Labor Day Activities for Kids

August 22, 2023 by Sarah White Leave a Comment

Labor Day in the United States is generally just thought of as the last big summer holiday before we dive into back to school activities (though plenty of kids are back to school already) but there’s an important meaning behind the holiday that’s especially important this year with lots of labor unions striking or threatening to strike.

Labor Day is a federal holiday in the United States celebrated on the first Monday in September to honor and recognize the American labor movement and the works and contributions of laborers to the development and achievements of the United States.

The holiday originated in the late 19th century as a way to commemorate the contributions of workers to the American economy. It was first celebrated in New York City in 1882. By 1894, 23 more states had adopted the holiday, and on June 28, 1894, President Grover Cleveland signed a law making the first Monday in September of each year a national holiday recognized as Labor Day.

If you want some Labor Day printables and activities for the classroom, check out the Labor Day page at TeacherVision. It includes collections of activities about various jobs, information about child labor, a word search and other activities.

At home or in the classroom you can talk about future careers the kids might like to have and have them write, draw or collage about their chosen job. Or come up with a list of jobs and have kids learn more about them. Bonus points for careers that have union representation such as actors, factory workers and teachers. They can also draw different careers like on the Labor Day cube shown above, which is an activity from Crayola.

Older kids can learn about key moments in labor history and make a timeline like these from We Are Teachers (a detailed timeline can be found at Libcom, or you can search for local labor movements or those related to a particular industry). Or have kids research an important labor leader such as Cezar Chavez, Mother Jones or Frances Perkins (check out the list at the AFL-CIO website for more).

[Photo: Crayola]

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Beach Crafts Kids Can Make — No Vacation Required

Last month I shared a collection of beach crafts that used items from the beach like seashells and sand. This month’s collection is all about beach animals and things you might see at the beach that don’t require beachy materials to make. In fact you’ve probably got what you need to make most of these beach crafts in your house already.

How about paper plates? With a paper plate you can make this cute watercolor seashell from The Educator’s Spin on It, or an adorable seagull like this one from Glued to My Crafts.

Add some white beans and you can make paper plate sand dollars like Crafts by Amanda. Or use a paper plate as a frame for a sweet beach scene like this crab and turtle one from Artsy Craftsy Mom, which includes a downloadable template and instructions to make it super easy.

Or grab a paper plate and some bubble wrap to make a jellyfish like this one from Happy Toddler Playtime. If you have paper bowls instead of plates, you can also make a jellyfish from one of those, like Natural Beach Living did.

Use your stash of craft sticks and googly eyes to make crabs, fish, sharks and more with this craft idea from The Keeper of the Cheerios.

I love this little crab made with a cardboard tube from Hunny I’m Home. With this same idea I’ll bet you could make lots of different creatures.

Grab some construction paper to make the loopy tentacles on this watercolor jellyfish from Craftsy Hacks. Or make a stained glass jellyfish like this one from Life Anchored.

Make easy puffy paint to make these fun fluffy starfish from I Heart Crafty Things, or use cupcake liners to make cute little crabs (also from I Heart Crafty Things).

Turn an old pool noodle into some super cute fish with this tutorial from Happy Toddler Playtime.

And if you’ve got some leftover yarn lying around, make pompoms and turn them into turtles like these from Craftsy Hacks. (And check out my post on different ways to make pompoms if you need a refresher!)

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