70 Black History Month Activities for Kids (2024)

Inspired by Benjamin Banneker, this clock craft is perfect for learners of all ages and skill levels. All you need is a paper plate and some colorful construction paper that you can cut into small circles. Write numbers from one to 12 on them, and help kids glue them in order. Stick two popsicle sticks for the clock hands and your clock is ready!

Here’s a great example of an analog clock craft from The Joy Of Sharing.

Give new life to an old “Guess Who” board game or create your own version for a fun way to teach kids about Black history. Replace the game cards with photos of famous Black people the kids have studied, and let the games commence!

You can buy it here from Amazon.

Did you know a simple game of “Red light, green light” could teach kids not just about traffic safety, but also about the inventor of the traffic light? Make sure to celebrate Garrett Morgan even as you play multiple rounds of this children’s classic.

Here’s a great example of playing “Red light, green light” from Mommy Made That.

Get the kids to help you make — and eat — this healthy and tasty “traffic light” snack. Another activity celebrating Garrett Morgan, this one is extremely easy. Simply cut cheese slices into rectangles with kid-safe knives, then add red and yellow cherry tomatoes and a green grape to replicate the colors of a traffic signal.

Here’s a great example of a traffic light snack from Kids Activities Blog.

All aboard the fun express ‘cos we’re learning about trains and Elijah McCoy with this activity! If real train rides with kids are a bit tough, give this virtual train tour a shot. Cue up the YouTube video — and there are plenty of incredible virtual train journeys on here — settle in, and get ready to enjoy the ride.

Here’s a great example of a virtual train ride from Holidify.

Hand the kids spray bottles filled with water paint and instruct them to spray the sheet. As the colors blend beautifully, introduce the concept of diversity by showing them how all colors mix together to make a pretty picture.

Here’s a great example of diversity spray painting from Joyful Learning In The Early Years.

Follow the lead of the legendary Alma Woodsey Thomas, the first African American woman to have a solo exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art. Instruct the kids to create loads of dots and dashes around a solid blue circle to give shape to the “eclipse.” And that’s it!

Here’s a great example of eclipse abstract art from Crafting A Fun Life.

Channel Bessie Coleman and other sky birds by helping the kids craft small airplanes from any old plastic bottles. Use craft paper to cut out other aircraft shapes, like the rudders, turbines, wings, elevators, propellers, and windows. You can use any online guide for specific instructions.

Here’s a great example of a plastic bottle aircraft from Babysits.

Turn any old grocery bag into an adorable Obama puppet. All your kids need are some basic drawing skills to outline Obama’s face on the bag. Then, let them draw on a trademark Obama-style tie, glue some paper arms and legs, and color it in.

Here’s a great example of a Barack Obama paper puppet from Kids Creative Chaos.

Running out of paper bags? Try these stick puppets instead. Simply let the kids draw Obama’s face on craft paper and help them cut this out. Create a cardstock tie, too, then glue both onto a craft stick to make a cute hand puppet.

Here’s a great example of a Barack Obama stick puppet from Paper And Glue.

Sit down with kids to read a George Carver biography, the man who discovered countless ways we can use sweet potatoes and peanuts. Then, celebrate by, you guessed it, snacking on sweet potatoes and peanuts! Let the kids help you roast the potatoes and serve with some peanut butter crackers, or simply coat them with peanuts and fry.

Here’s a great example of a George Carver-inspired snacktivity from Paper And Glue.

Re-create the likeness of Jackie Robinson with just some construction paper, scissors, and glue. Instruct the kids to cut out a head, eyes, lips, a ball cap, baseball, bat, and half a torso, gluing them onto solid-colored paper. Add a cutout ‘B’ to the cap, and trace the word ‘Dodgers’ onto the jersey to complete the picture.

Here’s a great example of a Jackie Robinson craft from Paper And Glue.

Kick off your educational part of the celebrations with a good read. Explore diverse narratives and stories using recommendations found online, on reading websites, or even from the local library. Have the kids read out sections of each book — if they’re at that age — or do it yourself for story time.

Here’s a great example of reading books from Understood.

Go beyond simply reading books. Learn about the authors’ lives too! Help kids discover the people behind their favorite books with simple Google searches, podcasts, or interviews. Together, you can also discuss all their literary works, how they became writers, and more.

