V Is for Vote: Building Civic Engagement in the Preschool Classroom

Civic engagement can begin long before a person is old enough to cast a ballot. It begins when children learn that their voices matter, that choices can be made collectively, and that participating can help shape their families and communities.

As part of our Child Care Changemakers: Leading the Way to the Ballot Box initiative, the Mississippi Low Income Child Care Initiative is proud to share “V Is for Vote: Lesson Plan for the Preschool Classroom”—a practical resource designed to help early childhood educators introduce voting in an age-appropriate, engaging and nonpartisan way.

The lesson plan makes voting understandable to young children by incorporating it into familiar classroom experiences. Through storytelling, art, music, m

ovement, dramatic play and hands-on activities, children can learn what it means to make a choice and have their voices heard.

The resource includes:

• Weekly classroom lesson plans

• Voting vocabulary and picture-matching games

• Mock elections and ballot-box activities

• Voting-themed songs, stories and art projects

• Letter recognition, sequencing and early writing exercises

• Activities that encourage children and parents to learn together

These activities also support children’s cognitive, language, physical and social-emotional development.

Engaging the Entire Family

One of the most powerful features of the lesson plan is its focus on parental engagement. Children can create voting handprints, share stories at home and participate in mock elections with their parents. Providers can also host voter education meetings and encourage families to make voting a shared experience. When children ask their parents about voting, those conversations can inspire adults to check their registration, learn what is on the ballot and make a plan to participate.

Child Care Providers Are Trusted Messengers

Child care providers interact with working families every day. They understand their challenges, have earned their trust and are uniquely positioned to connect voting with the issues that affect their lives—including access to affordable child care, family economic security and strong community resources. This work is not about telling anyone whom to support. It is about helping families understand the voting process, recognize the power of their voices and participate in the decisions that shape their communities and impact child care.

Growing the Next Generation of Changemakers

Breaking the cycle of voter apathy requires intention. When children see the important adults in their lives participate, they begin to understand that civic engagement is something their families value.

Together, we can help children learn a lesson that will last a lifetime: their voices matter.

Download the "V is for Vote; Lesson Plan for Pre-School