Labor Day Activities for Kids

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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Human brains are pretty amazing, allowing us to think, feel, create, communicate, move and more. But humans aren’t the only animals with cool brains, as Crab Museum explains in the book The No-Brainer Brain Explainer (illustrated by Bruno Valasse).

This book, aimed at kids in grades 1-4, is colorful and silly but also educational about how brains actually work, with billions of neurons sending electrical and chemical signals around the body.

“Everything we think, feel and experience comes from an electrical relay race, with neurons passing chemical batons to each other,” the book says. “The constant chatter of billions of brain cells creates your entire world.”

The book compares the brains of mammals to those of crabs (the book is “written” by a crab after all) and notes that crabs have fewer neurons and of course are much smaller, but they have separate parts of their brains that control their eyes and their legs. Crabs are also capable of remembering things, using tools and solving puzzles.

Some animals’ brains allow them to know more about their world in different ways from humans, such as spiders being sensitive to vibrations in their webs and catfish having an amazing sense of taste, with taste sensors all over their bodies.

It notes that 95 percent of brain activity goes toward things we do unconsciously, like breathing, walking and catching a ball flying toward us. It also talks about dreams, memory, how our emotions try to predict the future, where brains came from and fun facts about brains. For example, did you know a sperm whale is believed to have the biggest brain of any creature that’s even lived? Their brains weigh 18 pounds, compared to just 2.5 pounds for humans.

Information on what creatures have the smallest brains, the toughest brains, the most brains and those who actually eat their own brains will delight kids (and maybe gross them out a little bit). They’ll also enjoy learning about the mycelium network of fungi, which is like a brain without a body, and slime molds, which are like a brain without a brain.

It ends talking about why human brains are so special because we’ve found ways to work together, communicate and build communities on a scale bigger than any other animal.

Kids and adults alike will enjoy this colorful, silly and informational book about brains!

About the book: 64 pages, hardcover. Published 2026 by Wide Eyed Editions. Suggested retail price $19.99.

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