, making this adventure low-cost, too! While the Blue Star Museums program through the National Endowment for the Arts runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day each year, many libraries offer admission with a military discount.
The Eisenhower Library is located on impressive grounds, including both the library building with rotating exhibits, a museum sharing the life of the wartime hero, and his boyhood home. Plan to spend most of a day here, including enjoying lunch on the grounds at the picnic tables.
For a comprehensive list to find one near you, check out the Presidential Libraries list here.
Presidents’ Day doesn’t have to be elaborate to be meaningful. Whether it’s reading together on the couch, crafting at the kitchen table, or walking the grounds of a presidential home, these moments help children connect leadership and service to real people and real places.
For military families, it’s a reminder that history isn’t distant—it’s personal.
