5 Fun Juneteenth Activities for Kids

Juneteenth is the longest tradition of celebrating the emancipation of slaves in the U.S. More specifically, the date (June 19) commemorates the day that Texas, the last Confederate state, accepted the Emancipation Proclamation under the pressures of the United States Army and freed all slaves. In this article, we’ll share some fun Juneteenth activities for kids, so you can take part in the celebrations and together honor this wonderful tradition.

But before we dive into the recommendations, let’s say a word or two about the best approach on this topic, considering your child’s or students’ age. While Juneteenth is an important tradition, carries a valuable message, and deserves all our respect, you might find yourself in a tricky spot explaining Juneteenth to young kids without addressing slavery in some way. 

Explaining Juneteenth to Kids

As kids grow old, they’ll slowly develop the capacity to understand and deal with such dreadful topics. Exposing them too early might cause fear, anxiety, or leave them with trauma. On the other hand, waiting too long might leave them with educational gaps or wrong conclusions regarding history. 

Psychologists usually suggest waiting until kids are at least 6 or 7 years old, although this is highly individual. Reading our articles “How To Teach Dark Periods Of History” and “How to Teach Kids About Black Lives Matter” might help you decide what’s best for your kids or students. There are ways to gradually expose kids to the complexity of these topics without causing fear or anxiety.

Another aspect to consider is kids’ natural curiosity for which you need to be prepared. They might have heard or seen something and they’ll be storming with questions that you should never dismiss. Instead, make sure to find a suitable answer for their age that will satisfy curiosity and contribute to their understanding of the topic within the limits of their cognitive capacity. 

Finally, you can always choose to participate in the holiday by engaging kids in fun Juneteenth activities without covering the historical background. We strongly advise against this for kids older than 7 or 8 years old, but it might be a great solution for kids younger than 5. 

Fun Juneteenth Activities for Kids

Originally, Juneteenth was celebrated through prayer meetings, singing spirituals, and other symbolic rituals representing freedom. For instance, many people wore new clothes symbolizing newfound freedom. Later, Juneteenth celebrations included public readings, storytelling by formerly enslaved people, inspirational speeches, rodeo events, feasts, singing, and other festive activities. 

But, how do you celebrate Juneteenth today? 

Many of the previously described celebrations are still part of Juneteenth activities today; however, since the pandemic, there may be limitations and adaptations. Nevertheless, the following five activities are a great way to learn more and honor Juneteenth this year with the whole class or family. 

Enjoy Educational Resources for the Whole Family

We started the article with a paragraph addressing the history and meaning of Juneteenth considering the kids’ age. Therefore, keeping that information in mind, if you decide to teach kids about Juneteenth in order to make the holiday more significant, the following resources are the ones to start with!

Juneteenth Facts & Worksheets Bundle. On our website, we’ve shared a comprehensive pack regarding Juneteenth. The worksheet bundle incorporates key information and 24-pages of interactive printables to utilize in the classroom or at home. With just one download click, you’ll get timeline fill-out printables, mapping out games, crossword puzzles, guessing famous African-Americans, and so much more.  

Picture Books for Pre-teens

• Juneteenth Jamboree by Carole Boston Weatherford
• All Different Now: Juneteenth, the First Day of Freedom by Angela Johnson
• Freedom’s Gifts by Valerie Wesley

Books for Teenagers

• Let’s Celebrate Emancipation Day & Juneteenth by Barbara deRubertis
• Juneteenth: A Celebration of Freedom by Charles Taylor
• Tiny’s Emancipation by Linda Baten Johnson
• The Story of Juneteenth: An Interactive History Adventure by Steven Otfinoski

Movies for the Whole Family

• Miss Juneteenth (2020)
• Blackish (Juneteenth episode) (2014-)
• Just Mercy (2019)

Attend Virtual Events

In some states, there might be some in-person events allowed which you can attend with kids or students, but to be on the safe side, there are plenty of virtual opportunities that you can take advantage of. 

