Abraham Lincoln holds a dear place of interest to our family. We have spent countless hours studying the 16th President, adoring his childhood curiosity, empathizing with the many tragedies he faced, and respecting the wisdom and risk in the decisions he made leading our country. He was the president who lived in the wilderness within a three-sided shelter during his youth, who would ultimately bring together a country who didn’t particularly wish to be brought together.
My family has traveled the country visiting many museums and Lincoln landmarks, which I will highlight in this article beneath the following reading list. Be sure to check out virtual tours and jot down many of the free living history learning opportunities if they happen to be near your home or compliment your family travels.
READING LIST
Below are books my family has read to deep dive into the life of Abraham Lincoln, most appropriate for ages 6-10. The books are alphabetized by author, some chronicling his youth, some his presidency, and a few his whole life course. Each book varies in length, but there is some cross-over in content. Clicking the cover photos below will take you directly to the listing on Amazon, where you can read more and view sample pages form your desktop. You can also download a printable pdf version of the booklist by selecting the button below.
HOMESCHOOL FAVORITES
Post from the Past - A Letter from Abraham Lincoln
History by Mail - Replica Documents
Famous Figures of the Civil War: Paper Doll Templates
FIELD TRIP OPPORTUNITIES
Take a virtual trip across the country to learn more about Lincoln through the living history museums below. If you happen to be on a roadtrip, be sure to add them to your list of stops, too! Many offer free admission with the National Park Service and provide memorablee learning opportunities for children. Feel free to browse our personal family photo album at many of the sites listed below.
Hodgenville, Kentucky
The sites for Lincoln’s birthplace and boyhood home are just miles down the road from one another in beautiful Kentucky. While the original log cabins no longer remain, accurate replicas sit on site. His birthplace is situated on land with a beautiful spring, walking trails through the woods, and monuments. We thought it was so neat to play in the woods and explore the property where he was born.
Lincoln's Birthplace Replica & Grounds
Springfield, Illinois
Lincoln moved quite a few times in his life, eventually situating himself in Springfield, IL during adulthood. He was very involved in the town of Springfield, even helping to make it become the state’s capital. Here he raised his family in a home with Mary Todd and kin, where he also practiced law. This site has a visitor center museum and a restored street with other homes from the 1800s still surrounding. You can tour his home, learning about where he and his children played, stand in the kitchen where the Lincoln’s hosted many events, and walk up the main staircase, holding on to the original handrail he used each day.
Lincoln's Family Residence & Visitor's Center
Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Gettysburg Battlefield & Visitor's Center
Washington, DC
Washington DC holds many landmarks and opportunities to learn about Abraham Lincoln. Most notable of our visits have been tours of the Ford Theatre and across the street the Peterson house, the home where he would ultimately die in 1865. While you cannot access the theatre booth where he was shot, you have several wonderful vantage points of it from around the theatre. There are also historical shows you can watch at the theatre with times tickets, and a museum to explore his presidency, assassination, and notable events during the Civil War.
