A Kids’ Guide to Presidents’ Day
Learn some fast facts about this federal holiday and celebrate it with some fun activities!
All About Presidents’ Day
Presidents’ Day is one of the eleven federal holidays.
On this day (and other federal holidays like Labor Day and New Year’s Day), all nonessential government employees have the day off.
This includes employees of public schools, so students, teachers, and staff have the day off from school.
The holiday is a day of remembrance for all the presidents who have served our country throughout its history.
When Is Presidents’ Day?
Presidents’ Day is always on the third Monday in February.
The date changes every year.
In 2025, Presidents’ Day will fall on February 17.
The holiday will be on February 16 in 2026 and February 15 in 2027.
Interestingly, New Mexico celebrates the day in November as the Friday after Thanksgiving.
The reasoning is that this way, state employees have a four-day weekend.
The History of Presidents’ Day
Presidents’ Day has changed since its beginning.
When George Washington, America’s first president, died in 1799, his birthday of February 22 became a day of remembrance the following year.
Although his birthday was celebrated every year, it was an unofficial holiday.
That changed in 1879 when President Hayes signed the bill into law, making Washington’s Birthday a national holiday.
Washington’s Birthday fell on a different day of the week each year.
In 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Holiday Monday Bill, moving many federal holidays to Mondays so employees could have three-day weekends.
This pushed Washington’s Birthday to the third Monday in February.
Although the day was sometimes distant from Washington’s birthday, it moved the date closer to Abraham Lincoln’s birthday on February 12.
Since Lincoln is often seen as another one of the country’s most important presidents, the name of the holiday was changed to Presidents’ Day.
Over time, the day has become a day of remembrance for all the presidents who have served our country.
What Happens on Presidents’ Day
State and local governments have their own ways of celebrating the holiday.
These activities may include parades, flag ceremonies, reenactments, and speeches.
In 1837, President Andrew Jackson opened the White House to the public for Washington’s birthday.
He wheeled in a 1200 block of cheese so visitors could grab a chunk of cheese as a snack.
While modern celebrations may not be as cheesy (pun intended), the public still enjoys celebrating the day.
Many families travel for the three-day weekend or have special family dinners in honor of the day.
And, of course, Americans love to shop. Many businesses have special sales on the holiday.
Kids’ Activities for Presidents’ Day
Aside from learning the history of the day, students will enjoy celebrating Presidents’ Day with hands-on activities.
Check out this list of Presidents’ Day Activities for Kids.
You’ll find instructions and printables for activities such as:
- Presidents Memory Game
- Presidents Nesting Boxes
- Paper Collage Presidents Portraits
- US Presidents Word Search
- Presidents Color by Number
These Presidents’ Day activities are a quick and easy way to enhance your holiday celebration.
A Student’s Guide to Presidents’ Day
Presidents’ Day is more than just a day off from school.
It is a chance to delve into our country’s history, learn about our leaders, and celebrate with friends and family.
