All about Labor Day for kids: learn what is Labor Day and why is Labor Day celebrated. Get Labor Day lessons, kids activities and craft ideas for kids for this important patriotic holiday to celebrate with your family or even use as lesson plans in the classroom.
Lessons About Labor Day For Kids
Our labor day plans often include picnics and end of summer celebrations, but understanding Labor Day is important! Looking for why do we celebrate Labor Day kid version?
How do I explain Labor Day to my child?
Labor Day is a holiday that celebrates American workers. It started because a long time ago people (and even kids!) worked very long and very hard hours every single day in factories that weren’t very safe.
If you’re wondering how do you explain Labor Day to kids, let them know that the holiday came about because we wanted to take better care of our workers and help them be safe and healthy.
Labor Day Lessons for Kids
How do you teach Labor Day?
- Need Labor Day card ideas? Thank a community worker! Write thank you cards or appreciation cards to workers who help your family (teachers, postal service, delivery people, librarians, etc.) – we love this Labor Day project for kids and families!
- Make patriotic snacks while discussing the history of the holiday
- Get creative with patriotic crafts
- Watch videos about Labor Day and a Labor Day history video to help kids better understand the holiday
- Discuss with kids the importance of taking times of rest from work and obligations
- Explore different jobs and careers with kids
- Read Labor Day children’s books to help kids understand why do we celebrate Labor Day in America
- Make a lemonade stand and discuss the principals of business
- Have different Labor Day themes each day where you learn about a different occupation or job
- Play Labor Day games online where kids practice being different occupations
- Create career week activities for elementary students and up and have them research careers of interest
- Fill a delivery basket to thank delivery people who are working over the weekend
- Search Labor Day free activities near me and attend a Labor Day celebration
Don’t miss our fun Labor Day activities for kindergarten and up below! KEEP SCROLLING for more lesson on Labor Day ideas and activities for Labor Day — including free labor day activities / free printable labor day worksheets for kindergarten and up! If you’re looking for Labor Day explained easily, this will help!
When is Labor Day 2024?
What day is labor day on: The Labor Day date for 2024 is Monday, September 2, 2024.
Before we get to the Labor Day projects and labor activities and lessons, it’s helpful to understand the history of Labor Day and review Labor Day history for students…
Labor Day Meaning & History: Why do we celebrate Labor Day?
What is Labor Day and why do we celebrate it?
Labor Day is an official holiday that celebrates and honors workers in the United States. It is observed on the first Monday of September. Today, it also marks the end of summer and is celebrated with cookouts, parties, and parades.
Keep scrolling for Labor Day themes ideas and free Labor Day worksheets pdf printables.
When Is Labor Day?
When’s Labor Day weekend? Labor Day in the United States is celebrated on the first Monday in September to honor American workers.
Is Labor Day a federal holiday?
Labor Day is classified as a federal holiday. The Labor Day federal holiday was designated in 1894 during the Labor Movement of the 19th century.
Which president made Labor Day a national holiday?
President Grover Cleveland made Labor Day into a national (federal) holiday in 1894.
Labor Day Origin and Labor Day History
According to History.com, Labor Day became a federal holiday in 1894 by President Grover Cleveland.
The holiday came about because during this time many people, including children, worked long, hard days in factories seven days each week.
Not only that, the working conditions were often considered extremely unsafe.
The workers then began to protest and strike against those conditions.
On September 5, 1882, 10,000 workers took unpaid time off to march from City Hall to Union Square in New York City, holding the first Labor Day parade in U.S. history.
The Labor Day legislation was later made an official holiday “to repair ties with American workers.”
SEE A LABOR DAY HISTORY TIMELINE (this is really great to go with your Labor Day printable activities)
How was the first Labor Day celebrated?
On Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City, the United States celebrated the first Labor Day. There was a march from New York City Hall to Union Square and then a picnic where people gave speeches.
Learn more at the Library of Congress
Why is Labor Day celebrated in September?
Labor Day is celebrated in September because the first Labor Day holiday was celebrated in September. The holiday just continued from there.
CHECK OUT THESE KIDS’ ACTIVITIES NEXT:
When Is Memorial Day and Memorial Day for Kids
History Of Labor Day Video
This is a great History Channel history of Labor Day for kids video to watch as part of your study unit (Labor Day video for kindergarten and up!). Great to use to create Labor Day questions for students!
