Fun Genealogy Activities for Kids



Chalk tree

Want to get your kids interested in genealogy? Young children may not be ready for the intense research that genealogy work requires. Fortunately, there are some fun family tree activities that are designed with children in mind. Here are a few to get started with.

Picture Pedigree Chart

FamilySearch has a free, downloadable, Picture Pedigree Chart. It starts with “This is Me”. A child can attach his or her own photo into the circle (or draw one). There are lines where a child can put his or her birth date and birth place. The next part has places to put photos and basic information about the child’s parents. Other pages follow the pattern for maternal grandparents and paternal grandparents.

My Family Group Record

FamilySearch has another free, downloadable, family tree chart that is designed for children who are elementary school age. It is called My Family Group Record There are cute, smile face icons that represent the child’s dad and mom. Kids can fill in the blanks for each parent’s name, birth date, place of birth, marriage date, and place of marriage. Underneath are spaces for the names of each parent’s parent. Toward the bottom, there is room for the child’s information and spaces to fill in about siblings.

Tigger Movie Family Tree

Disney has three different family tree designs that you can print out for free. Each is decorated with images that go with the Tigger Movie. One shows a leafless tree that has a bunch of Tiggers sitting in it! All three designs have places where a child can write his or her name. There are other boxes to fill in for siblings, parents, and grandparents.

American Girl Historical Characters

What was it like growing up in the past? The American Girl website has an interactive area that helps children understand a little bit more about that. Select one of several American Girl characters. You can view her family tree in the “Family and Friends” section. The website also has a portion that gives children some brief information about where each girl lived, her pets, and her life. There are also some games and a video to view.

Chalk Line Family Tree

Use your driveway, and get out the sidewalk chalk. Direct your kids to draw the trunk of a huge tree. Help them add enough branches to mimic your family tree. This is a “hands-on” way to begin introducing your children to their ancestors. Start by having them place themselves onto the chalk line family tree. Next, add parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. You can extend this activity to match your children’s attention span and level of interest.

Image by Stephen Depolo on Flickr.

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