We’re making a fantastic DIY founding father costume for under $10 in supplies.
This simple DIY is great for elementary and middle school but can easily be adapted and made more challenging for high school students.
And besides being the first president, there are many reasons to learn about George Washington. Besides being the leader who led the colonies to victory in the Revolutionary War, he was a great leader.
But he was also a reluctant leader because he never really chased power.
I’m giving you a few ideas for each day to do a quick mini unit study on George Washington.
You can make the most out of your time learning about our first president with books, videos, and crafts.
BOOKS ABOUT GEORGE WASHINGTON FOR KIDS
First, look at some of these books.
We prefer living books when we can find them. Add some to your home library.
7 George Washington Books
When you think of the founding of the United States, one name stands out above the rest and that is George Washington.
The period measured by the life of George Washington, 1732 to 1799, was one of revolution and change in many parts of the world as Enlightenment thinking took hold in the minds of men. Prolifically illustrated with intriguing line drawings and detailed timelines, Foster's telling of the life story of George Washington does justice to the man it celebrates.
A full account of George Washington's role in building the early U.S. republic explores his life, focusing on the assets he brought to public life.
George Washington was the first leader of our country—but he was also an inventor, scientist, and the most forward-thinking farmer of his time. As he worked to make the new country independent, he also struggled to create a self-sufficient farm at Mount Vernon, Virginia. Excerpts from Washington's writings are featured throughout this nonfiction picture book, which also includes a timeline, resource section, as well as essays on Washington at Mount Vernon and his thoughts on slavery. Both the author and illustrator worked closely with the staff of Mount Vernon Estate & Gardens to render an accurate portrait of Farmer George at work.
Abraham Lincoln often referred to a favorite book he read as a young boy: "The Life of Washington" by Mason Weems. The impression made deep in his heart was that there was something very uncommon and rare
about America and that holding the Union together was worth any cost. This same book was also the #1 book the citizens of our young Republic were reading. After you get past the flowery language and the over-the-top hero worship, you find a book filled with nuggets of wisdom, including the idea that private virtue exceeds public virtue, which was the secret of Washington's greatness. If you want to read what Lincoln read, now you'll be able to.
In this beautifully illustrated book, children will learn the epic story of George Washington, the father of our country, and be inspired by his strong faith, character, and courage. They will discover that the animating force of his heroic life was a deep, abiding faith and trust in God.
Captivatingly illustrated with lovely water colors, this book begins with interesting facts about Washington's ancestors, who had been involved with important key moments in British history, and the story of his forefathers who then came to the United States.
We learn about the life of young George growing up in Virginia and how he developed the skills needed for farming, hunting, horse riding and self-defense. It shows how he was devoutly religious from the time of his youth.
A fun take on history from Newbery Honor-winning author, Jean Fritz!George Washington Allen, a boy who never gives up until he finds out what he wants to know, is determined to learn all there is to know about his
namesake, including what the first president ate for breakfast!
From battling toothaches while fighting the British, to having rotten teeth removed by his dentists, the Father of His Country suffered all his life with tooth problems. Yet, contrary to popular belief, he never had a set of wooden teeth. Starting at the age of twenty-four, George Washington lost on average a tooth a year, and by the time he was elected president, he had only two left!
Next, look at these ideas for a quick 5 day unit study about George Washington.
QUICK GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIT STUDY
Now, begin with a bit about his life on day 1.
WHO WAS GEORGE WASHINGTON – DAY 1
Learn about his early life and character.
- Who Was George Washington? by Roberta Edwards (Who Was… series).
- Watch a short kid-friendly video biography-Liberty’s Kids episode on YouTube works well).
- Play U.S President Go Fish to learn more about Washington and other presidents.
- George Washington’s Teeth – Deborah Chandra -funny and historical.
- Ask…
- Where was George born?
- What did he do before the war?
- Why do you think he was respected as a leader?
WASHINGTON & THE REVOLUTION – DAY 2
Understand Washington’s role in the Revolutionary War.
- Crash Course U.S. History for older kids/teens
- Read about Washington crossing the Delaware (picture books like George Washington’s Crossing by David Hackett Fischer for older kids, or simpler retellings for younger kids).
- Map Work-Mark major battle sites (Trenton, Yorktown, Valley Forge) on a 13 colonies map.
- Recreate the “crossing of the Delaware” using toy soldiers or LEGO figures in a box lid “boat.”
