I heard about Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and Teacher’s Day, but I had no idea that Children’s Day was also such a big deal. I never paid much attention to it before because of my lack of awareness.
However, knowing that such a significant day exists to celebrate my little kiddos, then, why not? After all, my children were always eager to celebrate the important occasions I mentioned in the beginning.
Before continuing, let me briefly discuss the history of Children’s Day. It was first founded in 1954 as Universal Children’s Day and is observed on November 20 every year to promote international togetherness and awareness among children worldwide, and to improve children’s welfare.
Each year, a specific theme is chosen, and for World Children’s Day 2022, UNICEF is calling on partners and supporters to spread a positive message of equality and inclusion for every child.
I want my children to always feel included in our family planning. I was thinking about what I should do for my kids in honour of this day. But, because my children have their own minds, I recently sat down with them and informed them of Children’s Day.
They were ecstatic to learn of such a day and were extremely cooperative in telling me what kinds of things would make them happy and loved. This is, in my opinion, one of the greatest ways to schedule kids’ activities. Getting the kids involved in the planning process is the first step in making them feel appreciated.
But of course, as most if not all Malaysians have been anxious over GE15 this past weekend, and with the current hung parliament situation, there’s a possibility some of us may have accidentally overlooked this celebration. However, fret not as you can always have a belated celebration, if so.
Here are 15 activities suggested by my children that are not only great for Children’s Day but also for whenever you want to spend quality family time.
Host a Children’s Day Party
We think it will be wonderful to invite some of my kids’ close friends over for a mini Children’s Day party. It will likely be a 2-hour brunch or lunch during which I’ll plan some activities for the kids to do while we eat.
There are many options for activities; at the moment, I’m thinking of a colouring contest, hitting the pinata, and musical chairs.
Visit Fun Attractions
When I mentioned this to my kids, the first thing that comes to their minds is going to the zoo or a science museum. We haven’t decided which one to go with yet because there are so many options in the Klang Valley area. Here are some of the wildlife and museums choices I’m considering:
- National Zoo of Malaysia
- Farm In the City
- Aquaria KLCC
- KL Bird Park
- Petrosains, The Discovery Centre
- 99 Wonderland Park
- National Museum Malaysia
- Bank Negara Malaysia Museums and Art Gallery
Cooking and Baking Session
My eldest daughter thought of this one because she enjoys cooking. I leave the menu selection to her and her younger siblings, hoping that they’ll have something planned before the day. We’ll look for recipes and go grocery shopping together once they’ve finalised the menu.
So, we’ll be spending time not only in the kitchen but also at the supermarket looking for ingredients to purchase. One of the best ways to spend quality time with the whole family is to cook a meal together.
Arts and Crafts Activities
My three children enjoy doing arts and crafts. They can spend hours doing nothing but drawing, colouring, and creating other paper art. I’ll buy them some new art supplies so they can have fun while doing the activities.
I’m not the most imaginative person, but thank goodness they have a father who can draw with them. I’ll be sitting in as the judge. 😉
Gifting Toys or Presents
Which child doesn’t enjoy receiving toys or presents, right? My son was thinking hard about what to do when he yelled these two words! So, into the list, they go.
Now, I’m debating whether I should just buy them new toys, get something unique as gifts, or do both. Well, we’ll see how generous I am when the time comes. ;p
Play Games Together
My kids usually play games alone or with each other, so this was a special request in which they asked us to play games with them. It will be one of the games they normally play on their phone or laptop.
I do keep an eye on what they’re doing online but have not tried playing games with them yet. This will be an excellent time to bond and discover what games they enjoy playing online.
Go to a Playland
My kids look forward to going to a playland every time we go to the mall. So, I wasn’t surprised when they asked for this. I did some research and discovered that there are several indoor playgrounds available right now.
Since it is going to be for a special day, I want to bring them to a playland that we’ve never been to before. I’m considering these five indoor playgrounds.
Take Family Photos
I was very moved when my daughter suggested this idea. She wanted us to go to a studio and take nice family photos with cool backgrounds. It’ll be fantastic to have some that we can turn into a family album and a couple of large ones that we can hang on the wall. We currently only have photos that we took whilst visiting specific parks or attractions.
Go On a Picnic
A good old-fashioned picnic is ideal way to spend time with the kids. It may be in the park, beside the lake, in your home garden, or even in the house. The most important part is that we have a picnic setting and a variety of food to enjoy.
Better still, prepare the food and snacks together before going on the picnic. It would also be fantastic to have some board games to play throughout the picnic.
Play Dress Up
I haven’t the faintest idea what to do for this activity because we have never played dressing up before. What I do know is that we’ll need a variety of outfits to try around.
By the way, I just realised that this would be a terrific activity to do with other kids during a party as well. Just tell them beforehand so everyone can prepare some costumes. A photoshoot is a must during the dress-up session!
Leave Love Messages
This is my idea for thoughtful surprises for my kids. I plan to leave some love and beautiful messages for them in different spots. I’ll put the notes up the night before after my kids have all gone to bed.
The notes will be placed beside their pillows, on the dining table, near the television, and so on. Therefore, they will be able to read them as soon as they wake up and as they carry on with their routine around the house.
Visit a Water Theme Park
My kids’ love for water is out of this world. They can’t help but jump in if they know there’s a swimming pool nearby. They wanted this on the list as well because we hadn’t been to a water theme park in a long time.
There are plenty of options in KL, however, I’m thinking of going to one where they can enter and play with most of the attractions.
Suprise Ice Cream Treat
Ice cream is one of the nicest treats for children. The kids will think we’re just going for a walk, but I’ll surprise them by taking them to an ice cream shop.
If your children are on a sugar restriction, making homemade ice cream is also a great option. This way, you can use natural ingredients and avoid using sugar altogether. Super healthy ice cream for kids.
Camping or Glamping
We actually have never tried either of these as a family activity. I’m not a big fan of camping due to the notion of sleeping in a tent with mosquitos and who knows what else flying around. But if my kids genuinely want to try it, I’m willing to give it a shot.
Glamping is also very popular these days because it is a type of camping that is more comfortable and luxurious. So, trying both would be awesome too!
Favourite Movie Marathon
This never gets old for any special occasion. We haven’t decided what to watch yet, so I’m going to plan another time with my kids to go through the list of movies and decide which four or five to watch for our movie marathon.
I’m already preparing to arrange the living room with bean bags and some blankets so we can chill in front of the TV. There will also be snacks and drinks for us to enjoy during the evening. My children and I just can’t wait!
If you’re searching for ways to spend time with your children—regardless of the occasion—I hope you find these activities useful. Have a fantastic time with your kids, parents!
For more insightful stories and fun recipes, stay tuned to Motherhood Story!