Make a Jackie Robinson Baseball Card

Jackie Robinson was the first player to break through the racial barrier in Major League Baseball. He was the first professional African American player, making a huge leap forward for athletes of color. He was even voted Rookie of the Year during his first season with the Brooklyn Dodgers because of his exceptional athletic skills.

Promote your child's appreciation for this tremendous figure in history by inviting her to create her own Jackie Robinson baseball card! As she crafts this keepsake, she will learn a little history lesson while boosting her creativity and fine motor skills.

What You Need:

• Cardboard
• Construction paper in various colors
• Tape
• Markers, colored pencils, or crayons

What to Do:

1. Begin by telling your child just how important Jackie Robinson was in terms of African American history and breaking boundaries. Feel free to both look online and reference the introduction and "Did You Know" section of this project as a refresher of Jackie Robinson's achievement. Once your child has soaked up some knowledge, it will be time to get to work!
2. Encourage your child to cut out a rectangle in the shape of a baseball card from the cardboard. It is okay if it is a bit bigger than usual, which will make it easier to write on and illustrate. Aid your child in covering the cardboard with construction paper.
3. For the front of the card, ask your child to draw her best representation of Jackie Robinson. Invite her to check out a photo of the player, and then have her set to drawing with either markers, colored pencils, or crayons.
4. For the back of the card, ask your child to jot down some of the key facts or stats that made Jackie Robinson both such a great baseball player and a key icon in history. Ask her to write "Brooklyn Dodgers" at the top of the card, copying the logo from the Internet if she so chooses.
5. After the front and back has been decorated, invite your child to show it off her creation to both you and the rest of the family. If she is already a collector of baseball cards, perhaps she would like to put it up with the others or display it on the fridge.

Did You Know?

• Jackie Robinson was the first African American baseball player in the Major Leagues
• Jackie Robinson was the Rookie of the year in his first season with the Dodgers * Jackie Robinson, when he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame was the first African American to earn that honor.
• Jackie Robinson played in a full 8 World Series
• Jackie Robinson earned the title of MVP three times with the Brooklyn Dodgers