Here’s a great representation of learning about authors from She Reads.

Martin Luther King Jr.’s wife, Coretta Scott King, was a powerhouse in her own right. Explore her legacy through The Coretta Scott King Awards that honor educational African-American authors and illustrators. As for how to do this — you can read up on past winners, watch online videos of the award ceremony, and even predict future winners!

Here’s a Coretta Scott King Award winner from American Libraries Magazine.

Help the kids explore Black culture, diversity, and their own creativity with this fun and educational activity. Let them create whatever they want — a self-portrait, a drawing of their favorite Black personality, or anything else — on craft paper. They can add inspiring quotes, lines, or slogans too.

Here’s a great example of an inspirational DIY poster from Atlanta Public Schools.

Delight the kids with a little virtual reality in their lessons. Discover the New York Harlem Renaissance Movement with a fun virtual tour. Explore famous locations, learn the history, see the architecture, and listen to the music of this era. And because it’s so immersive, they’ll gain a deeper understanding of this movement’s impact on Black history.

Here’s a great example of a virtual Harlem tour from The Atlantic.

Celebrate the person who gave us GPS — Dr. Gladys West. Set out a large map, explaining latitude and longitude and how to navigate using a GPS system. Let the kids pick a spot they want to visit, then use the GPS to figure out how best to get there.

Here’s a great example of exploring GPS navigation from Whole Wide World Toys.

Challenge your kids’ knowledge of Black history with this interactive quiz board. Ask them to match the person from Black history with the right description, adding or taking away game points as per their answer. You can even prepare a little goodie bag of treats for the winner(s)!

Here’s a great example of a ‘Who Am I’ quiz board from Brainerd Baptist School.

Let kids create a portrait of how they see themselves, even writing words — if they can — that best describe them and their community. This can spark profound discussions about race and the world around them and will foster some very curious and active little citizens.

Here’s a great example of a self-portrait from Arts For Small Hands.

Embrace the cultural richness of Black History Month through the engaging game of Mancala. While it originated in Africa, it is now a much-loved game around the world. Make your own Mancala board, or get one from Amazon, then sit down to play and learn numbers with the kids.

You can buy it here from Amazon.

Bring math, art, and world culture into learning with a deep dive into Adinkra symbols. Teach kids about these meaningful geometric symbols and colors, and see how these shapes fit together to tell a story. You can also take the fun up a notch by asking kids to create their own Adinkra symbols on paper.

Here’s a great example of Adinkra symbols from Afrothreads.

Encourage the kids to show off their knowledge of famous people in Black history with a walk-in fair. The fair can spotlight different people, their history, and their achievements. Or, you can set up a theme too — like a science fair where kids present special inventions, or a music fair, where they create and present one musical item each.

Here’s a great example of hosting a Black history fair from Oak Park Elementary School District 97.

It’s not just yesteryear leaders your kids should be aware of. They will connect more with contemporaries, like Naomi Wadler, who gave a powerful speech at the March for Our Lives rally in Washington when she was only 11! Paste images of people just like her, along with prominent faces of the past, onto a board for your kids.

Here’s a great example of celebrating past and present Black figures from NB Wilber School.

Buy or print a large Rosa Parks grid portrait, then cut it along the lines. Give each kid a piece, tasking them with two jobs. One, color their piece in a bright, bold color. Two, figure out how each piece fits to make the whole portrait. And voila, a vibrant Rosa Parks masterpiece is ready to display!

Here’s a great example of a Rosa Parks pop art portrait from artwithjennyk.

Let kids pick their favorite Black personalities, draw them on hexagon-shaped craft paper, then paste these on a large sheet to create a “quilt” for Black History Month. Attach this whole quilt on the wall, as a decoration or wall hanging.

Here’s a great example of a Black History Month quilt from Lesson Plans.

At storytime, make sure you introduce the kids to important events in Black history. Choose anything from Harriet Tubman’s underground railroad to the four famous black women during the space race, many of which have been turned into children’s stories. After reading, let kids pick a part they like, plan a little play, and perform it for everyone.

Here’s a great example of putting on a play from StageMilk.

