Presidents Day Paper Chain

This simple, mess-free craft is perfect for kids of all ages! The final result is a paper chain with 95 links. To start, you’ll need blue and red paper for 48 of the links. Then the remaining 47 links will be made from printable pages featuring the names of U.S. presidents on white paper.

Gather 3 sheets each of blue and red printer or construction paper (8.5″ x 11″). Cut each sheet into 8 strips, each about 1 1/4″ by 8 1/2″. For older kids, this activity also offers a great opportunity to practice adding fractions. Moreover, here’s a fun math challenge:

• The first cut is at 1 1/4″
• The second at 2 1/2″
• Then 3 3/4″, 5″, 6 1/4″, 7 1/2″, 8 3/4″, and 10″
• Finally, you’ll be left with a small 1″ strip

As they cut, kids can add the fractions together (e.g., 1 1/4 + 1 1/4 = 2 2/4, which simplifies to 2 1/2), reinforcing math skills while creating a fun, patriotic craft!

You will need 3 sheets of both blue and red printer paper or construction paper (8.5″ x 11″). Plan on cutting 8 strips from each sheet that will be approximately 1 1/4″ by 8 1/2″. For older children this is an excellent lesson to teach about adding fractions. The first cut will be 1 1/4″ the second at 2 1/2″, then 3 3/4″, 5″, 7 1/2″, 6 1/4″, 8 3/4″ and finally 10″, leaving around 1″ leftover. So, by adding 1 1/4 + 1 1/4 you will get 2 2/4 which converts to 2 1/2, and so on.

For younger children, I would recommend pre-cutting the strips with a paper cutter

Printouts for the Presidents Day Paper Chain

You can print our 47 presidents as follows:

• Presidents #1 through #7
• Presidents #8 through #14
• Presidents #15 through #21
• Presidents #22 through #28
• Presidents #29 through #35
• Presidents #36 through #42
• Presidents #43 through #47

Presidents who served two or more consecutive terms are counted as one presidency. However, only twice in American history has a president served a term, lost an election, and then won again later. The first was Grover Cleveland (#22 and #24), followed by Donald J. Trump (#45 and #47). Since these two presidents had non-consecutive terms, they will each have two links in the paper chain.

The printable set includes seven pages, each featuring seven presidents. Each president’s information—term, party, election date, and Vice President—is formatted within a 1 1/4″ by 7 1/2″ rectangle. To assemble, cut the strips horizontally only; they will maintain the full 8.5″ width of the paper. There’s no need to cut along the vertical lines—the extra space at the ends allows for overlap when forming the loops.

To assemble the chain, follow this pattern: red link → white informational link → blue link. Repeat this sequence for each president, creating a patriotic and educational paper chain.

There are many alternative ways to put this Presidents Day Paper Chain together:

• Children can use the red and blue links to write an interesting fact about a president.
• For a longer chain, have a red and blue link for each president. This will create a chain with 141 links. Ex. red, white, blue, red, white, blue…