Labor Day: History, Significance, and Fun Activities

What is the significance of Labor Day? It’s a time to celebrate the achievements of laborers and workers.

The very first Labor Day celebration took place on September 5, 1882, in New York City. On this day, about 10,000 union workers took part in a parade to pay tribute to American workers who didn’t have labor laws at the time. It was this celebration that set the stage for more Labor Day celebrations across the country.

Although Labor Day was declared as a legal holiday by a few states by 1887, the labor situation in Industrial Revolution-era America didn’t change. The Pullman Palace Car Company had been treating its workers terribly which caused a strike that compromised the entire railroad system. In order to calm things down, President Grover Cleveland called upon federal troops. Unfortunately, this only escalated the situation and caused several deaths. In the midst of this strike, he decided to pass a bill that made Labor Day a national holiday.

4 Labor Day Activities for Kids

Here are some Labor Day activities for kids at home that they will enjoy.

Write Thank-You Letters:

This is one of the most fun things to do on Labor Day! Help your child write thank-you letters to their favorite workers; they can even decorate these letters and then deliver them via mail or by hand.

Your kids could even use Osmo’s Masterpiece game to draw a picture of their favorite worker on the letter.

Make a Career Collage:

Ask your child to find photos of different workers and make a collage. For example, they could find images of mailmen, school teachers, business people, firemen, and more! Once that’s done, have them reflect upon what profession they’d like to practice when they grow older.

Organize a Gathering:

Meet up with your neighbors, enjoy delicious BBQ snacks, and decorate the yard with streamers and balloons. Adults can take turns talking about unique jobs they do for a living, and then everyone could even make donations to their preferred organizations.

Bake Goodies:

Bake some cupcakes or goodies with your child and deliver them to the workers in your community.

We hope you have a wonderful Labor Day holiday!

For more information, explore games for kids at Osmo.