Hooray for Kids Day
Little explorers, full of curiosity, boundless energy, and a knack for turning everyday objects into extraordinary adventures and laughter.
Be reminded of the wonder and delight of the children in your life when celebrating Hooray for Kids Day! With the recognition that children hold a unique and special innocence about them, but they also represent the future of the world, there are all sorts of reasons to get involved with and celebrate this day.
Go ahead! Enjoy this day to the fullest and say “Hooray For Kids”!
History of Hooray for Kids Day
The origins of Hooray For Kids Day can be traced back to the 1980s, which was a time when the care, nurture and protection of children made its way even further into the forefront of society and legislation in the 20th century. With a better understanding of child psychology and the impact that childhood has on becoming a productive, healthy and happy adult, the lives of children seemed to gain more value and esteem in society.
Throughout this era, many more people began showing appreciation for and celebrating the lives of not only their own children, but all of the children around the world. The shift in the attitudes toward children can even be seen through positive children’s authors, exampled by Dr. Seuss’ 1954 famous phrase from Horton Hears a Who: “a person’s a person, no matter how small.” Mr. Rogers was another 20th century media icon who was all about caring for and empowering kids. Plus, with songs recorded like Whitney Houston’s “The Greatest Love of All” released in 1986, pop culture was beginning to show this influence as well.
Hooray For Kids Day was likely born out of this movement to pay more attention to the needs of children, setting aside old adages such as “children should be seen and not heard” and embracing everything that a child has to offer!
How to Celebrate Hooray for Kids Day
Kids bring joy, imagination and excitement to the world every day of the year! With their amazing blend of innocence, exuberance and wild-eyed wonder, children offer so many opportunities for fun and celebration. Consider enjoying Hooray for Kids Day by implementing some of these plans for the day:
Spend Time with a Child
What every child always craves and needs more of, even if they don’t exactly know it, is attention and love. Their little developing brains need to be attuned to and attached to the adults in their life so that they can learn how to engage with the world around them in a safe manner.
Spending time with a child, talking with them, listening to them, co-creating a project with them or something else where they have the full attention is what kids really want and need. Hooray for Kids Day is a great time to be reminded that kids should be celebrated – not only in the big ways on this one day of the year, but also in the smaller opportunities that come every day!
Remember Some Facts About Kids
Childhood researchers and psychologists have been actively studying the development of children for many years. Some of the results that have come out of this important work are worth remembering to celebrate how amazing, resilient and fascinating children really are! On this Hooray for Kids Day, take a look at some of these interesting facts about children:
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While a toddler’s shouting of “mine” might seem selfish, it is a vital part of development when the child becomes aware of self-hood and personal distinction.
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Babies whose parents speak to them frequently will know 300 more words at the age of 2 than babies whose parents don’t speak to them directly.
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From ages 3-8, the brain tissue of a child uses up twice as much energy as that of an adult.
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The most effective way for children to learn life skills and understand who they want to become is by playing!
Organize Some Fun Adventures
One of the best ways to celebrate Hooray for Kids Day is to get them involved with adventures and discoveries. This could be fun no matter if it is a literal adventure by taking a trip somewhere new or a stay-at-home adventure of the mind, where the imagination rules.
An adventure could be something like going to the library to find some new books and then reading them together to promote family time. Or it could be an adventure that takes place as a walk in the woods, discovering various types of flora and fauna in nature with the kids. It could even be something as basic and exciting as making up a story together, writing it on paper and “publishing” it into a book. Adventures are all around and waiting to be enjoyed on Hooray for Kids Day!
Read Some Books Celebrating Kids
In honor of Hooray for Kids Day, it might be a good idea to head over to the library or bookstore and check out various books that are supportive and encouraging to kids. Depending on the age of the child, a variety of delightful book titles might make the list of those that would remind a child of their value. Whether to be read in a classroom or at home, this blend of more recent and also classic children’s literature is a great start:
- Oh, the Places You’ll Go! by Dr. Seuss (1990)
- Music, Music for Everyone by Vera B. Williams (1988)
- Eyes that Kiss in the Corners by Joanna Ho (2021)
- Frog and Toad are Friends by Arnold Lobel (1970)
Host a Hooray for Kids Party
Find out what the kids in your life would enjoy and, if they are fans of parties, then perhaps Hooray for Kids Day would be a fun time to host one. Since the day takes place in the summer, at least in the northern hemisphere, the weather should be warm or even hot! That means this could be a good time to invite the neighborhood kids around for a barbecue or picnic, and perhaps even participate in some water games. Whatever kind of party is chosen, be sure the guests of honor – the kids – are having a good time!
