What’s on the calendar this month? Three icons of American history: Elvis, Martin and Ben.
Elvis Presley’s Birthday Jan 8, 1935
Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday Jan 15, 1929
Ben Franklin’s Birthday Jan 17, 1706
Feel like you’re in a Jailhouse Rock? Do you hear yourself saying “Help Me Make it Through the Night?” It’s the first of the year, but we still have a lot of winter left. You might wish you could Make the World Go Away, if only for a little while. Yes, Elvis Presley’s birthday is in the month of January. The 8th, to be exact; he was born in 1935. If your kids need a little something to do, direct them to learn some more about these American Icons: Elvis Presley, Benjamin Franklin, and Martin Luther King Jr. You won’t have to beg them, “Release Me” any longer!
Here’s an easy little Elvis Scrambler featuring the original Rock and Roller. And if you want to relive some of his outrageous costumes, dress Elvis up here.
While Elvis is considered the founder of Rock ‘n’ Roll, Benjamin Franklin is considered one of the Founding Fathers of the United States of America. Franklin was born on January 17th, 1706. He was an inventor, a statesman and a musician, to name a few of his pursuits. Do you know any of his others? Try your hand at this Ben Franklin Quiz. Or have your kids brush up on their history by playing some Ben Franklin games. Among other things, Franklin was a prolific writer. Choose one or several Franklin quotes from the Light a Fire Quote site to memorize and inspire. Have your child do a mini presentation by reciting one of his quotes and showing a Ben Franklin picture they colored from Free Kids Coloring.
While checking out the unforgettable holidays on this indispensable calendar, you won’t want to overlook another King: Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. He was born in 1929 on January 15th. In the United States, one day in January is set aside to commemorate his birth, and many schools close. Some teachers require their students to present a project detailing King’s accomplishments. Feel free to use the following resources: A Collection of King Info, King Coloring pages, a video of his King’s last speech, a video of his famous I Have a Dream speech, a MLK quiz, and a collection of Martin Luther King, Jr. Reader Reviews (site reviews submitted by readers like you!) where you can find even more information. You should have a little fun too, so play a Martin Luther King Jr. quiz game or two too!
Now that your kids have been kept busy, you won’t mind if they want to cuddle with you and be your Teddy Bear on a cold winter night.
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