Ink pads are all you need to teach the little ones about uniqueness. Give each kid an ink pad, let them press their fingertips onto these, then press onto white paper to form fingerprints. Hand out magnifying glasses to let them get a closer look at their distinct prints. Exploring others’ prints will drive the message of diversity home.

Here’s a great example of a thumbprint diversity activity from Buggy And Buddy.

Another way to celebrate diversity is to organize a scrumptious food fiesta, of course! Whip up or order dishes from different regions and areas in Black culture. You can plan a huge feast on one day, or savor different dishes for each day of Black History Month.

Here’s a great example of having a food fiesta from Wikipedia.

Check out local newspapers and food blogs for the best places to eat, where you can explore different cuisines particular to Black culture. Take the kids on a special food tour field trip to sample the delicacies on offer. This way, they get to explore different cultures through the food and learn more about Black history too.

Here’s a great example of a food tour field trip from Vox.

Clean an egg carton and fill it up with soil. Give the kids different seeds and help them plant each in a different part of the container. As they sprout together side-by-side, explain how their diverse and beautiful garden has a lot in common with multiculturalism and why the world needs this diversity.

Here’s a great example of planting multiculturalism seeds from Dengarden.

Teaching kids about discrimination could mean letting them experience it themselves, in a controlled environment. Start by creating signs banning certain traits and hang them up — like blue eyes, red hair, etc. Talk to kids about what they felt as they read the signs, to help them understand more about discrimination and how to treat all people with kindness.

Here’s a great example of a simulated discrimination exercise from Medium.

Invite the neighborhood kids around for a Black History Month read-along. Lay out various books on famous people in Black history and ask a volunteer to read to their friends. They can take turns picking and reading different books, and if you want, you can even give away the books to the kids!

Here’s a great example of a group read-along from Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service.

What’s more fun than a coloring activity? This printable is super easy to set up, too. Find a simple traffic light image, print it out, and let kids color it in. You can customize according to their skill levels, as well. Crayons are great for the little ones while watercolors can be the medium of choice for the older kids.

Here’s a great example of a traffic signal coloring page printable from Kids Activities Blog.

Celebrate American research chemist Percy Lavon Julian with a cool science-y coloring page. Devise a soothing and easy Zentangle chemistry lab design using easily available online tools and pictures, then print it out in black and white. Hand the kids some colored pencils and watch them unleash their creativity.

Here’s a great example of a Zentangle chemistry coloring printable from Kids Activities Blog.

Explore Rosa Parks’ story with a cool zigzag bus printable. Prepare two identical prints of a bus and the summarized Rosa Parks story on notecards. Fold a long rectangular paper in the zigzag pattern, gluing one end to the inside of each bus printout. Stick notecards in order on the zigzag pages, then unfold to read the story!

Here’s a great example of a Rosa Parks zigzag bus book printable from Nurture Store.

Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King Jr., and more all have one thing in common — inspirational quotes. Borrow some of their best sayings and print them out on craft paper. Have the kids work together to create a likeness of a young African-American girl using craft paper. Hang this up and it can be a source of inspiration every day.

Here’s a great example of a 3D motivational craft from Atlantic Christian School.

Don’t stop at learning about Adinkra symbols. Convert this into a fun coloring activity any child will love. Find a few meaningful symbols online and print them out on plain craft paper. Hand the kids some coloring pencils and crayons, and let their creativity run wild as they create patterns any artist would be proud of.

Here’s a great example of an Adinkra coloring printable from Super Coloring.

Print animated pictures of famous Black figures, along with a line about their most celebrated achievements, on one side of the image and on thick cardstock. Cut these in half, so the image of the person is split in two. Task the kids with matching the cards and reading aloud their achievements.

Here’s a great example of Black History Month puzzle cards from Tots Schooling.

Use words to describe famous events. Use words related to this month, like race, equality, and diversity. Or, simply use the names of famous Black figures. Jumble them up in a word search template — you can get these online — and print them out. All that’s left to do is ask kids to find the hidden words.

Here’s a great example of a Black History Month word search printable from Mom’s Plan-It Vacation Blog.

“When We Intend To Do Good, We Do” — this is just one example of an incredible quote by a famous Black figure that you can slide between the pages of your kids’ books. Just print a few out on cardstock, in black and white, then let kids personalize them as they like, using paint, glitter, and more.

