Getting to know your students and their families is one of the best parts of teaching! It’s amazing how much you can learn about a child by hearing about their family and the people they care about most. That’s why I love incorporating family social studies activities. It provides an opportunity for your students to open up, share, and celebrate what makes their families unique.
My Favorite Books
There are so many great books for a family unit. And I love opening any activity with a good book! Bringing books into your unit not only encourages your students to read, but it also helps them make personal connections. I created a list of twenty of my favorite family books! You can also take a look around in my Amazon Store for quick searching.
Why Teach About Families?
Let’s be real. Social studies in kindergarten tends to get nudged to the back sometimes. I know I’m guilty! I think “they already know this stuff” and “we are so behind on math and reading that I’ll just teach it later”.
Teaching social studies units like these social studies family activities have so many benefits that are not worth skipping!
- Builds a sense of belonging
- Encourages social-emotional development
- Promotes cultural awareness
Knowing more about your learners’ families will not only help understand where they come from, but we all learn something new!
Family Social Studies Activities
Each day, we complete fun, engaging activities where students are writing, drawing and speaking about their families.
We start with an activity called “Families are, Families have and Families like”. We read a variety of books and describe our families using the sentence starters and printables.
At the beginning of the week, I send home a Family Project. Students bring it back on Friday and we spend time sharing facts about our families. It’s a great way to practice social skills as well as share unique facts about each family!
By incorporating these family-focused activities, you’ll not only teach important social studies concepts but also create a strong sense of community in your classroom. When students feel proud to share about their families, it builds connections that last all year long!
Click below to check out my Family Unit!