For instance, the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) hosts a bunch of virtual events during the 19th and 20th of June. The virtual event is titled “Juneteenth: A Celebration Of Resilience,” it’s free for everyone, and includes celebrations, culinary acts, performances, kids & family fun activities, lectures & discussions, webcasts, and other activities.

Other opportunities: 

• Virtual Juneteenth Celebration All Month! (June 1 – 30, 2021) – celebrating African American history, food, music, faith, family, and freedom!
• 2021 Juneteenth Celebration (Virtual) – conversation on race, inequality, and bringing the community together.

Make a Delicious Juneteenth Dinner

Red food is the traditional meal during Juneteenth fests. What does that mean? Well, anything that’s red and delicious! This includes red velvet cake, watermelons, strawberry pie, red hot chili peppers, and so much more. The red is chosen as a symbol of the resilience and ingenuity of enslaved people. 

Making a red-themed dinner is a great way to symbolically honor Juneteenth, have fun with kids, and eat delicious food while watching a movie or reading a book on this topic. 

In addition, we’ll share a few of our favorite Juneteenth-inspired recipes!

• No Dye Red Velvet Layer Cake
• Juneteenth Celebration Foods: Strawberry Soda
• Juneteenth Bowl
• Red Velvet Biscuits With BBQ Brisket
• Watermelon Salad with Habanero-Pickled Onions and Lime Salt
• Juneteenth Picnic Table with a Strawberry Cake

Support Black Organizations in Your Area

Another great way to celebrate Juneteenth is to set a good example to your kids or students by intentionally supporting Black businesses, organizations, charities, or youth communities. 

Together with kids, you can choose an organization or a business in your local community and think of the ways you can contribute. 

For instance, you can take students to eat lunch in a small restaurant owned by African Americans. If you can find a restaurant that serves traditional African food, then that’s even better, since students can appreciate the delights of Black culture. 

Disclaimer: cover the students’ meal through the school’s funding, since not every student might be in a position to afford it. 

Another example is to contact a charity organization and ask what they need most. Then, organize the students to make a small fundraiser or donate clothes and books themselves. Then, ask them to write heartfelt messages to the kids receiving the gifts. 

Learn About African American Culture

Finally, our last Juneteenth activity is a learning recommendation about the African American culture in general. 

For instance, kids can learn about African countries, their languages, flags, traditions, and history. You can even engage students so that each will draw the flag of an African country and make a small presentation about the culture of the people living there. They should all do their research by themselves and try to include as many interesting and unique things as they find. Then, on the 19th of June (Juneteenth), all the kids can present their findings. 

Alternatively, if you want to organize a lesson plan dedicated to African American culture, the following resources will be of help! 

Articles about African American History, Traditions, Activities

• Teach Kids About These Black History Heroes This Black History Month
• How to Teach Kids About Black Lives Matter
• 25 Best Black History Movies for Kids
• How to Teach Kids About the Importance of Martin Luther King

Worksheets about Black History

• Free Black History Curriculum
• Black History Facts & Worksheets
• The Emancipation Proclamation Facts & Worksheets
• Civil Rights Movement Facts & Worksheets
• Martin Luther King Jr Facts & Worksheets
• The March on Washington Facts & Worksheets
• Montgomery Bus Boycott Facts & Worksheets

Before You Go

Do you have more ideas in mind? Get in touch and share it around. You’ll never know how many people your voice will reach, which is why it’s a great way to spread awareness and inspire friends and family to follow your example. 

Best of all, Juneteenth activities promote empowerment, courage, tolerance, respect, and awareness about the importance of diversity. All these are valuable traits that young minds need to change the world for the better. As educators, it’s our job to guide them on that journey.

Our team at Kidskonnect understands this better than anyone, which is why we support teachers and homeschooling parents with affordable, high-quality teaching resources, as well as free educational content through our blog. It’s our aim to make great educational practices easily accessible to everyone. 
If you’re a teacher, homeschooling parent, or a passionate enthusiast for children’s education and you believe in our mission, check out our massive library of worksheets and other teaching resources. Also, subscribe to our newsletter to stay on top of new releases.