Ann of the Good Genes Genealogy Services team began her interest in family genealogy at the age of 10. After asking her mother and paternal grandfather separate questions about their childhoods, siblings, families and more, Ann did not receive the replies she expected. In both cases, I could hear crickets (old schoolers will get the reference).

Yet, as a child, I could have been building the bits and pieces of information that I was able to glean from family gatherings. I was also nosey and wanted to hear the stories from the elders and cousins about what life was like for them in settings different than mine in Omaha, Nebraska. Child-friendly genealogy chart builders like the free ones featured on the National Archives sites are a great start for the young people.

Check out the other freebie from the National Archives. It’s a fresh look in the genealogy tree building exercises.