Here’s a great example of Black History Month quote bookmark printables from TeachStarter.

Help kids make their own barometer inspired by June Bacon-Bercey. First, tape a wooden skewer over a balloon-covered glass jar. Then glue paper onto a cardboard box. Draw a line where the skewer meets the cardboard and let the air pressure in the jar and the atmosphere tell you if it will be sunny or cloudy.

Here’s a great example of a DIY barometer from Fizzics Education.

Row, row, row your boat in honor of ship design pioneer Raye Montague. Help the kids cut kitchen sponges to give them a pointed end. Add a horizontal slit for the mast. Glue two duct tape pieces together, cut slits, and slide the stick through for a curved mast. Then set sail in the bathtub or pool, and watch them float!

Here’s a great example of built boats from The Craft Train.

Teach the kids coding basics to honor pioneers like Marie Van Brittan Brown and Otis Boykin. Create a grid using paper and colored tape. Help the kids choose their toy characters and place commands like forward, left, and right on sticky notes. They’ll figure out the “code” to get their toy through, by issuing precise instructions — just like programming!

Here’s a great example of a de-plugged coding activity from Little Bins For Little Hands.

Celebrate every Black pioneer in computer science like Clarence “Skip” Ellis and Annie Easley with this printable activity. Cut icons of the parts of a computer and help the kids assemble them to create their own paper laptops. Print these in black and white, let kids color them in, and even write their own letters and numbers on the keyboard.

Here’s a great example of a paper computer STEM craft from Brittany Washburn.

Make a windmill to harness the wind, just like William Kamkwamba did to rescue his village in 2001! Help your kids fold square paper into a triangle, unfold it, then repeat to get an ‘X.’ Cut along the lines then help them fold each corner towards the middle. Finally, pin them all to a straw or stick. The windmill is ready!

Here’s a great example of a paper windmill from Craving Some Creativity.

Here’s an incredible kids’ activity inspired by Black biologists like Ernest Everett Just and George Washington Carver. Place a small jar within a larger one. Fill the gap with soil and sand, and introduce ants. Cover the small jar with fabric and seal the larger one with holes for air. Observe the ants tunneling as they settle in!

Here’s a great example of a DIY mason jar ant farm from Abeka.

Celebrate Alice Ball and her passion for chemistry with an easy experiment. Have kids put baking soda in a balloon. Half fill a bottle with vinegar, attaching the balloon to its mouth. Let them slowly drop the baking soda into the bottle while securely holding the mouth. Watch as the chemical reaction causes gas to form and expand the balloon.

Here’s a great example of a chemical reaction experiment from Owlcation.

Research Black changemakers who transformed science as we know it — think Emmett Chapelle, Marie Maynard Daly, and Wangarĩ Muta Maathai. Create a giant periodic table using sticky notes on a piece of brown paper or cardboard. Replace the elements with the names of these famous Black people, even adding their accomplishments if there’s space.

Here’s a great example of a Black History Month periodic table from Eagle Nation Online.

Inspire kids to take up roles in STEM by showcasing Black role models from their community. Gather the kids, and invite these speakers to talk about their jobs, their backgrounds, and how they selected their careers. They’ll learn from these living Black History Month role models and see how their own dreams can become reality.

Here’s a great example of interacting with real-life STEM professionals from Elmhurst.

Celebrate the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that abolished segregation in trains with a paper train of your own. Instruct the kids to color a few toilet paper rolls, punching two holes on either end for the string. Glue smaller rolls onto the first and last engines, and glue bottle cap “wheels” to each “bogie.” String them together, and you’re done!

Here’s a great example of a toilet paper roll train from Kids Activities Blog.

Learn about Percy Lavon Julian with this homemade pH test. Boil red cabbage then strain the purple water. Soak strong paper towels in it and leave them out to dry. Test liquids like apple juice and vinegar by dripping them on the paper. It turns red/pink if the liquid is acidic, and blue-green if it is alkaline.

Here’s a great example of a homemade pH test craft from Kids Activities Blog.

American, European, and African cultures birthed music that helped break racial barriers across the world. Celebrate jazz with a trumpet craft that’s as easy as it is fun. Roll cardboard into a cylinder and glue a construction paper cone on one side. Cover the cylinder with more construction paper, then embellish it with washi tape, circular buttons, and a paper handle.

