Getting Your Kids Involved in Genealogy

All over the world genealogy is rapidly becoming an interest for many families. Genealogy and ancestry sites are popping up everyday.

Genealogy can be made into a family activity. Children as young as five years old can participate. Genealogy can be a fun way for children to learn about their heritage. Once your children have started creating a family tree, they will want to continue finding out more about their family.

To start out, have your children create fact sheets on everyone in the immediate family. Mum and dad can provide information on themselves and their brothers and sisters such as names and birth dates.

Once this step is finished, have your children talk to their grandparents. They are a wealth of information, full of facts and stories that will keep your children enthralled and anticipating more information. The stories that your children get from their grandparents will last a lifetime and can be passed down to their children. By starting the tradition of genealogy today your children can pass the knowledge down to another generation.

Be prepared to answer an onslaught of questions. Once your children start with genealogy, their fascination will grow. If your child appears not to be interested, do not force him or her to participate. As you discuss and create your fact sheets with your other children or spouse, chances are that the child will become interested and join in.

As you get further into the genealogy of your family, your research will take you to the library. This is an incredible place for your children to find information. There are thousands of books on genealogy and family crests; the meaning of last names and some can also contain logs from ships that their ancestors sailed on when they first emmigrated. Older children can also be taken to the records department of local courthouses where information can be researched and documented. Once you have done all this with your children, you can go online to the courthouses of countries from which your ancestors came. By sending a simple email requesting information regarding your family members, your children can find out if they still have family relations in their country of origin.

By encouraging your children to participate in genealogy, you are opening up the door to the world. If your children find that they have relatives in their country of origin, encourage them to write letters and establish a line of communication to new found family members.

By getting your children involved in genealogy, you are giving them the knowledge of their heritage and they will pass this incredible gift down to their children.

Courtesy of Heather Colman