Looking for meaningful ways to engage in Black History Month with your kids? The Encompass team has you covered. Below you will find resources for a variety of activities from reading, movies, events, places to visit, and more. While this is not an exhaustive list, our goal is to point you in the direction of ways to learn about black leaders and their contributions, visit museums that focus on black history and culture, share about Black History Month events, and help you find black-owned businesses to support.

Reading
Reading is a great way to paint a diverse landscape for our kids and share the contributions of others. Start young! The link below not only shares some fantastic books for young readers, but the shopping link for each book connects to a black-owned bookstore.

https://theeverymom.com/black-history-month-books-for-kids/

Movies
Make some popcorn and sit down for family movie night. Movies provide opportunities to both learn and stimulate important conversations.

https://tinybeans.com/black-history-month-movies-for-kids/

Hands-on Activities
Celebrate the achievements of black men and women in the arts and sciences with some fun craft and science activities!

https://littlebinsforlittlehands.com/black-history-month-for-kids/

Cooking
Make a treat with your kids! Crunchies are sweet, crunchy, and easy to make. Check out the video below for step-by-step instructions. Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrI0cmv29bw

Museums
Museum exhibits offer unique looks at black history and culture.

Northwest  African American Museum: https://www.naamnw.org/

Museum of Pop Culture: Through the Eyes of Art – A Black History Month Celebration: https://www.mopop.org/tteoa

Black History Month Events for Seattle-Area Families
Check out these great in-person and virtual events and pick something your family can enjoy together!

https://www.parentmap.com/article/black-history-month-events-seattle-kids-families

Support Black-Owned Businesses
A great way to celebrate Black History Month is to buy from black-owned businesses. Intentionalist is a resource that makes it easy to find and support diverse small businesses. From sweet treats, coffee, restaurants, specialty shops, and more – check out these black-owned Seattle-area businesses!

https://intentionalist.com/black-history-month-marketplace/

A final note: February provides an opportunity to shine the spotlight on these resources. But let’s not limit ourselves to a mere one-month observance. Let’s carry the celebration on all year long!