Labor Day Traditions
In the United States, Labor Day is often the mark of the end of summer for many. It is often marked with parades, special events, and parties.
Many businesses are closed for Labor Day and some workers have the day off in order to enjoy a day of rest.
Most restaurants and many retail stores are still open and may even hold special Labor Day deals. Those employees, unfortunately, do not enjoy a day off for Labor Day.
A Labor Day tradition for many people is to have cookout and celebrate the day.
What do you do on Labor Day?
For a fun Labor Day weekend for kids and family:
- Take the day off from any labor activity
- Rest
- Spend time with friends and family
- Have a cookout
- Join a street party of neighborhood cookout
- Go to a parade
- Look for local celebrations
- Visit a local park and play outdoor games
- Watch videos on the history of Labor Day
- Read books about Labor Day for kids
- Honor workers
Labor Day Quotes
Want a children’s message for Labor Day?
Be sure to include these Labor Day quotes with your studies for inspiration or for your craft projects and Labor Day fun for kids:
“No work is insignificant. All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.” –Martin Luther King, Jr.
“A hundred times every day, I remind myself that my inner and outer life depend on the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am still receiving.” -Albert Einstein
These are great to add to your Labor Day facts for students!
OK!
Let’s get to our Labor Day games and activities and printables for Labor Day!
36 Labor Day Facts, Crafts, and Labor Day History for Kids
Printables, Lessons and Classroom Activities to Teach About Labor Day
I love a good homeschool theme study unit, don’t you?
Adding Labor Day activities for students — even Labor Day preschool activities — is a great history lesson for kids and there’s enough Labor Day resources here for a learning unit!
(It’s a holiday that many of us think of as a long, holiday weekend barbecue thing, but it’s so much more than that!)
Whether you’re looking for labor day homeschool lesson ideas or classroom worksheets, Labor Day theme ideas arts and crafts, Labor Day lesson plans kindergarten and up, Sunday School lessons, free Labor Day printables, or maybe some good old patriotic crafts or outdoor activities, there’s something for you on this Labor Day ideas for kids list!
Learn more about the history of Labor Day in this printable (grades 3-6)
Understand the history of child labor in this lesson plan (grades 4-6)
Take a virtual field trip to the American Labor Museum
Learn about union negotiations.
Do a free Labor Day activity sheet
Make a super easy layered patriotic dessert
Play outdoor games
during your Labor Day cookout
Hold a lemonade stand
and practice business skills (even for Labor Day activities for first grade!)
Get a Labor Day writing activity
Have fun with a Labor Day worksheet word search from Teachers Pay Teachers
Do a Labor Day internet scavenger hunt from Education World
Group homeschool project: create your own business from Education World
Get a “Work for the Lord” lesson plan
Create a labor unions worksheet out of these resources
Download Labor Day lesson plans on unions from PBS
Have fun with career thank you cards, hats, and puzzles from Education.com (good for younger ages if you’re looking for labor day worksheets kindergarten and preschoolers)
Research and learn more about careers from this extensive list on Career Kids
Free Labor Day printable pack: Draw (or download) a paper doll and then dress him/her in different career uniforms from these printable Labor Day activity sheets: mail carrier, artist, scientist, chef, architect, police officer, airline pilot (perfect if you’re looking for free community helpers activities for kindergarten and preschool!)
Download and color this book of community workers where you can brainstorm on their different jobs
Make a craft stick flag (another one for fun Labor Day crafts for preschool and kindergartners)
Create fireworks in a jar (fun for labor day crafts for adults and children’s crafts!)
Make a Five Little Fire Fighters painting (perfect for Labor Day art activities for preschool!)
Make an easy (but super cool) flag wreath for your front door
Create marble fireworks
Make some patriotic popcorn
Have a Labor Day scavenger hunt.
Get a free Labor Day mini book for math to go with your other free Labor Day worksheets activities
Grab Community Helpers matching puzzle
Labor Day Books for Kids
Here are kids’ Labor Day books to include with your studies. These are also great for Labor Day explanation for kindergarten / Labor Day activities for preschool.
A Labor Day Hooray: A Rhyming Labor Day Picture Book
Clothesline Clues to Jobs People Do
MORE LEARNING FUN: 81 Really Fun Lesson Planning Ideas To Get Kids Excited To Learn This Year (By Topic)
Have fun learning all about Labor Day with kids!
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