Concepts for Kids

1.  Liberty is the same as freedom. When you are free, other people cannot make you do things you don't want to do, or keep you from doing things you want to do.     

2.  Free people have many choices.
Free people choose who they spend time with, where to live, what work to do, what to buy,  and much more.
   
 3.  The opposite of liberty is slavery. A slave is owned by another person. The slave must obey the owner. A slave is not free to choose the life that he or she wants.
     
4.  Liberty does not mean you can do whatever you want. In a free society, each person must respect the freedom of the others. That means they are not free to order other people around or choose things for them.
     
5.  Free people make lots of choices but are also responsible for what happens. If people make good choices, their lives will be better. If they make bad  choices, they must take care of the harm they do. Examples:

• If you break an item in a store, you must pay for it.
• If you hurt someone, you must say you are sorry.
• If you steal something, you can get punished.

   
6.  Adults who are free have many responsibilities. These include working to provide food, housing, clothing, medical care and other things to keep their families safe, healthy, and comfortable. If adults break rules, they can be severely punished.
   
7.   Children do not have as many choices as adults.
This is because children are not ready to be as responsible as adults. In countries that are free, children are given more choices as they get older.
     
​8.   Most people are neither slaves nor completely
free. They are free to make some choices, but other choices are against the law. Laws which control marriage, religion, speech, trade, housing, work, and many other parts of life, limit people's choices and freedom.

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Literature Connection

My Little Book of Big Freedoms
            Chris Riddell
This is a wonderful first book to introduce a child to the importance of liberty. It was published in association with Amnesty International.           
 
L is for Liberty
            by Wendy Cheyette Lewison
While describing the history of the Statue of Liberty in simple language, this book also celebrates liberty and discusses why liberty is important. 

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Related Topics

Why Liberty is Important?
The Bill of Rights
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Family Activity

​Create a Book of Choices
Help your child construct a small book, using folded paper.
Entitle the book My Little Book of Choices.
Help your child write one voluntary choice on each page of the book. Brainstorm for ideas: friends, organizations, activities, etc.
When the text is complete, help your child draw or use clip art or photos to illustrate it.

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