Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Activities
  3. Evergreens

NewFolks may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

8 fun things to do with kids on Labor Day

By
Add as a preferred source on Google

Whenever a holiday comes up, it’s time to dust off the parent playbook and find some fun activities for the whole family to be able to enjoy. For Labor Day, everyone is off of work, out of school, and ready to enjoy the day together. We know a cookout is probably a given, so what else is there to do while everyone waits for the food to be ready? Let’s check out Labor Day activities for kids of all ages.

Things to do on Labor Day

Go to the parade

If your city has a Labor Day parade, you need to go. Kids love parades. There is usually candy thrown for the kids to grab and so many sights and sounds for children to enjoy. For the parents, there are always cool old cars to check out.

Recommended Videos

For everyone, there are usually animals of some kind (like horses) that everyone will get excited to look at. The adults will be filled with nostalgia from when they went to parades as kids and the children’s eyes will light up looking at everything.

A family enjoying a cookout.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Deck out the cookout

Everyone is going to have a cookout – we know. But let the kids decorate! Let them pick out a theme and turn your backyard into it. Getting the kids involved in the planning will keep their little hands busy. If you are having people over they will love to tell everyone that they did the decorating.

They can plan the menu (with mom and dad’s help) and pick out the desserts. They can help make any appetizers. You can make it a really cute family event that the kids will remember.

Decorate for fall

Speaking of decorating, if you haven’t turned your home into the fall festival of colors and gourds yet, it would be a good day to do so. Letting the kids pick where the pumpkins or scarecrows go will give them a little home pride.

Anything to get them involved and keep them actively busy is the secret. Plus, you need to turn your home into an autumn oasis anyway. Whether you want to do the inside, outside, or try to get it all done, you can have your kids be little runners to put things where you want.

Related

Find a local drive-in

If you want to get out of the house for Labor Day, look to see if a local church or library is hosting a drive-in event over the weekend. The movies are usually kid-friendly but still enjoyable for adults. The concessions will be extremely cheap or free, so you don’t have to worry about those movie prices.

Bring blankets, pillows, kick off your shoes, and enjoy a cozy movie together as a family.

A family enjoying an outdoor movie night.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Make your backyard a drive-in

If you can’t find anything in your area, turn your backyard into a little drive-in of your own. Screens and projectors aren’t that expensive and you can use them inside if the weather turns on you.

Using your projector only a couple of times pays for itself rather than paying for the whole family to go to a movie theatre. A BUGASUA Mini Projector comes with the screen, projector, every cable you’d need, and you can even play it off of your phone.

Backyard game time

What would a holiday be without yard games for the whole family? From Connect Four to Jenga, the large yard versions of your family’s favorite indoor games will keep the kids active all day. They can play the games alone or you can have a tournament throughout the whole day.

One last swim day

If you live in a hotter part of the country or have access to an indoor pool, take the family on one last dip. Most pools close after Labor Day weekend, so make the most out of your last time for the year.

If you have kids that are like little fish, they’ll appreciate one more swim. It will also wear them out, so if you want to have a quieter evening, you could maybe get them to bed a little early if they’ve been swimming all day.

A family going on a bike ride.
Evgeniy Kalinovskiy/Shutterstock

Family biking or hiking

If your family usually turns those Monday holidays into family adventure days, don’t skip this one. Get the bikes out, get the hiking boots on, and have a family fun day. Enjoy the (hopefully cooler) fresh air and get active together. Everyone will enjoy getting out and moving their bodies. It will destress the parents and get the kids nice and tired for bedtime.

If you are looking for things to do on Labor Day with the whole family, you don’t have to plan a big weekend trip or spend a ton of money going to a bunch of different places. The kids will only remember that they had fun. Find a few things from this list, or let your kids help you pick some, and enjoy your Labor Day with the whole family.

