Flicks for Future Presidents

Presidents Day is celebrated the third Monday in February. This year, the national holiday will be observed on February 18. What was originally conceived as a holiday to honor our first president, George Washington, now is celebrated to honor all the presidents in our nation’s history.

One of the unique features of the United States of America is our presidency. Our constitution states that any natural born citizen can run for president providing he or she is at least 35 years old and must have been living in the U.S. for at least 14 years.

If you have a child with presidential aspirations, grab some popcorn or some presidential jelly beans and celebrate Presidents Day by enjoying some of these entertaining, yet educational videos about our nation’s highest office. They’re all available on Amazon.

I Can Be President: A Kid’s-Eye View

Duck for PresidentIn “I Can Be President: A Kid’s-Eye View,” a group of elementary school age children openly share their thoughts on the subject, affirming the importance of having dreams at any age. From “free ice cream for all” to “macaroni and cheese every day,” their simple thoughts and observations provide candid insight into their dreams and hopes for our nation in this 20 minute short. (DVD only on amazon.com)

So You Want To Be President

“So You Want To Be President” gives a peek into living in the White House. Narrated by Stockard Channing, the cartoon covers everything from presidential pets to the White House bowling alley. Other trivia is scattered throughout the 27-minute video. For example, if you have a son named James, he may have a leg up—six past presidents have been named James! (Free streaming for Amazon Prime members.)

If you are looking for a short film, Scholastic has a 10-minute cartoon, “Madam President,” in which a little girl dreams of what her day would be like as president. From an executive order for waffles to the importance of a capable cabinet, it is the perfect introduction for preschool and early elementary-age children without a long attention span. (Free streaming for Amazon Prime members.)

Duck for President

Released just before the 2004 election, “Duck for President” is the children’s book come to life in a hilarious yet insightful hourlong video, narrated by Randy Travis, in which Duck decides to throw his feathers into the presidential race. The whole family can follow along as Duck unseats Farmer Brown and heads up the farm, then turns his sights on becoming president. (Free streaming with Amazon Prime.)