No matter where we’re from or what language we speak, we all know the joy that fills our hearts when we see a child’s smiling face. But between the worries of work or raising a family, how often do we stop and take time to celebrate the children in our life or perhaps remember happy moments from our own childhood? Well, more than 90 countries throughout the world have a dedicated national holiday to honor children—this holiday is known as Children’s Day.
What Is Children’s Day?
Children’s Day is a holiday that celebrates the happiness, healthy growth, and bright future of children. It can also be a day of remembering our own childhood or learning about the childhood of parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents. Children’s Day is a day of thoughtfulness, family, and lots of fun!
Make a Child's Day—Today!
A Holiday Celebrated throughout the World
Since Children’s Day is generally recognized as a national holiday, it is celebrated by different countries on different days of the year. For example, in Brazil, Children’s Day is celebrated on October 12, while in Norway it’s celebrated on May 17. An International Children's Day was proclaimed in 1925 in a world conference in Geneva, and as a result, some countries celebrate it on June 1. The United Nations recognizes a World Children's Day on November 20.
When Is Children's Day?
January | Bahamas, Tunisia, Thailand |
February | Cook Islands, Nauru, Niue, Tokelau, Cayman Islands, Myanmar |
March | New Zealand, Bangladesh, Libya |
April | Taiwan, Hong Kong, Palestine, Bolivia, Haiti, Colombia, Turkey, Mexico |
May | South Korea, Japan, Spain, United Kingdom, Maldives, Norway, Nigeria, Hungary, American Samoa, Falkland Islands, Solomon Islands |
June | China, Tanzania, Russia, Ukraine, United States, Timor-Leste, Ecuador, Germany, North Korea, Poland, Portugal, Nicaragua, Romania, Syria, and about 39 more countries or regions |
July | Pakistan, Cuba, Panama, Venezuela, Indonesia |
August | Uruguay, Paraguay, Argentina, Peru |
September | Costa Rica, Honduras, Nepal, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Vietnam |
October | El Salvador, Guatemala, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Chile, Iran, Brazil, Malaysia, Australia |
November | South Africa, India, France, Canada, Malaysia, Trinidad and Tobago, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Israel, Kenya, Ireland, Philippines, and about 14 more countries or regions |
December | Suriname, South Sudan, Sudan, Congo, Gabon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Chad, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea |
For more specific dates, this Wikipedia article has a helpful table.
The way families celebrate Children’s Day can also vary by country—and from family to family. Here are some ways Children’s Day is celebrated around the world.
Korea—Eorininal
Children’s Day in Korea is celebrated on May 5 and marks the unofficial beginning of summer in the country. Parents in Korea tend to work long hours and on weekends, which makes Children’s Day an extra special day to spend time together as a family. Most salaried workers get the day off from work, and children get the day off from school. Families often celebrate by having a picnic in the park or by going to an amusement park, the cinema, or the zoo.
Japan—Kodomo no Hi
In Japan, Children’s Day is also celebrated on May 5 and has been a national holiday since 1948. However, the tradition of honoring children has been around since ancient times and used to be celebrated as two festivals, Tango no Sekku (Boys’ Day) and Hinamatsuri (Girls’ Day). Today, families celebrate by flying carp streamers (koinobori) to symbolize success in life and by decorating their homes with samurai or hina dolls.
New Zealand—Te Rā O Ngā Tamariki
In New Zealand, Children’s Day is known as Te Rā O Ngā Tamariki and is celebrated on the first Sunday of March each year. Fun community events are held throughout the country and include games, carnival rides, food, traditional haka dancing, and more.
Mexico—Día Del Niño
In Mexico, Children’s Day is celebrated on April 30 and involves a day of fun! While children still attend school, lessons are often suspended, and the school day is spent playing games, making and breaking piñatas, enjoying music, and more. After school, families go to places like children’s museums, cinemas, and zoos, which usually offer free admission for children on that day. Sometimes radio and television hosts bring their children to work to appear on their show and talk about the holiday as well!
China—Liùyī Guójì Értóng Jié
Children’s Day is June 1 in China and is officially known in Chinese as 六一國際兒童節 (June 1 International Children’s Day). In some schools, it is celebrated with special performances dedicated to the children. Many tourist attractions, including the Forbidden City, have discounts on admission or are completely free for children on this day. While China doesn't have any set traditions for this holiday, many families spend time together and make their favorite meals.
Ways You Can Celebrate Children’s Day
Going on a family outing, decorating the house, or cooking together are all great examples of how you can celebrate Children’s Day. If you’re looking for more ideas, the family in-home activities on FamilySearch.org are an excellent resource! This page has lots of fun family activities, including these:
- Family Trivia Game: Do you know your family members as well as you think you do? This activity is a great way to get to know and spend time with your children.
- Family Photos: Look through childhood photos of you and your family members, and then use the Compare a Face activity to see which family members you look like the most.
- Walk Where They Walked: In this activity, you visit the childhood home or town of someone in your family—you can even do this virtually!
- Hear What They Heard: Everyone was a child once. Share memories of your own childhood with your children—or encourage them to ask their grandparents these questions.
- Fill in the Blanks: Children are often more resilient when they know where they come from. Use the free family tree on FamilySearch.org to find the first 4 generations of your ancestry. Children may especially love looking at any photos and memories you add.
Children’s Day is a wonderful time to celebrate your childhood, the childhood of your family members, or the special children in your life. How will you celebrate your next Children’s Day?
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