What is Labor Day? Learn all about Labor Day for kids! Labor day weekend is full of cookouts and celebrations, but consider adding the Labor Day holiday to your studies with these facts, worksheets, lessons and activities for kindergarten and up.
What Is Labor Day All About?
How do you explain Labor Day to kids?
I love a good homeschool theme study unit, don’t you?
Have you considered adding Labor Day activities to your learning and talking about what does Labor Day mean with your kids?
Labor Day is a holiday that many of us think of as a long, holiday weekend barbecue thing.
But, what is Labor Day about, after all?
And, why do we celebrate Labor Day?
Before we get to our Labor Day children’s activities, let’s talk about Labor Day facts and the history of why we celebrate Labor Day in USA.
Labor Day Meaning
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.
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.
What day is Labor in 2020?
The Labor Day date for 2020 is Monday, September 7, 2020.
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
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
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History Channel 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 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!
- 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
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.
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” -Mahatma Gandhi
“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
Labor Day Facts and History for Kids
Labor Day Printables, Activities, and Lessons
Whether you’re looking for labor day homeschool lesson ideas or classroom worksheets, Labor Day activities, Labor Day arts and crafts, Labor Day lesson plans kindergarten and up, printables, or maybe some good old patriotic crafts or outdoor activities, then there’s something for you on this Labor Day ideas for kids list!
Here are ideas on how to explain Labor Day to a child, ideas on Labor Day for students curriculum and lessons, and even Labor Day sunday school lesson ideas:
Learn more about the history of Labor Day in this printable
Understand the history of child labor in this lesson plan
Take a virtual field trip to the American Labor Museum
Learn about union negotiations.
Do Labor Day activity sheet
Make a super easy layered patriotic dessert
Play outdoor games
during your celebration
Hold a lemonade stand
and practice business skills
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
Grab Labor Day lesson plans and resources from NEA
Get a “Work for the Lord” lesson plan
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)
Learn more about careers from this extensive list on Career Kids
Draw (or download) a paper doll and then dress him/her in different career uniforms like: mail carrier, artist, scientist, chef, architect, police officer, airline pilot
Download and color this book of community workers where you can brainstorm on their different jobs
Make a craft stick flag
Create fireworks in a jar
Make a Five Little Fire Fighters painting
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.
Labor Day Books for Kids
Here are kids’ Labor Day books to include with your studies:
What other activities did you answer for what is Labor Day for kids?
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