Low-Key Labor Day Weekend Ideas
If your preschooler or kindergartener has just started school, Labor Day is likely their first official day off and long weekend of the year. For many kids, the break is highly welcomed as they get settled into their new routine. Going out of town or doing something fun for Labor Day is always a great idea, but with littles, you might not want to rock their routine anymore than school already has. If you're thinking that this year's Labor Day weekend is going to be a low-key one, we've got some great ideas for you. Keep reading to see some of our favorite low-key Labor Day weekend ideas, including the sensory craft that will keep them busy the whole day!
Learning the History of Labor Day
The unofficial mark of the end of summer, Labor Day has a ton of history that is important for littles to learn about. Rather than treating it as just another day off of school or work, spend some time to teach them the history behind the day and why we all (mostly!) have the day off.
Here is a kid-friendly explanation of Labor Day, provided by Encyclopædia Britannica.
Labor Day is a holiday that honors all workers. It also signifies the end of summer. The holiday is celebrated on the first Monday in September in the United States and Canada. Workers of all kinds enjoy the day off. It is a time for them to celebrate all that their work has made possible. The holiday is sometimes observed with parades and speeches, as well as political rallies. Some countries honor workers on May Day, which is celebrated on May 1. Other countries celebrate Labor Day on various days throughout the year. In Australia, the holiday is celebrated on different days in different states.
Labor Day was first celebrated in the United States in New York City on September 5, 1882. At that first Labor Day, workers paraded in order to show their unity and desire for fair working conditions. The peaceful demonstration involved all types of workers, from seamstresses to bricklayers. They waved banners bearing such slogans as "Labor built this republic and labor shall rule it." In June 1894 President Grover Cleveland signed a bill into law making Labor Day a national holiday.
Canadian workers first held parades in Ontario in 1872. In 1894 Canada made Labor Day a national holiday.
Sensory Crafts
If you have a craft-loving kiddo, a great way to celebrate Labor Day is with themed sensory crafts. Some ideas include:
Flag Crafting
Bring out the red, white, and blue!
A great way to celebrate Labor Day is through flag crafting. You can do this by printing out some blank flags for your kiddos to color in, paint, glue pom poms on, or even cut construction paper to form their own flag.
They can also paint a flag with chalk paint outside, paint a rock red white and blue, and wear their own red white and blue gear all day long while doing it.
Soap Dough
Another great way to celebrate Labor Day is by creating soap dough creations for your local community workers! Soap dough is super fun to play with, easy to create, and they can pass our their very own custom soap bars to their favorite sanitation workers, mail delivery person, or bus driver!
Soap dough is just like regular dough play, but without the mess. SPIKE Soap Bubble Dough gives kids the squishy, creative play they love - then adds water and turns the fun into bubbly soap. Play it dry for soft, moldable sensory play or bring a portion into the bath for a wetter, slipperier, bubblier experience. Kids can sculpt freely or press and pop cute soap shapes with the three spring-loaded EZ Soap Stamps.
Pick One: Game Day or Movie Marathon?
One of the best ways to celebrate Labor Day, especially if you are a community worker, is by putting your feet up and enjoying the day off as intended!
Indulge your family with some extra screen time and enjoy a movie marathon all day long. Your kids will love the opportunity to chill and watch movies, while you get some extra snuggles on your day off.
If you'd rather a digital detox, break out the board games for an ultimate tournament! See how many games each member in your family can win, and let the winner choose what to have or order for dinner.