So, the other day, my kid came home asking about Jackie Robinson. They’d heard his name at school, but didn’t really get the whole picture. I figured, hey, a timeline might make it easier to understand. Kids love seeing things laid out, right? So, I decided to make one – a simple Jackie Robinson timeline, specifically for kids.
Getting Started – The Brainstorm
First thing, I grabbed a notebook and a pen. Old school, I know, but it helps me think. I started jotting down the big things I remembered about Jackie. Born, played sports, the army thing, breaking the color barrier in baseball, dealing with nasty stuff, becoming a hero. The usual highlights.
But I knew I needed actual dates and maybe a few more details to make it a real timeline. I didn’t want to overwhelm the little one, though. It had to be straightforward. The goal wasn’t a history thesis, just a clear picture of his journey.
Digging for the Details
Next, I spent some time looking things up. Just basic stuff online and in a couple of kids’ history books I had lying around. I focused on finding key moments that would make sense to a child.
- When he was born.
- His time playing sports in college – kids get excited about sports.
- Playing in the Negro Leagues – important context.
- The big one: signing with the Dodgers organization and starting in the majors. April 15, 1947, had to be bold.
- Winning awards like Rookie of the Year and MVP. Kids understand awards.
- Winning the World Series! Every kid knows what that is.
- Mentioning the tough times, the racism, but keeping it age-appropriate. Didn’t want to get too heavy, but couldn’t ignore it. It’s part of his strength.
- His life after baseball, like the Hall of Fame and working for civil rights. Shows his impact went beyond the field.
- When he passed away.
I made sure to write down the dates clearly next to each point. I tried to keep the descriptions short and simple. No fancy words.
Putting It All Together
Okay, info gathered. Now, how to present it? I thought about making a fancy digital thing, but honestly, who has time for that? Plus, I wanted something tangible my kid could look at, maybe even hang up. So, I went for a classic poster board approach.
Got some colored construction paper, markers, glue stick, and scissors. Felt like being back in school myself, ha! I decided to make it flow left to right, like reading a book.
I cut out strips of paper for each event. Wrote the date nice and big, then the simple description underneath. For example:
1947 – Jackie plays his first game for the Brooklyn Dodgers! He’s the first Black player in modern Major League Baseball.
Simple, see?
I tried to add a few simple drawings next to some points – a baseball bat, a medal, maybe a little drawing of Jackie (emphasis on little and simple, I’m no artist!). I thought pictures would help grab attention. I used different colored paper for different types of events, just to make it visually a bit more interesting.
Gluing everything down took a bit of fiddling to get the spacing right. Had a moment where I stuck one down crooked and had to carefully peel it off. Almost ripped the paper, classic me. But eventually, it all came together on the poster board.
The Finished Timeline
And there it was! A colorful, easy-to-follow timeline of Jackie Robinson’s life, made with good old paper and glue. It wasn’t perfect, the handwriting wasn’t calligraphy, and the drawings were basic, but it had personality!
Showed it to my kid, and their eyes lit up. We walked through it together, point by point. Seeing the dates and events laid out visually really seemed to click. They asked more questions, which was great! It wasn’t just names and dates anymore; it felt more like a story. We hung it up in their room for a while. Mission accomplished, I guess. Sometimes the simple, hands-on approach works best.
