We started Shakespeare at our house the second year I homeschooled the two younger children. They were in third and fourth grades at the time, and yet I found library books aimed at first and second graders. If you take your time and make Shakespeare a part of a larger curriculum, he can be introduced.
It's important to remember that he was not writing for children. Much of Shakespeare has very inappropriate references, anti-Semitism and various other things younger children don't need or may not understand. Read the plays yourself before choosing which ones to present to your children. There are some wonderful children's books out there for the teaching of Shakespeare, so chat with your librarian about tracking some down. Many even use the original language, but shorten the play and take out some of the objectionable things. I brought home stacks of them to review so I could choose which plays to teach.
I found the books kept disappearing, and discovered the children were reading them on their own. I only intended to teach three plays, but they read a large number of them in children's versions before I ever got around to it. Since then, I have assigned one play a year, but they read many more on their own, and often in the adult versions now that they are in high school. Shakespeare can be taught to all your children at once, with variations based on age and reading ability.
Start by visiting your library. Find all the books you can on the plays (including children's versions for younger children), Shakespeare himself, his theater, and his time period in history (Elizabethan). Check out the video collection too. Then it's time to tackle the Internet. Here is a list of some of the links I have visited on this subject:
ALTERNATIVE SHAKESPEARE: Teaching Macbeth to Children This site was created by university students who had to teach a Shakespeare course to ten-year-olds. They discuss their initial expectations and their plans and then give a week-by-week description of their activities, which are very unit study oriented. The class sounds like fun, and the page has a number of very good ideas for teaching this play. As a sidenote, I found it interesting to see how the students changed their ideas about children and learning as they progressed.
History for ChildrenMeg Greene Malvasi writes a wonderful column for children about history. Beginning with the page I have linked, she has several articles about William Shakespeare. The first is called Young Will. She discusses his childhood as well as normal childhoods for children of his time period. Use the Next button to take you to the next article. This one is called Shakespeare's World, which tells children about the Elizabethan Era. It also explains how the culture influenced Shakespeare's work. The third article, Shakespeare's Globe Theater follows the history of the theater from its beginnings to its modern restoration. The final article, Did He Or Didn't He? That is the Question! covers the arguments over whether or not Shakespeare really wrote those plays. It's not too late to get into the discussion on that subject! Be sure to follow Meg's many links and to check out the books she recommends. This is one of the best set of articles on the web for introducing Shakespeare to children. While you're there, check out her other articles. All are well worth reading.
Shakespeare and Anti- Semitism: The Question of Shylock This site is not for everyone, but if you have teenagers reading the Merchant of Venice, it might be a good site to visit. It discusses the subject of anti-Semitism, particularly as it relates to the play. There is excellent material on anti-Semitism, the history of Jews in England, the stage history of Shylock, and an analysis of the play, as well as links to other sites. Remember, controversy helps make learning exciting.
S hakespeare: Background Resources This is a collection of papers written by university students about Shakespeare and his plays. High school students will benefit not only from the information, but from reading college-level writing. Topics include: Stage and State: The Censorship of Richard II ; the Sword Fight in Hamlet; Macbeth and the Witches; and Renaissance Views of Madness in King Lear.
Shakespeare: A Magazine for Teachers and Enthusiasts This is, obviously, a publication, but many of the articles and lesson plans are on-line. Meant for classroom teachers, many of these lessons can be done at home.
Although this site intends to sell you books, it includes sample articles and lesson plans on Shakespeare.
Shakespeare Oxford Society Home Page If you are covering the authorship controversy, this is one page you can't miss. Although they take the stand that the plays are really written by Edward de Vere, they cover the debate in great detail. Older students can visit this site themselves, and parents can summarize the arguments for younger children.
Shakespeare With Will This page was designed by teenagers for Thinkquest. Make Shakespeare fun and accessible. Includes lesson on Shakespearian insults!
Shakespeare Goes to the Dogs A teacher has put together entertaining summaries of the plays-acted out by dogs!