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6 Fun History Facts for Young Learners

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6 Fun History Facts for Young Learners
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History doesn’t have to be all dates, dusty books, and long speeches—especially for kids! In fact, there are tons of fun history facts that can make the past feel just as exciting as their favorite cartoons. When children hear weird, funny, or surprising stories from history, they’re more likely to stay curious and want to learn more. That early spark of interest can turn into a lifelong love for learning, reading, and asking questions. So grab a snack, get comfy, and check out these six kid-friendly historical facts that are as entertaining as they are educational.

1. George Washington Didn’t Have Wooden Teeth

One of the most popular fun history facts floating around is that George Washington wore wooden dentures—but that’s actually not true. His false teeth were made from a mix of animal teeth, human teeth, ivory, and metal. While they probably didn’t feel great in his mouth, they definitely weren’t made of wood. The myth might have started because his dentures looked stained and rough, giving them a wood-like appearance. This fact is a great way to show kids that not everything we hear about history is 100% accurate!

2. Ancient Egyptians Loved Board Games

Kids today aren’t the only ones who enjoy a good board game—ancient Egyptians played them too! One of their favorite games was called Senet, and it’s believed to be one of the oldest board games in the world. It had a checkerboard-like design and used tokens and dice, with players racing their pieces across the board. Egyptians thought the game had a connection to the afterlife and even buried it in tombs with pharaohs. Sharing this fun history fact can make the ancient world feel more relatable and fun for young learners.

3. A War Once Started Over a Bucket

Believe it or not, there was a real war called the War of the Bucket—and yes, it involved an actual bucket. In 1325, two cities in Italy, Bologna and Modena, went to battle after soldiers from Modena stole a wooden bucket from a well in Bologna. It might sound silly, but the cities were already rivals, and the bucket was the final straw. The fight lasted over a decade, and Modena even kept the bucket as a trophy. This wacky story is a great example of how strange and surprising history can be.

4. Vikings Didn’t Actually Wear Horned Helmets

Another one of those fun history facts that challenge what we think we know is that Vikings never wore horned helmets in battle. That image actually came from operas and costume designers in the 1800s who wanted Viking characters to look dramatic. Real Viking helmets were simpler and made for protection, not flair. Teaching this to kids shows them how myths and media can shape our understanding of the past. It’s a fun way to explore the difference between legend and truth.

5. Napoleon Wasn’t Actually Short

Napoleon Bonaparte is often remembered as being unusually short, but he was actually of average height for his time. He stood about 5’6” or 5’7”, which was pretty normal for a French man in the 1800s. The “short Napoleon” idea likely came from British propaganda meant to make him seem weak or silly. This fun history fact can open up conversations about how people’s reputations are shaped by others—and how important it is to question what we hear. It’s also a reminder that even powerful leaders can be misunderstood.

6. President Taft Had an Oversized Bathtub in the White House

William Howard Taft, the 27th President of the United States, is remembered for many things, but kids especially love the unusual story of him allegedly getting stuck in a White House bathtub because of his size. While the full details are debated (and it may be a myth), we do know that a special oversized tub was eventually installed just for him. This funny image helps make history feel more human and real. Even presidents have awkward moments, and that’s something kids of all ages can appreciate!

Making History Stick with a Smile

Fun history facts help kids remember the past in ways that feel exciting and meaningful. When children hear about ancient games, stolen buckets, or bathtub mishaps, history becomes more than just facts and figures—it becomes a story they can connect with. These lighthearted facts are a great gateway to deeper learning and critical thinking. The more fun you make history, the more likely kids are to explore it on their own. So keep the laughs coming and let curiosity lead the way.

Which of these fun history facts surprised your child the most? Do you have a favorite weird or wild story from the past? Share it in the comments!

Read More:

The Most Fascinating Facts You Never Knew About Diamonds

Think Your Child’s Car Seat Is Safe? These 7 Shocking Facts Say Otherwise

Should You Reward Kids for Good Grades?

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One of the more controversial topics in parenting circles, right behind should children be paid an allowance tied to chores, is, should you reward kids for good grades?  As a student, I never received money for good grades.  I didn’t need to because I liked learning and school.  Likewise, we haven’t paid our kids for good grades because generally, they get good grades on their own.  However, if paying your kids works for you, then, by all means, continue to do so.

Should You Reward Your Child for Good Grades?

Why You Shouldn’t Reward Kids for Good Grades

Our family has several reasons why we don’t reward kids for good grades:

Learning Disabilities

We have three kids, and two of them have dyslexia.  Those two are currently getting an intervention to help them read more fluently, but they’re always going to struggle with reading, writing, and spelling.  If I reward all three kids for good grades with money, the one without the disability will generally earn more.  Likewise, if you have a gifted and a typical learner, the typical learner may struggle more than the gifted learner.

The Love of Learning Should Be Intrinsic

Another reason why we haven’t yet paid our kids for good grades is that all three are motivated to earn good grades on their own.  They have an intrinsic desire to get good grades.  When an intrinsic desire is there, kids are usually more motivated than if they had an extrinsic motivator like being paid money.  (Having said that, if our kids had little desire to learn, we may implement a monetary system to motivate them to get better grades.)

May Encourage Cheating

Should You Reward Kids for Good Grades?

Photo by Antoine Dautry on Unsplash

This is not true for all kids, but for some kids, getting paid for good grades may encourage cheating.  Let’s say a child gets paid $10 for a C grade but $50 for an A grade.  If he struggles with the material, he may resort to cheating to boost up his grades and make more money.  After all, if a child is getting all Cs for six classes, that’s only $60 for the term versus if a child is getting all As and earning $300 a term.  I would say $240 is a strong incentive to cheat to get a better grade, especially if working hard and studying isn’t giving the child the results that he wants.

