Helping Kids Understand Election Ads: Building Digital Literacy & Critical Thinking

NOTE: This is not a political discussion. It’s a framework to help talk about ads with kids in a non-partisan way, focusing on developing digital literacy and critical thinking skills.

When my daughter was in kindergarten, she came home with a mix of comments about the presidential election. They were a jumble of overheard adult conversations, kids’ interpretations, and a few wild guesses thrown in for good measure. It was a reminder that even when we’re not having “serious” conversations with them, kids are always listening. And they take in so much more than we expect.

Our kids are already absorbing ideas about elections and politics, so why not help them make sense of it?

One of our roles as parents is to help them understand the world, even when the topics are complicated—especially when they’re complicated. Elections are about more than just voting. They’re about understanding political issues, evaluating information, and making informed choices. I decided to lean into the questions my daughter was bringing home, using them as an opportunity to talk about how we decide what’s true and what’s just meant to persuade. Several elections later, we still find ourselves in conversations about the ads.

Political ads are a great starting point for these conversations. They’re everywhere—TV, online, even the neighbor’s front lawn—and they can be confusing or even a little scary for kids. Sitting down and talking through these ads helps them see that the flashy graphics and dramatic music are all part of a strategy. By discussing these ads, we can give kids the tools they need to evaluate information critically, and we can help them start to understand how messages are crafted, and why it’s important to ask questions.

The Teachable Moments in Ads

Wait, learn while watching ads? Absolutely! Ads are designed to persuade us—sometimes subtly, sometimes not-so-subtly. By discussing election ads, you’re helping your kids build the skills they need to spot the tricks of persuasion. Ads often try to evoke strong emotions like fear, hope, or anger. Kids may not fully understand the messages, but they definitely feel those emotions.

Here are a few things you can teach through this exercise:

• Recognize Persuasive Techniques: Just like product ads try to sell a toy or cereal, political ads are trying to sell an idea or candidate. How do ads use music, images, and messaging to make viewers feel a certain way? Certain colors, symbols, and even the choice of words can influence our feelings about a candidate or issue.
• Identify Bias and Exaggeration: Help your kids understand that not everything in an ad is necessarily true. Do you think that statement has sources to back up its claim? Identifying when an ad seems exaggerated or leaves out important context can help them develop a healthy skepticism. This will also help them learn to identify bias in other forms of media.
• Encourage Curiosity: Why does the ad focus on one issue but ignore others? Who paid for the ad? What does the ad want you to do or think? This is a great opportunity to discuss the idea of “who benefits”—in other words, who stands to gain from the message in the ad—and how different groups may have different interests during an election.

Compare and Contrast Ads Activity

Note: Adjust the conversation as appropriate for the age of your child. For example, with a younger child, you might compare and contrast bumper stickers on cars instead of watching ads.

What You’ll Need

• A political ad. This can be from a current campaign, or even an older ad.
• A traditional product ad (e.g., a cereal commercial or toy ad).

Instructions

1. Watch the Product Ad First: Show the product ad to your child and ask some guiding questions: What is the goal of this ad? How are they trying to get you to want this product? Do you think everything they say about the product is true? Why or why not?
2. Watch the Political Ad: Now, show the political ad and discuss: What is the ad trying to convince you of? What emotions did you feel while watching it? Why do you think they want you to feel those emotions? Did they use any scary/intense images or phrases? Why might they do that?
3. Compare and Contrast: Talk about how the political ad is similar to and different from the product ad. Both are trying to sell something, but the stakes are different. Discuss how the techniques used in political ads might be more emotionally charged because they want to sway people’s votes, which is a bigger decision than buying a product.
4. Fact-Check Together: If relevant, take some time to fact-check a statement made in the political ad. Use a resource like FactCheck.org or PolitiFact to verify the claims. This helps reinforce the importance of questioning and verifying information before accepting it as truth.

 

If Difficult Topics Come Up…

In the weeks leading up to an election, your child will be exposed to many political ads and civic issues no matter what your conversations are like at home. Political ads sometimes touch on heavy or controversial issues, like healthcare, immigration, or national security. These topics can be intimidating for both parents and kids to discuss, but they can also be important learning moments.

By engaging your child in a discussion about the tactics politicians might use in their campaigns, and by addressing these topics before they come up unexpectedly, you will help your child learn to emotionally regulate when they come across these topics in real life.

Here are some tips for addressing difficult topics:

• Be Honest, but Age-Appropriate: Kids can sense when something is being hidden from them. It’s better to provide a simple, honest explanation that’s appropriate for their age than to avoid the topic entirely.
• Share Your Values: When ads touch on sensitive topics, it’s an opportunity to share your family’s values. Explain why you feel the way you do and encourage your kids to ask questions.
• Create a Safe Space for Questions: Let your kids know that it’s okay to ask any question, even if it seems uncomfortable. This helps them process what they’re seeing and hearing, and fosters an environment of open communication.

 

About Betweened
Betweened provides expert resources and activities to help families build mindful, creative technology habits. Our goal is to support parents in raising informed and resilient digital citizens. More resources, community, and materials are available at btwnd.com. This article was written by Dr. Carla Engelbrecht and Aliza Bromberg Gaber.