Every year in the the Pre-K Class during election season in beginning of November the children brainstorm and vote on their class name. They talk about the voting process and even let them go to the polls and vote.
First they have the children nominate a bunch of names during circle time and narrow it down to four for the ballots. They create visual ballots, talking about the process of voting, and set up a polling booth with a ballot box. The children walk about individual, color or circle the name they would like to cast their vote, place it in the ballot box and receive an I VOTED sticker. After all the ballots are complete they count and graph the votes to see who won. Here are some other ways of incorporating voting during election time.
Children learn about themselves and the world they live in through experiences such as these. An election in the classroom or even at home is a great opportunity to not only talk with children about civic responsibility but an optimal way to lay the foundation in the early years of the power to make decisions that can bring about change. They are learning to vocalize their likes and dislikes, their interests, and their abilities through communicating what they want their class name to be all while learning about math too. This role play is developing important complex thinking skills, by projecting what they desire. They are experiencing first hand what is going on currently in our society but on terms that they can grasp. Hopefully we are laying down the foundation of voting at young age that will instill the importance of voting throughout their lives!