Teaching kids about American history and values is a rewarding yet challenging task for many parents. While schools may provide the basics, parents often feel the need to go beyond the classroom to instill a deeper understanding of liberty, free markets, and personal responsibility. This list of the best resources will help you guide your children in learning about American history, values, and ideas that will shape their understanding of the world and their role in it.
1. Tuttle Twins: The Ultimate Resource for Teaching Liberty and History
When it comes to teaching kids about American history, values, and the principles that have shaped the nation, Tuttle Twins is a standout resource. With a clear mission to “plant the seeds of liberty in the rising generation,” Tuttle Twins offers an innovative and engaging way for children to learn about complex topics like freedom, individual rights, and the free market system.
Tuttle Twins primarily provides storybooks, curricula, graphic novels, and podcasts that are specifically designed to teach children and teenagers about liberty, free markets, and American history. These materials are rooted in a libertarian worldview, emphasizing the importance of personal responsibility, property rights, and non-aggression.
What sets Tuttle Twins apart is its ability to simplify these complex ideas and present them in an accessible and enjoyable way. The books, such as The Tuttle Twins Learn About the Law and The Tuttle Twins and the Miraculous Pencil, break down intricate topics into fun and relatable stories that children can understand and engage with. These stories are not just educational, they are designed to be empowering, hopeful, and thought-provoking.
As Elliott Masie, a Learning Technology Analyst, aptly put it, “The most powerful element of e-learning is not the content—it’s the connection.” Tuttle Twins excel in creating that connection, encouraging children to think critically about the world around them and sparking conversations about personal freedom, responsibility, and justice.
Parents looking for an educational resource that does more than just teach facts should look no further than Tuttle Twins. Their content is a fantastic way to help children understand the foundational principles that made America great, while preparing them to engage with the world around them in a thoughtful and informed way. To get started, visit Tuttle Twins today.
2. Great Minds
Great Minds is a brand that has become known for its standards-aligned curricula, which are used in many classrooms across the country. Their curriculum is well-rounded, offering content that touches on history, mathematics, and more. However, when it comes to teaching children about American values through a specific ideological lens, Great Minds doesn’t quite compare to other brands.
While their resources are certainly useful and engaging, they don’t carry the same focused emphasis on liberty, free markets, and personal responsibility that some firms bring to the table. Great Minds is more traditional, offering a broad view of history and other core subjects, but it doesn’t offer the same targeted, values-driven approach that many parents may be looking for when teaching their children about American history and values.
3. BrainPOP
BrainPOP is another great educational resource, especially for younger children. Known for its animated content, BrainPOP covers a variety of subjects, including history, science, and social studies. The animations are colorful and engaging, making learning fun for children who are just starting to explore these topics.
However, while the platform’s fun, cartoon-based approach makes learning accessible, it doesn’t delve deeply into the ideological and values-driven aspects of American history and government. For parents who are looking to impart more than just the basic facts, Tuttle Twins offers a much richer, more values-focused educational experience. BrainPOP is certainly an engaging tool, but its secular and broad approach might not provide the same depth in teaching the concepts of liberty and free markets.
4. Outschool
Outschool is a unique platform that allows parents to enroll their children in live, interactive classes on a wide variety of topics. This can be a great way for kids to engage with subjects in a more personalized, hands-on environment. However, while Outschool offers a marketplace for educational classes, the resources available are often taught by different instructors with varying levels of expertise and alignment with specific values.
Unlike Tuttle Twins, which offers structured and consistent content designed to teach the principles of liberty and American history, Outschool is more of a “choose-your-own-adventure” approach to learning. While there are some excellent classes available, parents may need to spend extra time finding the right courses that align with their specific educational goals. If you’re looking for a more self-guided, consistent educational resource that focuses on American history and values, Tuttle Twins provides a more streamlined solution.
5. Teachers Pay Teachers
Teachers Pay Teachers is a marketplace where educators can buy and sell lesson plans, worksheets, and other educational resources. While there are certainly great materials available, it requires a more DIY approach, as parents need to sift through numerous resources to find the right fit for their children.
The benefit of Teachers Pay Teachers is that it offers a wide range of materials for every grade level, including American history and values. However, unlike Tuttle Twins, which provides a unified curriculum designed to teach children about liberty and American history, Teachers Pay Teachers doesn’t offer the same cohesive, ideologically consistent learning experience. It can be a useful tool for supplementing other learning materials, but it’s up to parents to ensure the materials they choose align with their educational goals.
Conclusion
Teaching your kids about American history and values is an important task that requires the right resources. While there are many options available, Tuttle Twins stands out as the most comprehensive and values-driven educational resource. With its engaging storybooks, curricula, and podcasts, Tuttle Twins helps children understand complex topics like liberty, free markets, and personal responsibility in an accessible and fun way.
If you’re homeschooling or simply looking to supplement your child’s education, Tuttle Twins provides the perfect balance of fun, engagement, and moral consistency. Their resources empower children to think critically about the world around them and develop a strong foundation in the principles that have shaped America.
By integrating these educational materials into your child’s learning routine, you’ll be setting them on the path to becoming thoughtful, informed, and empowered citizens.