Final Thoughts

There is no right answer to the question, should you reward kids for good grades.  Many parents argue, rightly so, that rewarding their children helps motivate them.  (Keep in mind, some parents reward with money while others reward with privileges.  Either work, though privileges might work better for younger kids.)

However, our family philosophy has always been, if it isn’t broken, why fix it?  For our family, our kids are motivated enough on their own to try to get good grades.  We’ve been hesitant to add in a reward system for that reason and also because it seems unfair to the children who have dyslexia.

The Pros and Cons of Online Schooling

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As the pandemic continues to rage and school guidelines for the fall emerge, many parents are looking at alternatives.  While some parents are considering homeschooling, others are looking at online schooling.  After all, online schooling takes some of the burden of education off the parents’ shoulders.  However, before you make the leap, it’s important to understand the pros and cons of online schooling.

The Pros and Cons of Online Schooling

The Pros of Online Schooling

Parents’ Time Is Freed Up

If you’re children are in middle school or above, they will require little attention from you during school hours.  They should be able to do their work independently.  This is likely to be a huge benefit to parents who are also working from home during the pandemic.

The Credits Can Transfer

If you’re looking at online schooling just for a year or two while there is not a treatment or a vaccine, then you’ll want to be sure that your child can seamlessly rejoin brick and mortar school later.  If you choose an accredited online school, your child will easily be able to transfer classes to a physical school later.

Students Have a More Flexible Schedule

When students learn online, they have a much more flexible schedule.  For instance, teens are notorious for wanting to stay up late and get up late.  If they attend online school, they can do exactly that with no serious repercussions.  Or, if a student wants to get a part-time job, he could work any time of day and do school work during unconventional times.  He’s not limited to getting his education between the hours of 8 and 3 as he would be if he attended a traditional school.

The Cons of Online Schooling

When considering the pros and cons of online schooling, you must give careful consideration to the cons, as they may ruin your online experience.

Children’s Motivation Is Important

How motivated is your child to do work?  Kids who are highly motivated will likely do well in online school.  Children who need peer pressure to get work done may struggle with online schooling.  Think carefully about your child’s level of motivation before enrolling her in an online school.

Some Platforms Can Be Difficult to Navigate

Not all online schools are the same.  Some platforms are boring and difficult to navigate, which can be frustrating, especially for young learners.  Our oldest child tried online school a few years ago and hated the experience, largely because of the platform.

After two years in a brick and mortar school, we decided again to put him in an online school due to the pandemic.  We chose carefully.  The online school he’s currently enrolled in has an engaging, intuitive platform, and he’s enjoying his experience much more.

Final Thoughts

As you weigh your child’s education options as you consider next school year, carefully weigh the pros and cons of online schooling.  For the right child, online school can offer some incredible freedoms.  Or, online school can be a miserable experience.  The choice largely depends on your child and the school you choose.

The Importance of Reading to Your Child

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reading to your childWhen we were in the hospital after I delivered my daughter one of the things that was given to us was a cloth bag with a few children’s books in it. When I asked what it was she explained that the hospital gave out this package to all new families as a way to encourage early reading. I thought it was crazy that they would need to even need to implement such a program (thinking about the cost of the program) but the program coordinator was the first to open my eyes to the growing issue of children simply not being exposed to books anymore.

Reading in the Digital Age

Kids aren’t getting read to, out loud, as much anymore. With the growing use of electronics especially, digital programs are replacing time with mom and dad and reading good old fashion books. Most pediatric societies argue children should have zero screen time until at least age two, some even older citing kids should have zero screen time until the age of five to seven. Screen time including television, computers and all other electronic devices.

While I do agree that screen time should be seriously limited, my daughter, being two years old is allowed to watch an episode or two of her favorite show. Where I draw the line though is introducing her to a computer or tablet device, especially to replace time she reads books.

Reading Aloud – The Old Way

My house is overrun with children’s books. We have hundreds of them, and it drives me crazy sometimes but listening to my just two year old run around the house yelling her ABC’s at the top of her little (ok, not so little) lungs makes me happy and reminds me why we have so many books.

We started reading to her as part of her daily routine which we implemented from a very young age. While she was really young, and not so active and on-the-go, we would read and look at books all day long, I mean what else could she do?! Now that she’s a very active toddler and outside playing and with other kids, we still set aside time to read every day.

She gets quiet time and books at a minimum before her nap and bedtime which, given how busy we are, is more than sufficient for me and much more than most kids are getting unfortunately. In a recent study, parents who did not read to their children on a regular basis (almost 50% of children by the way) cited not having enough time in the day to do it. To which I argue my husband and I both work full-time, have other responsibilities and side jobs, there is no way I could ever justify not having five to ten minutes a day to read to my child.

I’m not totally hating on technology but studies have shown that reading (old school) books out loud with pictures and words develops children much more than any electronic. Children who are read aloud to every day are stronger academically and have a much broader vocabulary. Benefits aside, I wouldn’t trade my evening reading and cuddle time for anything in the world, it’s my favorite part of our day!

For more on reading, and how to make sure you spend the best time with your children doing so, check out these great articles.

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Wants To Give Your Child a Free Book Every Month
A Fun and Economical Way to Get Kids Interested in Reading: Comic Books
Here are 8 of the Best Kids Books On Audible
4 Best Mini-Safes to Protect Valuable Comic Books

Do you read aloud to your children?