Today is the first day of our new family history for children blog link up. This one will last three months and be all about learning family history through play. Experts agree that children learn best when they are playing. What fun ways have you shared family history with children? How do your children like to play? My son enjoys dressing up and pretending. My daughter loves playing with Play-Doh and doing crafts. We have...
Should children take DNA tests? Thought leaders and genetic genealogy experts say yes. In keynote speeches and interviews at RootsTech 2018, Cece Moore, Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Living DNA co-founders David Nicholson and Hannah Morden, reveal their thoughts about the booming DNA industry and how it can benefit children. Overcoming Prejudice LivingDNA is making great strides in the industry, especially in pinning down ethnic origins to specific regions within the British Isles. Yet...
RootsTech 2018 is done and in the books, or is it? The theme for the 2018 conference was Connect. Belong. Reflecting on the amazing connections I made at RootsTech, that sense of belonging will continue. I couldn’t think of a better way to share my experience than through photos, so here is a sampling. Connect. Belong. Family. RootsTech introduced the new addition to the FamilySearch app of “relatives around me.” Each day, host Jason Hewlett,...
It’s ready! We’re at RootsTech today spreading the word about Research Like a Pro: A Genealogist’s Guide, our new eBook. We hope you love it and share it with your genealogy friends. We are hoping to make a big splash today in the genealogy category on Amazon. If everyone buys the book today, it will become a bestseller for the day in Amazon’s category rankings! With your help, we can get the word out to...
Are you looking for an engrossing book? One that tells captivating, true stories about real women in history? Frontier Grit by Marianne Monson delivers twelve short stories, each based on a woman who was a pioneer in her own right. An excerpt from the introduction gives us the author’s insights. The women in this book come from a variety of backgrounds and traveled in a number of different directions – these stories represent a mere handful...
You’ve purchased your RootsTech or Getting Started pass. Hotel and flights are nailed down. All that is left is figuring out how to get the most out of this unique, exciting experience. Having attended RootsTech for the past two years, I have five insider tips to share. TIP 1 ATTEND THE KEYNOTES If you’re tempted to skip the keynote speakers, think again. Each speaker has a story to tell linking them to genealogy and family...
I created another worksheet to go along with the table that helps children gather data about inherited traits from their family members. I figured it would be fun to map out what they know on a family tree! This worksheet allows children to color their own eye color and hair color on the family tree, then check boxes that say if they have a hitchhikers thumb, long second toe, and attached earlobes. Then they...
Looking for a fun activity for children that helps them learn how to use FamilySearch.org? When children look at an online family tree for the first time, it is helpful for them to learn how to navigate around and see what information they can find out about their ancestors. This scavenger hunt does just that! With little clues like, “find a relative with an unusual name” or “find a woman who had more than ten...
What skills do genealogists use? How can we teach them to children in an age appropriate way? This month’s #FHforChildren blog link up is all about teaching kids to do genealogy research. Theme: Teaching Children Genealogy Skills What are the core skills of genealogy that children can learn from a young age? What age would you start teaching these at and how do you do so with your children? Share your ideas for teaching kids...
Have you read These is My Words – The Diary of Sarah Agnes Prine 1881-1901 by Nancy E. Turner yet? I featured the novel based on the author’s own family stories as a book club selection in July of 2017. Because I’m fascinated with the writing of family history, I contacted Nancy to get her perspective on the world of genealogy and family history. She graciously agreed to answer my questions and share her thoughts. Four generations...