Honor Veterans Day 2026 in your classroom with Veterans Day activities for preschool and elementary-level students, craft activities, worksheets, printables, and more resources to add to your lesson plans. Download printable Veterans Day books, vocabulary word walls, cut and paste activities, and reading passages to help your students learn why we observe Veterans Day in the United States. You'll also find card-writing templates to send to veterans from your class. This collection of curriculum-aligned teaching resources was created by elementary school teachers who know what you need most when planning for Veterans Day observances at school.

Not sure what to teach about Veterans Day or how to mark this American holiday in the classroom? Read on for a primer from our teacher team, including a look at when Veteran Day is and some other common questions your students may ask!

What Is Veterans Day? A Kid-Friendly Definition

It may seem simple, but we have to start somewhere! If you're explaining this holiday to your class, here's a kid-friendly definition you can use: Veterans Day is an American holiday when we honor and show our appreciation for all the veterans who have served our country. We use this day to say thank you to them for their bravery and sacrifices. On Veterans Day, we also say thank you to people who are currently serving in the US military. It's set aside as a chance for every American to recognize and thank them.

When Is Veterans Day 2026?

The classroom calendar is chock full of things you must keep track of, and this November holiday is never the same day of the week! Veterans Day is celebrated on November 11 every year in the US, which means it will be marked on Wednesday, November 11, 2026.

What Is a Veteran? A Kid-Friendly Definition

Of course, if you're talking about Veterans Day, you may need to define "veteran" for your students as well. Here's how our teacher team defines this term for our students: A veteran is someone who has served in the military. They made special sacrifices to help protect our country. Veterans go by many names:

Soldiers — Veterans who served in the US Army are called soldiers.
Sailors — Those who served in the US Navy are called sailors.
Marines — A veteran who served in the US Marine Corps is called a Marine.
Airmen — Both women and men who have served in the US Air Force (now called the US Space Force) are referred to as airmen.

an elementary student's veterans day what I know about soldiers activity sits on a desk in a classroom

In this Veterans Day activity, a student shared what they know about US soldiers.

Why Do We Celebrate Veterans Day in November?

This question is a bit more complicated to answer. Technically, the federal holiday recognizes the Armistice of November 11, 1918. This was the formal agreement that marked the official end of World War I. This may be a topic you're covering in history class if you're teaching older students, but younger kids likely have never even heard the term "armistice." If you're one of those teachers with younger kids, here's how you might explain this term and how it relates to Veterans Day: An armistice is an agreement to stop fighting, and that is what was signed to end the fighting of World War 1. This signing of the armistice happened on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. The 11th month is November, which is why Veterans Day is held on November 11 every year here in the US, and many other countries celebrate the day as Armistice Day.

Why Is it Important for Students to Learn About Veterans Day?

Want to make sure students know Veterans Day isn't just another opportunity to get out of school for the day? It's important for students to learn that Veterans Day is the one day that we set aside here in the US to honor all the members of our armed forces — both retired and active duty — and to understand the value of these community members. Unlike Memorial Day, which is dedicated to those military members who have died, Veterans Day is dedicated to all those who have served. That may mean people in your family; it may even mean you. And it almost definitely means people in your students' families. Classroom lessons on this holiday can help young kids understand the sacrifices made by veterans to protect our country and maintain our freedom, as well as provide an opportunity to teach students about the history of military conflicts and the role of veterans in shaping our nation's history. It's also a day that's absolutely full of important history lessons for kids — like learning about its origin — and offers up lessons on gratitude and even letter writing as teachers assign students projects that involve writing thank you cards for veterans.

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Veterans Day Vocabulary Cards and Writing Center