Celebrating Spring with the Kids: April and May Holidays You’ve Probably Never Heard Of

Spring Holidays: Looking Beyond the Ordinary
What holidays come in spring and early summer? If you’re like all other Americans, the ones that will come to mind most quickly are Easter, Passover, and Memorial Day. These are all great holidays, but they’ve been terribly overdone. Everybody knows about coloring eggs and getting candy from the Easter bunny, grilling and picnicking for Memorial Day, and reading the Passover story while celebrating a sumptuous Jewish Seder. You may wonder if there are *unique* holidays that are less well-known. Actually, there are.

You’ll Have Plenty of Time to Read on No Housework Day!
April 2nd brings the celebration of International Children’s Book Day. Grab your children’s favorite stories and spend some quality time. Encourage kids to read aloud to siblings or other family members, or take a trip to the local library. Does anyone know what you do on April 7th? Nothing! April 7th is No Housework Day! That’s right, hire a maid and take kids out for a night on the town. Don’t worry about the laundry, dishes, or any other house-related chore. Of course, this may lead to April 8th becoming “Get Your House Condemned Day” in the near future!

Easter Shares A Date With Ponce de Leon Day
Currently, the 8th day of April showcases Ponce de Leon Day. Remember learning about the discovery of Florida, and Juan Ponce de Leon’s landing at what is now St. Augustine? This is the day he set foot in Florida’s shores. Of course, Ponce de Leon Day will be eclipsed by Easter in 2007, since they both fall on the same day. Bring the kids along for a holiday as you go about daily chores on “Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day” which falls on the 26th. Don’t be surprised if they make the workplace just a little more exciting.

Communing With Nature Just Got Easier
In 2007, the 27th of April will bring the celebration of Arbor Day. Yes, this is a holiday we’ve all heard of but probably never celebrated much. Go out and commune with nature like our ancient ancestors did. Although it’s cliche, if you want to plant a tree in the backyard (or a dozen!) feel free to do so. Nature lovers, this is the holiday you’ve been waiting for!

Fairy Tales and Hawaiian Adventures
In May there are plenty of odd “holidays” to choose from. The first of the month brings “Mother Goose Day.” This would be a great holiday to bond with kids and tell their favorite childhood stories; encourage them to write and read their own fairy-tale stories. If the family would rather celebrate a luau, celebrate Hawaiian Lei Day on the 1st. The 10th has been chosen as “Clean Up Your Room Day,” although I hope some people have actually house-cleaned since April 7th! Use this whimsical holiday to make cleaning fun for kids. Holidays are special for kids, so they might not complain as much as the grown-ups expect! Have prizes or a special treat for the child who cleans up best and make it a fixed holiday in your house. Even if this is the only time of the year that they have fun putting things in place, it will be a welcome change to Mom or Dad having to pick up the stuffed animals and the old sneakers!

Feeling Too “Chicken” To Celebrate These Holidays?
If you’ve having trouble believing that some people actually celebrate these holidays, get ready to laugh even harder. May 14 was actually chosen to be “National Dance Like A Chicken Day.” Really! This could make some very interesting childhood memories, especially for those families who have their movie cameras handy. When the 19th of May comes around, consider celebrating Circus Day; in the mid-1880s, Ringling Brothers celebrated their debut on the 19th. I can’t imagine many holidays that kids would enjoy more! This can really bring forth the creativity.

New Learning Experiences Can Be Made Fun
To celebrate a holiday that could actually become a learning experience, step out on the 18th of May for International Museum Day. For those who live near a museum or several, make this a fun day of learning and perhaps throw a special meal into the mix. Kids love to learn about things that fascinate them, so try to tailor the day to their own interests. This unique holiday also doubles as Visit Your Relatives Day; stop by to see Grandma and Grandpa before heading back home! Fast food lovers are going to be thrilled about the holiday that comes on May 28th. It’s known as National Hamburger Day! Of course, it’s possible to meld this holiday with Memorial Day when most Americans eat burgers anyway.

Lots More to Celebrate: Do the Research!
Of course, there are many other silly holidays occurring in April and May, but some of them may just be too strange for most families! Take, for instance, May 8th’s “No Socks Day.” April 29th is “Zipper Day.” Some of these are obviously not meant to be seriously celebrated, but there truly is a holiday for each day of the month if we just use our imaginations and research what has already been created!