Updated February 9, 2026
Presidents Day, celebrated on the third Monday in February, honors all U.S. presidents, but is most associated with our first president, George Washington, and our 16th president, Abraham Lincoln, both of whom were born in February.
Teaching about U.S. presidents is a great way to scrutinize the larger U.S. history landscape. When we teach about presidents, we examine the crucial people, events, politics, and culture of their time.
The following Presidents Day lessons and activities are all free, easy to access, and provide many different ways of teaching and learning about U.S. presidents.
Best Presidents Day Lessons and Activities
Founding Father's Real Face | National Geographic
He chopped down a cherry tree, couldn’t tell a lie, and had wooden teeth. Oh, and he was the father of our country. Which statements are true? Our understanding of George Washington is a messy mash of historical fact and fable. This video from National Geographic separates the two, and illuminates little-known events in Washington’s life.
iCivics Education: Brief the Chief
Students step into the shoes of presidential advisors from crucial moments in our nation’s history. Select Jefferson, Lyndon Johnson, or Lincoln, then choose the historical challenge to tackle in this game-based lesson. Through investigation and discussion, students will learn the facts of each situation and advise the President how best to proceed. A complete standards-based lesson that includes extension activities. Available in English and Spanish.
Memorize the Presidents Through Song
Knowing the sequence of U.S. Presidents is not just mindless memorization. Rather it serves as historical context and a foundation on which to build further knowledge about U.S. history. And what better way to memorize than through a catchy tune? Each of these songs has its own charm. Genevieve Ryan Bellaire’s "American Presidents,” set to the melody of “Hail to the Chief,” offers a brief important fact for each president, as does Jonathan Coulton’s “The Presidents,” while the “U.S. Presidents Song” employs a catchy bluegrass jingle. The final song is actually a playlist comprising songs about American presidents from one through 45. Each song is an original composition by the Electric Needle Room band and features highlights of their character and administration. Great fun!
Annenberg Classroom “Could Lincoln Be Elected Today?”
An excellent critical-thinking exercise that imagines how one our greatest presidents would fare as a Presidential candidate in today’s campaign climate. Includes clever videos designed to attack Lincoln using words taken out of context, guilt by association, and other smear tactics. This history and political science lesson will prompt students to think deeply about the criteria we use to judge presidential candidates.
Mr Nussbaum Learning + Fun President’s Day Activities
A collection of fun, grade-appropriate games, interactives, and printables for President's Day from longtime educator Mr. Nussbaum. Try the Jeopardy! style quiz, presidential math game or presidential rankings logic puzzle. All except one are free.
Presidents Day 2026
Learn all about the 200-plus-year history of Presidents Day and how it has evolved from a simple celebration of George Washington’s birthday to a national holiday linked to all U.S. presidents, patriotism, and, of course, great American consumer bargains.
PBS Presidents
A breezy animated summary of Washington’s life, this brief video is a winning introduction for kids grades 3-6.
Mount Rushmore National Memorial Virtual Tour and Lesson Plans
Can you name the four U.S. presidents whose visages are chiseled into Mt. Rushmore? Hint: George Washington is one of them. Explore fascinating learning resources, from an awe-inspiring virtual tour of the massive sculpture to detailed lesson plans on engineering, design, geology, and art.
Two Worlds of Mourning: Walt Whitman and Abraham Lincoln’s Death
This excellent, concise analysis guides readers in comparing and contrasting two of Walt Whitman’s most celebrated poems about Lincoln’s death. Ideal for students in grades 11-12 and post-secondary.
Slavery at George Washington's Mount Vernon
Online teaching resources from the Mount Vernon website delve into the harsh truth that the father of our country was a lifelong slaveholder. A range of articles, videos, primary source documents, and artwork illuminate the lives of enslaved people at Mount Vernon and Washington’s views on slavery. Skilled interpreters bring to life many of the people known to have been enslaved at Mount Vernon in a series of remarkable videos.
Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Lesson Plans
Detailed, printable lesson plans for students in grades 4-12 examine the Gettysburg Address, the two inaugural addresses, and Lincoln’s “Team of Rivals” cabinet. Be sure to check out the Gettysburg Address puzzle. How quickly can you complete it?
Executive Command
President for a day? How about president for four years? In this challenging video game from iCivics, students are tasked to accomplish their presidential agenda while dealing with the unpredictable events sure to occur. With a free account, educators can download the extension pack, which provides a guide to Executive Command, PowerPoint slides, lesson plans, and documents for students.
Who is that President?
Online game that tests kids’ recognition of U.S. presidents. Four difficulty levels makes it suitable for students from grade 4-12. Fun!
Presidents Day Lesson Plans and Resources
A wealth of Presidents Day lessons and activities for K-12 students from the American Federation of Teachers’ Share My Lesson, covering diverse topics such as George Washington and Executive Power and Abraham Lincoln and the U.S. Constitution. The “Founding Mothers” and Eleanor Roosevelt get their due as well.
George Washington: First in War, First in Peace, and First in the Hearts of His Countrymen
This complete three-part lesson from the Library of Congress is built on letters from George Washington to James Madison, the Marquis De Lafayette, and other notables of the time. Divide the class into groups, then assign readings, questions, and activities for the students to work on collaboratively.
Abraham Lincoln Excelled in Wrestling
Abraham Lincoln was a fine athlete. True or false? In this fascinating article by photo historian Bob Zeller, learn about Lincoln’s skill as a wrestler, bowler, and billiards player, and his connection to the young sport of baseball.
