The Importance Of Teaching Your Kids About the History of the American Flag

Learning about your country’s history can be a fun experience when you are teaching to those who are excited about the material. Sometimes though, who you are trying to teach it too might find it boring. One of the toughest crowds to teach history to are generally kids. The reason is often that kids find history boring. 

Why do they need to learn about the past? Well, the past is important for the customs we participate in today.

Preparing for future education

Learning about the American flag is a good building block for future education that kids will receive in the later grades of elementary school, middle school, and high school. Teaching them while they are young helps instill the knowledge of their country’s history.

Every student is required to take a civics and careers class in high school. This class is where they learn about government, citizenship, and what kinds of jobs they can expect to look for when they graduate high school, or eventually, university/college. Giving your kids a heads up on some of the lessons they will need to learn can help them earlier than they know it. Learning about the American flag is an important part of these classes. 

Installation

Probably the most important topic of the flag is properly installing it so it can be properly displayed. Yes, there are actual flagpole installation instructions to follow and it is important as it honors the flag if done right. I actually had no clue personally until my husband bought a flag to mount on our house. There are also different sizes of us patriot flags to buy and ways to hang.

Symbolism and color theory

Two features of the American flag are the colors and the symbolism of the design. Most kids think that the stars and stripes are just American, but do not know what they mean. It is important to teach them why usa flags in their classroom are the way they are, and why we respect the imagery of them so much. Among these reasons are the purposes of patriotism that the flag is a strong symbol, which has made them such a popular thing for people to buy and display proudly. It helps them learn the importance of the flag design and for interpretive knowledge. 

Teaching kids about how color can express emotions or ideas is good for their development and knowledge of interpretation. The red of the American flag represents ideas like bravery and valor. The white represents innocence and purity. Blue represents loyalty, perseverance, and justice. The stars and stripes represent the 50 states and the original 13 colonies. This kind of knowledge is important for kids to know at a young age.

Respecting national symbols

Much like how kids need to learn about the flag and how it uses color and symbols to represent ideas, it is important for them to respect those symbols. Usually classrooms will have children recite the Pledge of Allegiance of the United States and salute the flag. Teaching them why they do this is important so that they know why this is a custom or practice for them to do. 

Most kids assume that they do these things because they are supposed to, but to teach kids why it is important and what the flag represents is important for their understanding of national symbols and a sense of identity and community. There is also the need for flag etiquette, which is expressed through the specific folding pattern and how flag owners take the flag down out of the rain to respect this symbol of freedom. 

Teaching kids about the history of the United States of America through the flag is a good way to show them how important a national symbol is, and here is how you can do that.

Make it fun

History is either really well liked or hated, depending on who you talk to. Some adults call it their least favorite subject in school, and some love it. The hardest part about teaching the history of the American flag to kids is that it is very important knowledge to learn young so it stays with them. 

Simple ways you can make it a fun lesson is by doing coloring activities where they fill in the stars and stripes. You can even get creative with your lesson plan and have kids make their own American flag design and teach them why the flag is designed the way it is. This is practical for teachers and parents who want to teach their kids about the flag. Kids love coloring and drawing so it is an excellent way to incorporate an educational lesson with an activity that helps them get out some energy and creativity.

Teaching children about the importance of the American flag and its history is vital to the knowledge they will need for their schooling later in life. High school civics classes will teach them about government, but it is important that they know why they salute the flag and what the flag represents for their country, at a young age. The flag represents many things through its symbolism, and children should learn about these symbols and colors, and their meanings so that they can understand the need for national symbols and what they mean in the context of history.