5 Funny Historical Events Your Kids Will Love to Read About
Published:
June 6, 2025
Contributor:
Charis King
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you decide to make a purchase via my links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. See my disclosure for more info.
History doesn’t have to be dry. These funny historical events are real (and ridiculously entertaining). Each story-based activity pack helps kids laugh, learn, and build key skills-like reading, writing, logic, and vocabulary. One’s even free!
Let’s face it-most kids don’t race to the table for a history lesson. But what if your next lesson wasn’t about memorizing dates… and instead featured a president who might’ve gotten stuck in a bathtub or a molasses flood that turned a city into syrup?
That’s where funny historical events come in. They’re weird, wacky, and totally real-and they’re the perfect way to make history memorable. We’ve taken five of these laugh-out-loud true tales and turned them into short stories with ready-to-use activities for ages 9-12.
They’re silly enough to keep your kids engaged, and rich enough to build reading comprehension, logical thinking, vocabulary, and writing skills. Perfect for summer break, school holidays, or any time you want to keep learning fun and fresh.
What’s Inside these History Silly Story Activity Packs?
Each printable story pack includes:
- A funny but true story inspired from history
- Silly Logic Puzzle
- Silly Story Maze
- Silly Story Word Search
- A Timeline Match to order 6 events
- An eyewitness reporter writing prompt
- The Daily Giggle newspaper template – Kid reporters can write their story & “publish” a picture
- Comic Drawing Template – Practice those drawing and story telling skills by creating a comic
- Social Media Template – What if social media had been around? Kids and even teens can use use their imagination to create a silly post for Instagram or another social media platform.
- Answer Key
These are ideal for independent learners, siblings working together, or even just a quick “let’s do something educational” day when school’s out.
1.Napoleon and the Great Bunny Rebellion (FREE Story Pack!)
Yes, this really happened. Napoleon Bonaparte planned a grand rabbit hunt, but the bunnies had other plans. Instead of being chased, they turned and chased him. Hundreds of them. Hopping chaos!
Springboard Learning Ideas:
- Explore France or Napoleon’s rise
- Compare rabbits vs. hares
- Learn about famous military blunders
- Research animal instincts
2. Albert Einstein and His Sailboat Struggles
Albert Einstein may have had genius ideas about the universe-but steering a boat? Not so much. This story follows the time he got stuck sailing in circles and had to be rescued.
Springboard Learning Ideas:
- Study Germany or Switzerland
- Learn about buoyancy and water safety
- Introduce Einstein’s famous theories
- Talk about how smart people still make mistakes
3. President Taft and the Tub Trouble
Legend says President Taft got stuck in a bathtub, and while historians debate the details, it’s a tale that kids won’t forget. This activity pack gives the story a splash of humor while letting kids explore presidential history.
Springboard Learning Ideas:
- Study U.S. presidents and their lives
- Learn about inventions or home plumbing
- Explore Ohio history
- Talk about separating fact from legend
Australia once tried to go to war with… emus. Spoiler: the emus won. This absurd event makes kids giggle while introducing geography, an interesting animal, and unusual history all in one go.
Springboard Learning Ideas:
- Learn about Australia’s outback
- Study emus and other flightless birds
- Explore military responses to strange problems
- Map weird wars in world history
5. The Great Molasses Flood of 1919
In 1919, a giant tank of molasses exploded and rushed through Boston’s streets at 35 mph. It sounds made up-but it’s 100% true. This story combines disaster, science, and history with a sticky twist.
Springboard Learning Ideas:
- Study Massachusetts and Boston
- Explore states of matter or science experiments
- Talk about safety codes and city design
- Compare other unusual disasters in history
Why Funny Historical Events Help Kids Learn
These funny historical events aren’t just amusing-they’re unforgettable. When kids laugh, they remember. And when they remember, they learn. That’s why these story packs are such a great way to sneak in meaningful skills:
- Reading comprehension
- Vocabulary building
- Logic and reasoning
- Creative writing
- History exploration
Each activity makes kids think while they laugh-so they’re learning without feeling like it’s “school.”
Start with the free Napoleon pack (grab your free copy above), then keep the fun going with the rest of the stories available in our store. Whether you use one a week, save them for road trips, or pull them out on rainy days, they’ll help you bring history to life—all while making your kids grin.
Final Thoughts
These are just the first five in the series but we have plans to bring more hilarious historical events soon!
If you’re not already a newsletter subscriber, now’s the time. You’ll be the first to know when new story packs launch (plus you’ll get extra homeschool encouragement, free printables, and fresh ideas each week).
History is weird. Let’s make it wonderful.
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Charis King
Charis King is the owner & steward of Homeschool Giveaways, a wife whose husband lives in Heaven, and a mom of twin daughters currently attending college. She and her husband homeschooled their daughters with the belief that each person is a unique masterpiece of God – created with gifts, interests and talents. (Eph 2:10). Even though the season of homeschooling her own daughters ended a few years ago, Charis is grateful for the opportunity to support other families along their own unique homeschool journey.
