Can You Guess the 15 American Presidents from Their Childhood Photo?
There’s an answer key waiting at the end, so keep track of your guesses and try not to cheat. Before the White House, presidential debates, and portraits in history books, every American president was just a kid posing for family or school photos. Some are surprisingly easy to recognize, with features that barely changed as they got older. Others look so different that even knowing you’re staring at a future president won’t help much. We picked childhood and teenage photos of 15 men who eventually became president of the United States. Use the photos and clues to see how many you can identify before reaching the answers on the final slide.
1. He Spent Part of His Childhood in Indonesia
Born in Hawaii, this future president moved to Indonesia in 1967 before returning to Honolulu several years later.
2. He Grew Up in a Political Dynasty
This Massachusetts-born boy was one of nine children in a wealthy family where competition, public service, and politics were already part of everyday life.
3. He Was Raised in Small-Town Georgia
This future president spent his childhood near Plains, where his family lived on a farm and his father ran an agricultural business.
4. This Future President Was Once a Lifeguard
Long before entering politics, this Illinois native spent his summers working as a lifeguard and reportedly rescued dozens of swimmers.
5. He Was a College Football Star
Raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan, this future president became such a talented athlete that he received offers to play professional football after college. National Archives even highlights that presidential sports story in its childhood exhibition.
6. He Grew Up With a Love of Music
This California boy played several instruments while growing up, including violin, piano, clarinet, saxophone, and accordion.
7. This Future President Was a Talented Pianist
Growing up in Missouri, he loved history and music and practiced piano seriously long before beginning his political career.
8. He Learned to Read at a Very Young Age
His mother taught him to read by age four, and the Texas native later became a teacher before turning his attention to politics.
9. He Grew Up With Six Brothers
This future president spent his childhood in Abilene, Kansas, before choosing a military career that would make him famous around the world.
10. He Grew Up on a New York Estate
Born into a wealthy and prominent family, this future president spent much of his childhood at the family’s home in Hyde Park.
11. This Future President Became a Navy Pilot
Born in Massachusetts, he attended an elite boarding school before serving as one of the youngest Navy aviators of World War II.
12. His Younger Brother Also Entered Politics
Although he was born in Connecticut, this future president grew up largely in Texas alongside a younger brother who would eventually become a governor.
13. He Was Born With a Different Last Name
This Arkansas native was born William Jefferson Blythe III before eventually adopting the surname of his stepfather.
14. His Parents Sent Him to Military School
Growing up in Queens, New York, this future president was sent to the New York Military Academy when he was 13 years old.
15. He Overcame a Childhood Stutter
Born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, this future president moved to Delaware with his family at age 10 and worked for years to manage his stutter.
Answer Key
How many did you get right? 1. Barack Obama, 2. John F. Kennedy, 3. Jimmy Carter, 4. Ronald Reagan, 5. Gerald Ford, 6. Richard Nixon, 7. Harry S. Truman, 8. Lyndon B. Johnson, 9. Dwight D. Eisenhower, 10. Franklin D. Roosevelt, 11. George H.W. Bush, 12. George W. Bush, 13. Bill Clinton, 14. Donald Trump, and 15. Joe Biden.