Americans commemorate Labor Day the first Monday of every September. For many families, this is another occasion to gather relatives, neighbors and friends and partake in the fun and festivities that officially signals the end of summer. It's also a good time to teach children about the significance of the holiday.
In many small towns, Labor Day celebrations are usually marked by parades to honor the social and economic achievements of the average citizen, according to the U.S. Consulate. If your family is observing the holiday in these small towns, you can watch the parade with your kids and join in the other festivities.
But for those unable to participate in town events, there are other fun ways parents can do to teach their children about Labor Day.
1. Take your child to work.
Bring your child to work a few day before the holiday. This will be good exposure for kids to see people in various types of jobs. Introduce them to your co-workers and talk to them about how each of the jobs that workers perform matter to the company.
It would be good to let your work place know of this beforehand as many companies do organize "Take Your Child To Work Day" events during April. This doesn't mean kids can't visit their parents office any other day, but you should set it up when it's most convenient for the schedule at the office (i.e. there are no big client visits or meetings), according to Huffington Post.
2. Create a list of work your child can accomplish during the week leading up to Labor Day.
For instance, let them do errands for neighbors or assign them to clean up the backyard on the weekend. For older kids, let them babysit their younger siblings. Provide an incentive to pay for these tasks. Doing this will not only teach the children about labor, but it will also help build self-confidence, curiosity and social skills, according to Challenging Behavior.
3. Organize fun and games during your backyard party.
Younger kids will especially love worksheets and activities that allow them explore and learn about the topic in the most creative and challenging ways. To get started, download these sheets at Enchanted Learning, but you can also create your own.
For the older kids and the rest of the family, you can organize a Labor Day-themed scavenger hunt or a trivia game. For party ideas and accessories, there are a bunch of supplies at Amazon.
4. Have a story session with the children.
Choose a book that centers on labor, which your children will be able to relate to, such as the classic "The Elves and the Shoemaker." For a quick reference, you can download these Labor Day stories from Apples For Teacher.
