Easy 2-Day Civics Lesson for Kids: The President, White House & Constitution

Teach your child about the U.S. President, the White House, and the Constitution with this easy-to-follow, 2-day lesson plan! Perfect for homeschool, preschool, or kindergarten social studies, this guide uses fun, hands-on activities to explain big concepts in a simple way. Your child will love drawing or building their own White House and creating a unique 'Family Constitution.' This complete lesson includes book/video suggestions, a supply list, and step-by-step instructions for engaging, age-appropriate learning about civics.

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Presidents & Promises: A 2-Day Adventure

Overall Material & Prep List (For Mom)

This is everything you'll need for both days. Gather it all at once to make your lessons smooth and easy!

  • Book & Video Suggestions (To get from the library or queue on YouTube):
    • Book: "If I Were President" by Catherine Stier
    • Book: "The White House: A Pop-Up of Our Nation's Home" by Robert Sabuda (or any picture book about the White House)
    • YouTube Video: Search for "The White House for Kids Tour" (Look for a short, animated one, like from SciShow Kids or similar channels).
    • YouTube Video: Search for "Schoolhouse Rock Constitution" (The "We the People" song is a classic and catchy intro).
  • Art & Craft Supplies:
    • White paper (several sheets)
    • Large sheet of paper or poster board
    • Crayons, markers, and/or colored pencils
    • Optional: Building blocks (like LEGOs or wooden blocks)
    • Optional: Child-safe scissors and glue stick
    • Optional: Old magazines for cutting out pictures
  • Reference Materials (You already have these):
    • Children's Dictionary
    • 'My Encyclopedia of Very Important Things' by DK

Day 1: A President's Special Home

Focus: Introducing the President and their home, the White House, by comparing it to Mirabelle's own home.

Time: 15 minutes together, 15+ minutes of independent play/work.

Materials Needed Today:

  • 'My Encyclopedia of Very Important Things' by DK
  • A picture book about the White House (from the library) OR a short YouTube video tour of the White House for kids.
  • White paper
  • Crayons, markers, or colored pencils
  • Optional: Building blocks of any kind

Lesson Instructions

1. Warm-Up: Our Home (5 minutes)

What to Do: Sit with Mirabelle in a cozy spot.

What to Say: "Mirabelle, let's talk about our home. What is your favorite room in our house? Why do you like it? Our home is a special place where our family lives and is safe, right? Well, the leader of our whole country has a special home, too! Do you know what the leader of our country is called?" (Pause for her answer, help her if needed: "A president.") "That's right! And the president lives in a very famous house. Let's find out more about it."

2. Activity: Exploring the White House (10 minutes)

What to Do: You have two choices for this part. Pick the one you think Mirabelle will enjoy most.

  • Option A (Book): Open the picture book about the White House. Look at the pictures together, pointing out interesting things.
  • Option B (Video): Watch the short, kid-friendly YouTube tour of the White House together.

What to Say (while looking at the book/video):

  • "Look at that! It's called the White House because... it's white! It's so big! It has a special room for the president to work in, called the Oval Office."
  • "Wow, it also has a bowling alley and a movie theater! If you lived in the White House, what one silly, fun room would you add?" (Listen to her fun ideas.)
  • "This house isn't just a home; it's also where the president works to help run our country. It's a very important building."

Quick Encyclopedia Check: After the book/video, grab your 'My Encyclopedia of Very Important Things'. Say, "Let's see if we can find 'President' or 'White House' in our special encyclopedia!" Look it up together and see what extra fun facts you can find.

3. Independent Work: Design Your White House (15+ minutes)

What to Do: Set Mirabelle up at a table with the art supplies. Explain the two choices for her project. This is her time to be creative while you step away if needed.

What to Say: "Okay, amazing job learning! Now it's your turn to be the architect. You have two choices for your project. You can either:

  1. Draw the White House: Use this white paper and crayons to draw your own version of the White House. You can add your favorite things to it, like a giant rainbow slide, a swimming pool on the roof, or our family living there!
  2. Build the White House: Use these blocks to build your own White House. It doesn't have to be perfect, just have fun making a big, important building for a president.

Let her work independently. When she's done, ask her to give you a "tour" of her creation.

Day 2: The Country's Rulebook

Focus: Introducing the Constitution as a set of important rules for the country, just like families have rules.

Time: 10-15 minutes together, 15+ minutes of independent work.

Materials Needed Today:

  • Large sheet of paper or poster board
  • Markers or crayons
  • Optional: YouTube for "Schoolhouse Rock Constitution" video
  • Optional: Old magazines, child-safe scissors, glue stick

Lesson Instructions

1. Warm-Up: Our Rules (5 minutes)

What to Do: Start with a quick, fun chat. Watch the short Schoolhouse Rock video if you like; it’s a very catchy way to introduce the idea.

What to Say: "Yesterday we learned about the president's house. Today, we're going to learn about the president's most important rulebook. First, what are some of our family rules? (Examples: 'We use kind words,' 'We clean up our toys,' 'We say please and thank you.') Why do we have these rules?" (Guide her to the answer: "To help us be safe, happy, and fair to each other.")

What to Say Next: "Exactly! Well, a whole country is like a giant family, and it needs rules, too. The super-important list of rules for our country is called the Constitution. It's a big word that just means 'the country's main rules'. These rules make sure everyone is treated fairly."

2. Activity: Creating Our Homeschool Constitution (10 minutes)

What to Do: Bring out the large piece of paper and markers. You will be the main writer, but Mirabelle is the Head of Ideas.

What to Say: "Let's make our very own constitution! This will be the 'Official Rules of the Mirabelle & Mom Homeschool.' It will help make sure our school time is always fair and fun. What should be our first rule? Let's think of three important rules together."

Brainstorming ideas together:

  • Maybe a rule about being creative? (Rule 1: We promise to try new things and be creative.)
  • A rule about being kind when we get frustrated? (Rule 2: We promise to use patient voices.)
  • A rule about having fun? (Rule 3: We promise to always add fun and silliness to our day.)

Write "Our Homeschool Constitution" at the top of the paper. Write down the 2-3 rules you agree on in big, clear letters.

3. Independent Work: Illustrate Our Constitution! (15+ minutes)

What to Do: Hand the poster and art supplies over to Mirabelle. Let her know it's her job to bring the constitution to life.

What to Say: "You've created the rules, and now you are the official illustrator! Your job is to decorate our constitution so everyone knows how important it is. You can:

  • Draw a picture next to each rule to show what it means.
  • Decorate the border with beautiful colors and patterns.
  • If you want, you can cut out pictures from these magazines that match our rules and glue them on.

After she is done, ask her to "sign" it at the bottom. Then, you sign it too. Hang your new Homeschool Constitution up somewhere you can both see it every day!