My kids love the idea of having a voice in how our country is run, so we really celebrate election days. As parents we make sure to educate ourselves on the current issues and candidates so we can vote responsibly. Then we take the kids to the Kids Vote area, so they can vote too. The kids decorate the house with red, white, and blue (recycle your 4th of July ideas.) I print off some electoral college maps for the kids to color as the votes come in. We serve red, white, and blue food. Then we enjoy discussing kid-friendly politics and how cool it is to be able to vote. This is a great way for the kids to learn about how our government runs and learn to be patriotic. This is also a great way for your kids to memorize the presidents, states, and even the capitals of each state.
A friend told me recently that in Canada they call the opposing political party the "loyal opposition". I really like that term, because it shows that while you may not always agree, you can still be friends, family, good patriotic citizens etc. I think that is a great lesson to teach our children.