Topics

Editors’ Recommendations

Is CoComelon ‘Good’ for Kids? Experts Cite Research Pointing to ‘Yes’
Dad brushing teeth with daughter and looking in the mirror with CoComelon

Parents navigating the landscape of kids’ media often question which content genuinely benefits their little ones. Among the most popular kids’ shows today, educational programming like CoComelon has captivated young audiences worldwide, but many caregivers wonder: beyond its ability to entertain, does this musical series offer real developmental value?

Research and child development experts have revealed many details about the educational framework behind the animated series, its potential benefits, and how caregivers can maximize positive outcomes when incorporating such content into their kids’ routines.

Read more
The best low-stimulation movies for calming toddlers
Make sure movie time does keep your toddler awake
Cute toddler watching a movie on a laptop

Screen time isn't always a bad thing for toddlers. Sometimes, when your little one isn't feeling well, watching a soothing movie is a perfect pick. Low-stimulation movies for toddlers offer better quality screen time than movies that are loud and packed with action. Sure, those are fun and can be super exciting for kids, but the impact on their cognitive development is often negative. Those overstimulating movies can be too much for toddlers, leading to tantrums, meltdowns, and an inability to fall asleep.

Think about how difficult it is to fall asleep after watching a horror or suspense movie right before going to bed. Your mind is going in different directions, making it hard to relax and drift off to sleep. Well, it's the same for toddlers. So, what are the best low-stimulation movies for toddlers to watch and what exactly are they?
Best low-stimulation movies for toddlers

Read more
When should your baby be able to stack blocks? Here’s what to know
Know when babies can nest cups and balance blocks by themselves
A child playing with stacking blocks

When you’re a new parent, the moment someone gifts your child their first set of blocks, you become obsessed with baby learning and when they should be able to turn the blocks into beautiful creations of their imagination. While stacking blocks are an important developmental milestone for babies, it’s also one of those things that evolves with time and practice. Sitting down to play blocks with your little one is an open-ended game that teaches children physics, resilience, and fun. When can a baby stack blocks and nest cups on their own without your help? Here are some general guidelines so you know how to measure your child’s development with their gift of stacking blocks and how to help your child get the hang of it on their own.
When can a baby stack blocks and nest cups? By age

By 6 months old
At this age, your baby might not be ready to stack blocks the way you want them to, and that's okay. This doesn't mean you can't play blocks with your child or that you shouldn't let your child have fun figuring out what the blocks are. It’s perfectly normal for your 6-month-old to gnaw on blocks or simply hold one, just don't expect them to build the Eiffel Tower just yet.
By 12 months old
This is the stage of banging items against each other and blocks or cups are no the exception. If you offer your child blocks, there may still not be a lot of creativity yet. But keep in mind that knocking things down is a favorite activity of 1-year-olds, so your child is right on track if that's all they do. More likely than not, they’ll be happy to destroy any block tower you build. If your little one can’t get enough of knocking down a stack of blocks, rest assured that they’re right on schedule.
By 18 months old
When can babies nest cups? By a year and a half, stacking is the name of the game. After all, your little one is now officially a toddler and proud of it. If you haven’t done so already, this is a great time to introduce baby blocks. At this point, most kiddos are able to stack two or three blocks on top of each other with ease.
By 2 years old
Don’t be surprised if your baby’s block masterpieces start to get taller by age 2. With improved coordination, your child shows better stacking skills and may be able to balance up to seven blocks on top of each other. This is the beginning of sorting for many young children. If they’re now stacking masters, go ahead and challenge your budding genius to sort their blocks by color or separate them in groups.
By 3 years old
Free play takes a life of its own by age 3. At this point, blocks are much more than meets the adult eye. Your child’s imagination is flourishing, and they’ll start to build tunnels, bridges, or forts with just a few blocks. This is the perfect moment to introduce your toddler to teamwork. If the two of you work together, it’s easier to build tall towers and solve construction problems. Get your child's imagination to full speed and see what they create with blocks of all colors and shapes.
The benefits of stacking blocks

Read more