Children's Day is established on the second Sunday of June of each year to honor Alaska children and to promote their value and well-being in our communities. This year, the big day to celebrate kids is Sunday, June 9.
Together, let’s highlight all the joy children bring to our lives and take time to give them the recognition they deserve – start by asking a child in your life how they want to be celebrated or check out the ideas below!
Ways to celebrate:
1) Help the moose make it to its dad!
Celebrate a child or youth in your life by helping the baby moose make it to its dad! Each step of the way is a caregiver tip or technique to help you strengthen your bond. Complete all the activities and take a photo with a child in your life.
2) Have an impromptu party- just for you and them (or your family)
Homemade pizza bagels, ice cream and dancing, a picnic somewhere new - anything can become an adventure when it’s labeled a party for Children’s Day! Believe it or not, this works for teenagers too, who will be just as excited to have a day to be celebrated. Letting your child help “plan” the party by picking the food and music let’s them know it’s really about celebrating them!
3) If it’s sunny, do something outside like go for a walk, hike, or fishing. If it’s rainy, try a movie marathon!
If the weather’s good, bring your child or youth to a cool outdoors spot where you can bond over an activity or just have some special time to talk. You’ll be amazed at how quickly kids open up when you commit to spending one on one time together away from distractions.
If the weather’s rainy or cold, try a movie marathon! Let your child pick the movies or alternate your choices. Remember that top-notch snacks are a critical part of a movie night! We suggest popcorn. You can also head to the theater and see the new Spider-man (rated PG), Little Mermaid (rated PG), Super Mario Bros. (rated PG), or Puss in Boots (rated PG).
4) A couple more ideas for fun activities together:
do a cultural or community activity together- helping your child/ teen connect to where they’re from or where their family is from helps them find a sense of place and identify even more adults that care for them in their community
go bowling, ice skating, roller blading, on a bike ride, or to the batting cages - get some exercise, ramp up the friendly competition, and find an activity you can continue to do together that you both love
bake or do arts and crafts - learning a new recipe together (or showing your child a family recipe) is a great opportunity to bond, as is letting your creative talents unleash! Exposing kids to new activities is a rewarding and important part of being a caring adult, and sometimes the recipes that turn out the worst have the best stories - and most smiles - behind them