Presidents’ Day is a perfect time to put together a few simple activities teaching about money and presidents for your preschooler. Activities involving money and presidents are great throughout Presidents’ Day week or anytime you want to study money and/or presidents. The photo is a Montessori-inspired science experiment using pennies, salt, lemon juice, and a cloth to polish the pennies.
Penny Polishing Science Experiment
The photo is based on an activity described in Jocelyn Scotty’s article at suite101.com: President’s Day Montessori Activities: Using Money to Introduce Young Children to the Presidents (Note: The article is no longer available). The acidity of the lemon juice combined with the abrasiveness of the salt is used to polish pennies, making the activity both a science experiment and a practical life activity. When presenting the activity, you can point out Abraham Lincoln’s image on the penny, making it a history lesson as well.
Because of young children’s natural interest in money, Jocelyn Scotty recommended using coins and currency to create hands-on activities introducing presidents.
For a dollar bill activity you just need a tray containing a dollar bill and a magnifying glass. You could add a small dish containing a penny, nickel, dime, quarter, and half dollar for your child to study with the magnifying glass as well.
I also think it would be interesting to prepare a tray with an activity for matching pictures of the presidents to the corresponding coins: Abraham Lincoln – penny, Thomas Jefferson – nickel, Franklin D. Roosevelt – dime, George Washington – quarter, and John F. Kennedy– half dollar. I’ve linked each president to a copyright-free image from Wikimedia Commons.
You could create 3-part cards for each president. Or you could just download and print out the presidents’ photos on 4×6 photo paper and print each president’s name on the back for a quick Presidents’ Day coin-and-photo-matching activity.
UPDATES
There are now many more money and presidents printables and activities available online. You’ll find some in these posts:
Montessori-Inspired President’s Day Activities
Free President’s Day Printables and Montessori-Inspired President’s Day Activities
If you live in the U.S., enjoy creating activities focusing on money and presidents! If you live in another country, you could create activities similar to the ones in this post using your country’s currency.
Rebecca says
February 21, 2011 at 5:43 amTHis is great…we will definitely use this today!
Deb says
February 21, 2011 at 12:44 pmThanks, Rebecca! Have a great Presidents’ Day!
Kimberly says
February 21, 2011 at 8:53 amWhat an interesting activity. My Ash is learning about the penny in math and we have been discussing Lincoln. What a great way to expand this lesson. I know the kids will love the polishing part of the lesson. I just love all the ideas you have on this site. Thank you for sharing.
Kimberly
Also I sent you a blog award. I am not sure if you have already received this one, but I really enjoy your posts and wanted to pass it on.
Deb says
February 21, 2011 at 12:51 pmIt’s great that you’re already discussing Lincoln and pennies – have fun with with the new activities (kids do love polishing)! And thanks SO MUCH for your kind words about my blog and for the wonderful blog award, Kimberly! I’m honored and really appreciate it. I’ve added your link to my awards page already (I love your blog, too)! Happy Presidents’ Day!
Jackie Lee says
February 21, 2011 at 9:06 amThis is a great idea. My 4 year old is really interested in coins now, and this tactile experience of cleaning them will be something she loves! Thanks for the idea.
Deb says
February 21, 2011 at 1:00 pmThanks for your comment, Jackie! Preschoolers always seem to love polishing activities, and I really like the way Jocelyn combined money and presidents(as well as science and practical life). Have a wonderful Presidents’ Day!
flmom says
February 22, 2011 at 6:38 pmMy youngest would probably enjoy this activity and I appreciate that it uses things I already have on hand. 🙂
Deb says
February 23, 2011 at 4:02 pmThanks for your comment! I always love activities that can be put together quickly and easily. Have fun! 🙂
Julie says
June 30, 2011 at 4:02 pmThese are great activities. Thanks.
Deb says
February 12, 2012 at 6:40 pmThanks, Julie! I just found your comment in time for Presidents’ Day! 😉
Leeanne A says
November 7, 2011 at 1:43 pmOH I love doing this activity – the kids are always amazed at the result!
Deb says
February 12, 2012 at 6:44 pmThanks, Leeanne … I just found your comment! The results are rather magical, aren’t they?! 🙂
Kayla says
February 10, 2012 at 11:10 amHi Deb! We loved how you presented the coin polishing activity and featured it at our blog, Preschool Lesson Plans!
You can find the full feature here:
http://preschoollessonplans.info/1566/polishing-pennies-for-presidents-day/
We were sure to give idea/photo credit, as well as a link back to your site, but we’d love for you to take a look at it. If there are any problems, we’ll be sure to take the feature down immediately!
Thanks so much,
Kayla Johnson
tristro.com/kayla
Deb says
February 12, 2012 at 6:41 pmThanks so much for featuring my post, Kayla! I appreciate you checking with me … it looks great! 🙂
Kayla says
February 13, 2012 at 1:07 pmHi Deb! Thanks for taking the time to stop by Preschool Lesson Plans and for allowing us to share your fabulous activity with our readers! You have such a talent for presenting activities in a simple, organized, and inviting way – the ‘trifecta’ for early learning 🙂
Keep up the fabulous work! You’re one of our favorite finds!
Kayla
Deb says
February 15, 2012 at 11:40 pmThanks so much for your very sweet comment, Kayla! I truly appreciate it! 🙂
Marnie says
February 12, 2012 at 5:15 pmDeb, these ideas are GREAT. I am in the process of putting together a post for P’s Day. I hadn’t thought about integrating money into the lesson but that makes a lot of sense (especially given my business and finance background, I believe in introducing these concepts EARLY). Thanks again for the inspiration! 🙂
Deb says
February 12, 2012 at 6:43 pmThanks, Marnie! Presidents’ Day is definitely one of my favorite times to focus on money activities. Your kids are lucky to be introduced to information about finances early! 🙂