In 2020, I was a new mother of both a 2-year-old and a new baby. Just like any new mom, I was so eager to show my kids the world: take them to museums, the zoo, everywhere, and anywhere. Then, the world around us closed down, and behind closed walls, I began to show my children the world as I loved it. One of our favorite family traditions was born.
At that time, every morning I would decorate the dining room and the table with something to see and do. Activities, crafts, and imaginary play consumed our days. It was a lot of cutting and pasting and clipping, but with a little mama pixie dust, the kids always woke to a surprise. We had Outer Space Day, Pirates’ Day, flower planting, and imaginary fashion shows; we found a way to celebrate everything.
This, I suppose, was my way of keeping things positive and curious during a dreary time in all of our lives. It was my way of bringing the world that I loved at home to my kids. The tradition stuck. Now, we don’t go all out every single day anymore, but I still try to honor those silly little holidays and at least have an “activity” for them once a week.
This little tradition enabled us to spend quality time, create little moments of magic, and bring joy, excitement, and curiosity to our kids while introducing them to new concepts and even cultures.
The months of April and May are always so much fun. Other than the sun finally greeting us once more, there are a few causes to celebrate that make for memorable moments. I live by the Kate Spade quote, “We believe in celebrations, both big and small.”
Here are a few upcoming ‘causes to celebrate’ that kids love:
April 22nd: Earth Day. I love using this day as an excuse to plant flowers with my kids. Gardening and planting instill such good lessons for littles and, as usual, kids are always ready to play in the dirt.
April 24th: National Superhero Day. What kid doesn’t like superheroes? We always celebrate this day somehow. This year, I went to Dollar Tree and grabbed a few “superhero toys” and put together a fun basket for them to wake up to. Total cost: $12.
April 27th: The start of the Kentucky Derby! I love doing the derby, kid-style! If you have little girls, let them wear their big hats and best dresses. Have kids decorate a hat from this idea at Catch My Party. I always decorate the table and put out my daughter’s toy horses.
May 5th: Cinco de Mayo. I always throw a little Cinco de Mayo lunch party for the kids. Cheese quesadillas, inflatable guitars, and sombreros – it’s the opportunity to introduce a new culture, one that is full of beautiful colors!
Upcoming:
May 6th: Teacher Appreciation Week Begins
July 21-28th: Shark Week
July 21st: National Ice Cream Day
Share how you’re celebrating with @macaronikidsouthhills
