If you’ve ever tried to casually ask your kids what they know about Martin Luther King Jr., you already know how that can go. When parents go looking for Martin Luther King Jr. activities for kids, it’s usually because they want to explain who he was and why the day matters — without turning it into a lecture.
Some kids are convinced they’ve met him in real life.
Some vaguely remember something from babyhood.
Some are just here for the snacks.
And honestly? That’s normal.
Most kids don’t walk into Martin Luther King Jr. Day with a clear understanding of who he was or why the day exists — which is exactly why small, intentional conversations matter.
We started simple: a book, an easy craft, and one hands-on activity that helped the idea of fairness actually make sense.
These Martin Luther King Jr. activities for kids are designed to be approachable, age-appropriate, and focused on conversation rather than perfection.
So… Who Was Martin Luther King Jr?
Martin Luther King Jr. was a pastor, a leader, and someone who believed deeply that people should be treated fairly — no matter what they looked like.
At the time he lived, many laws and systems in the U.S. were unfair to Black Americans. Dr. King worked to change those systems by speaking up, organizing peaceful protests, and reminding people that kindness and justice are stronger than hate or violence.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day isn’t just about remembering him — it’s about remembering the values he stood for and thinking about how we can live them out today, even in small ways.
Martin Luther King Jr. Quotes That Work for Kids
“The time is always right to do what is right.”
Speech at Oberlin College, 1966
Why it works:
Simple, direct, and easy to translate into everyday kid situations (school, friends, fairness).
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
Letter from Birmingham Jail, 1963
Kid-friendly takeaway:
If something isn’t fair — even if it’s not happening to you — it still matters.
“Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve.”
The Drum Major Instinct sermon, 1968
Why it’s great for kids:
It reframes “greatness” as helping others, not being the best or the loudest.
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.”
Strength to Love, 1963
How to explain it to kids:
Being kind and loving is stronger than being mean or angry.
“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’”
Speech, 1957
Best for:
Older kids, family discussion, or a closing reflection question.
A Martin Luther King Jr. Book That Helped It Click
We started our MLK activities with a simple children’s book called Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and honestly? It helped a lot.
The book focuses on the idea of dreams — not the sleeping kind, but hopes for how the world could be better. Kids in the story share what their dreams are, which made it much easier for my littles to understand what Martin Luther King Jr. actually meant when he talked about his “dream.”
Before this, they were genuinely confused about why everyone kept talking about dreams when nobody was asleep. If your kids get stuck there, too, you’re not alone.
Using a book like this helps bridge that gap and gives kids language they can understand before you move into deeper conversations.
Martin Luther King Jr. Activities For Kids
These simple Martin Luther King Jr. activities for kids are meant to start conversations — not overwhelm them.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day Craft (Dream-Themed & Kid-Led)
Our craft tied right into the book and focused on the idea of dreams — not the sleeping kind, but hopes for how the world could be better.
Nothing fancy. Nothing expensive. Just something that lets kids think and talk while their hands are busy.
Materials
- Blue cardstock or construction paper
- White paper
- Glue sticks
- Markers
- Glitter (optional but highly encouraged)
Directions
1. Cut the blue paper in half.
2. Cut out a cloud shape from the white paper.
3. Write your child’s “dream” on the cloud.
I wrote Josie and Liam’s dreams for them. Syas insisted on doing his own — and who am I to stop creative freedom — so I added a “translation” on the back. His dream was that everyone would be nice, which honestly feels like a solid life goal.
Liam, meanwhile, was not participating in the craft portion and was only interested in the M&M’s we’d be using later. No notes.
4. Glue the cloud to the blue paper, leaving space at the top to write.
5. Write “I have a dream…” at the top of the blue paper, above the cloud.
6. Add glitter. Because glitter.
This is less about the final product and more about the conversation that happens while you’re making it.
A Simple Martin Luther King Jr. Experiment
I’ve seen a lot of these activities done with one brown egg and one white egg, but since my youngest has an egg allergy, we needed a different option.
Enter: leftover Christmas M&M’s.
You can use any color M&M’s — honestly, a regular pack with more colors works even better — but this got the point across and kept everyone interested.
What We Did
Using the printable, the kids:
- Laid out their different-colored M&M’s and drew what they saw on the outside
- Took one bite of each M&M
- Drew what they saw on the inside
Once they finished, we talked about how, like M&M’s, people can look different on the outside but are the same on the inside.
I made a simple Martin Luther King Jr. printable to go along with this activity.
Feel free to print it for personal use or share it with others.
Final Thoughts on Martin Luther King Jr. Activities For Kids
I sometimes feel like Martin Luther King Jr. Day gets brushed past too quickly, so it’s important to me that my kids understand why we pause to recognize it.
Martin Luther King Jr. showed incredible courage. He made real sacrifices. And his work helped change America for the better — leaving us with values worth passing on to our kids.
Simple Martin Luther King Jr. activities for kids like these don’t need to be perfect or polished. They just need to be thoughtful and rooted in conversation.
What does your family do to observe Martin Luther King Jr. Day? I’d love to hear about it in the comments.
These are all such great ideas! Thanks for sharing
Thank you!
What a sweet little craft!
I’m glad you like it! Thank you for commenting.
This is an awesome way to remind us and also to honor MLK up-coming day.
Thank you for sharing
Thank you for commenting!
I love this post, Sarah. I don’t have kids yet but this seems like a great way to teach kids about justice and equality in a fun and educational way.
Thank you so much!! It’s such an important topic to make sure kids understand.
I love the idea of having the kids describe their dream. Very cute printables as well.
Thank you!
I love that you started the learning experience with a text. As a language Arts teacher, I try to stick reading and writing in as much as possible.
Me too!! I majored in Literature and I’m trying to instill the love of reading into my kiddos. Thanks for commenting!
What a great idea! Dr. King was such an eloquent writer and its great to expose the little ones early. Even as an adult, I love to read and listen to his speeches.
Yes!! His speeches are POWERFUL! Thank you for commenting.
Excellent ideas! Most kinds including my own are home from school so I am definitely going to work on I have a dream… with my boys. I love it!
Let me know how they like it!! Thank you!
Great ideas to teach our children about a great man. I agree with you that children today don’t learn much about our history and the great people that made this country great. Your ideas are wonderful ways to teach our children. Thanks for sharing
Thank you!!!
This is a great idea! We don’t celebrate MLK day here in the UK but you have given me inspiration to do something similar for other important days /celebrations. This idea of learning through crafts can apply to any cultural/religious celebration.
Yes, it really can! Thank you for reading and commenting.
Such a neat idea. It reminds of the arts and crafts id do in school ❤️
Thank you!
These are some really cool ideas. I love the clouds.
Thank you!
I love this!! I think I will try to do this with my twins this weekend! Thank you for the wonderful idea!
I’m glad you like it! Thank you for commenting.