Here’s a great example of a cardboard tube trumpet from Tea Time Monkeys.

Make a cute and easy mailbox this Black History Month using any old cardboard box with a lid. Cut a slit at the top large enough for letters to pass through. Cover with construction paper, then write ‘Mailbox’ in large letters. Encourage the kids to write letters to their favorite Black personalities and “mail” these.

Here’s a great example of a Black History Month mailbox from Preschool Toolkit.

This fun teaches kids how to create their own tap shoes while celebrating Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, one the most prolific American entertainers of the 20th Century. And all you need to do is help them glue five pennies to the top and four pennies to the heel of their shoes!

Here’s a great example of DIY tap shoes from The Krazy Coupon Lady.

Cut out a heart shape from a piece of paper. Color strips of paper in different skin tone colors, pasting them vertically across the cut out heart. Weave more strips horizontally, going over and under alternating strips to create a criss-cross pattern. And voila, you are done!

Here’s a great example of diversity heart art from Teach Starter.

Turn Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous quote into a fun and thought-provoking handprint craft. Help kids trace and cut out their handprints from thick paper and color them. Instruct them to write whatever dream they have for the world on these handprints and stick them around a heart-shaped cutout with MLK’s famous quote written on it.

Here’s a great example of an “I Have A Dream” handprint craft from TeachStarter.

Want an inspiring board for the classroom? Then this craft should be right up your alley. Ask the kids to pick their favorite Black figures, then stick their pictures onto craft paper. Help them write verbs that fit the leaders on the paper. Stick these on one piece of paper, then hang this up on the bulletin board.

Here’s a great example of a “Describe This Person” bulletin board from We Are Teachers.

Ruby Bridges makes for the perfect classroom decor, especially since kids will relate to her age. Paste her picture, write or print her name, and help the kids draw a life-size poster of her to put on the door. Let them add finishing touches like little cards, notes, or quotes, and your door is ready for Black History Month.

Here’s a great example of a Ruby Brides classroom door craft from Mrs. Koski’s First Grade Class.

Since Valentine’s Day and Black History Month are both in February, why not do a craft that merges these two awesome celebrations? Cut out heart-shaped construction paper, glue this to a board, then ask kids to cut out pictures of the Black leaders, figures, and people they love and admire. Help them glue these to each heart.

Here’s a great example of a heart-shaped dual celebration craft from Englewood Charter School.

Everyone’s got a story in their hearts. Bring out your kids’ inner writer with this fun exercise. Introduce them to books about various inspiring Black figures. Hand them paper and a pencil, and let them write a tale of their own, inspired by the story they just read.

Here’s a great example of writing an inspiring story from Britannica.

Help kids spread the word about Black History Month with letters to friends and family. Hand out blank pieces of paper and writing instruments, and an envelope. Help them draft letters about anything — from the stories they’ve learned to a list of their favorite Black personalities.

Here’s a great example of writing a letter from Counting To Ten.

Cut up peanut shapes from brown construction paper and let the kids personalize each one. Flip it over and help them write something that they’ve learned about George Carver, like a fun fact or how he influenced the Black History movement.

Here’s a great example of a peanut people writing project from Stacey Gibbon.

Revise Black History Month knowledge with these easy DIY posters. Find an image of famous figures in Black culture and add a few conversation clouds around them. Use prompts like ‘Was’ and ‘Had’ to help kids get started. Then, let them write whatever they remember about the person.

Here’s a great example of a Black History Month graphic note from Supply Me.

Pick a quote your kids like and task them with writing each word on separate pieces of craft paper. Then, ask them to select words that center around justice and equality, writing each one down on different pieces of paper. Glue each word under the quote. Leave it up all month and encourage them to add more words as they come to mind.

Here’s a great example of a Black History Month quote board from The Core Coaches.

Can your kids write an acrostic poem on the theme of Black History Month? With this printable, they sure can try! Use simple and small words like ‘Rosa’ or ‘love’ to start with, moving to bigger words like ‘diversity’ as they get more comfortable with writing and expressing their thoughts.

Here’s a great example of an acrostic poem writing challenge from @ArchibaldFirst.

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