THE FIRST PRESIDENT – DAY 3
Learn about Washington’s presidency.
- A Picture Book of George Washington by David Adler
- George Washington Ingri d’Aulaire
- Ask…
- What did Washington do as the first president?
- Why is it important he stepped down after two terms?
- Write (or trace) this Washington quote-“It is better to be alone than in bad company.”
WASHINGTON AT HOME (MOUNT VERNON) – DAY 4
See Washington as a farmer and person.
- Short video tour of Mount Vernon (official Mount Vernon site has free kid resources).
- Ask…
- What crops did Washington grow?
- Why do you think he loved farming after the war?
- Start a small garden activity (plant a seed in a cup).
- Create a mini Mount Vernon with cardboard, popsicle sticks, or printable cutouts.
CELEBRATE WASHINGTON – DAY 5
Review and present learning through a project or presentation.
- Timeline Notebooking Page– Create a page with Washington’s life events in order.
- Recite a quote, the Preamble to the Constitution, or a summary of Washington’s life.
- Draw George Washington on a dollar bill, quarter, or just his face.
- Write 3–5 sentences (or more for older kids) about why he is called the “Father of Our Country.”
- Bake a simple “Washington cake” (colonial-era recipe, or just decorate cupcakes with little American flags).
- Roleplay Debate: Pretend to be George Washington explaining why America needs independence. Use your costume, see the tutorial below.
MORE AMERICAN HISTORY ACTIVITIES
- Beautiful American History Living Books & Sign Of The Beaver Craft
- How to Build a Fun White House Sugar Cube George Washington Craft
- Explore The Best American History Gifts For Kids And Educators
- How to Create a Creditworthy American History Course (& resources)
- 7 National Landmarks USA | How To Make A Fun Statue Of Liberty Torch Craft
- How to Make American History Silhouette Puzzles With Kids
- Free American History Lapbook The Old West Through the Life of Wyatt Earp
- American History Game Fun U.S. President Go Fish Unit Study
- 18 American History Board Games Which Brings History to Life
- How to Teach With an Easy DIY American History Timeline
- 4 Shortcuts to Teach Hands-on American History in Half the Time
Finally, look at how to make this cute as it can be founding fathers costume.
HOW TO MAKE A GEORGE WASHINGTON DIY FOUNDING FATHER COSTUME
You will need:
- Blue long-sleeve t-shirt
- White craft felt
- Yellow craft felt
- Cotton balls
- Toddlers pull up, pantyhose, or a shower cap
- Black ribbon
- Scissors
- Hot glue gun/glue sticks
JACKET
Fold the shirt down the center, creating a nice crease that makes it easy to cut a straight line by pressing it in with an iron.
Cut an oval from yellow felt, adjust to your child’s size.
You want it big enough to cover the top of the shoulder and hang off the end for epaulettes.
Repeat with a second piece.
Cut fringe around 3 sides.
Place on the shoulders of the shirt, smoothing out the wrinkles and making sure of the size.
Hot glue along the shoulder, and across the arm seam so that it hangs down.
From the remaining scraps of yellow, cut circles about the size of a quarter.
FOUNDING FATHER COSTUME
Use hot glue to attach down either side of the “coat” opening.
I had a white scrap of velvety fabric that I cut long strips on either side to tie around the neck.
If you use felt you can cut out a ruffled shape or two and either hot glue string to tie around the neck or attach to the coat with glue.
HAT
Cut a simple tricorn shape out of the full length of two pieces of black felt and trace them with a gold paint pen or hot glue yellow or gold ribbon along the edge.
For most kids, especially over the wig, this will not be wide enough to fit.
Cut a couple of black strips and hot glue to each end of the hat to join them and make the opening wider.
Cut most of the front portion of a pull-up (stretchy toddler diaper) away to create room for the face.
This works really well for smaller elementary students, but you can use all the next steps on it, a shower cap, or pantyhose stretched over a dummy head to create a wig cap.
Apply hot glue to cotton balls and completely cover the back side.
Add a strip of material at the bottom to create his little pony tail (they do not still well to each other) to give the cotton ball something to stick to.
Flip it over and cover the rest, squeezing them in tightly so there are no gaps when it stretches over the head.
Finally, tie off the little ponytail with a scrap of ribbon.
How cute is this?
Now not only read about history but your child can bring his history lessons to life through this fun dress up.
