Politics is about how individuals decide how society should operate, making it both exciting and stimulating for children to explore this field of endeavor.
Election season can be riveting and potentially full of inaccurate or misleading reports; therefore it’s crucial that children learn how to distinguish between facts and opinions.
Ask Questions
Politics may be an intimidating subject to broach with children, given they aren’t old enough to vote and learning about legislation might seem like homework. But experts assert that children of all ages can understand political concepts; so having conversations about this important matter with your child should not be avoided.
Avoid insulting those with differing political viewpoints; teaching your child that people who differ are not bad can foster greater empathy.
Focus on discussing laws that directly affect their daily lives, like the 5p carrier bag charge or anti-discriminatory policies. Doing this makes politics less abstract and more relevant; children might become curious to find out more about how their country’s government functions – an essential step toward building their political awareness.
Talk About Current Events
At first glance, politics and children may seem an unlikely pairing. Teaching your kids about political parties, government processes or voting may seem like extra homework that they would rather avoid taking on.
Children may develop an interest in politics from an early age and tend to start by asking questions. For instance, seeing someone selling poppies or soliciting donations could spark their curiosity in social issues and ignite their imaginations.
Discuss local, state and national politics with your children to give them an understanding of how laws impact their daily lives. It can also serve as an excellent opportunity to teach them how to find news sources that provide objective reporting of facts while distinguishing fact from opinion.
Watch the News
As children develop, they will want to know more about what’s happening around them. Answering their inquiries early can help foster more civic-minded attitudes.
As elections approach, it is vital that children understand how a democracy works and its effect on everyday life. Communicating this message early and frequently to your kids will make an important impression and will ensure their voting experience goes as smoothly as possible.
Children need to understand that politicians are humans, like anyone else. Reading reputable news sources and watching documentaries together can teach children critical thinking skills – even when their views don’t align with others. When creating material specifically aimed at kids such as CBBC’s Newsround or First News – consider including material written specifically for them such as CBBC or First News material.
Read Books
An excellent book on political topics can help children better comprehend them. Look for books about democracy, voting and how the government functions as well as a book with characters who embody important values such as ValueTales Treasury.
Children often ask about politics and it’s never too early to start answering their inquiries. Help your kids understand how people in groups make decisions and start understanding different ideas are okay – even when they disagree with them! They might also start seeing how negative political ads influence voters; be sure to discuss this topic together as it could lead to interesting discussion topics! Help your child stay up-to-date with local and national news by showing them how to research information for themselves.
Vote
Many families are engaging in open discussions about politics. Children love learning about the world around them and are frequently curious about current events. Even preschoolers can grasp that people come together to form groups which then vote on decisions for our planet’s welfare.
Bring up your own political opinions with your children, while encouraging them to express their own. Just make sure not to bad-mouth anyone in front of them; teaching children that differing viewpoints don’t automatically make someone evil will teach them to appreciate different opinions while respecting values and priorities that may drive others. This lesson is critical in our divided nation.
