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  • Home
  • Raising Outdoor Kids
    • Cooking & Crafting

      How to Make Birdseed Ornaments for Wild…

      November 27, 2020

      Raising Outdoor Kids

      Beautiful Spring Picture Books for Children

      March 28, 2020

      Raising Outdoor Kids

      Playing in Nature Protects Our Children During…

      March 17, 2020

      Raising Outdoor Kids

      50+ Spring Nature Activities for Kids of…

      March 3, 2020

      Crafting

      How to Make a Willow Nature Crown…

      July 2, 2019

      Raising Outdoor Kids

      9 Special Ways to Celebrate Summer Solstice…

      June 1, 2019

      Raising Outdoor Kids

      A Beginner’s Guide to Pond Dipping with…

      May 20, 2019

      Raising Outdoor Kids

      How Pokémon Can Get Kids Bird Watching

      April 30, 2019

      Nevada, USA

      Rock Climbing and Hiking Around Las Vegas…

      April 24, 2019

      Raising Outdoor Kids

      Signs of Spring Nature Walk for Kids…

      April 5, 2019

  • Spring Outside 2020
  • My Nature Adventure Journal
  • Printables
  • Canadian Adventures
    • All Alberta British Columbia Lower Mainland Northern Interior Okanagan
      British Columbia

      Hiking and Camping with Kids at Kokanee…

      July 30, 2018

      Okanagan

      More to Explore in the Okanagan Valley:…

      December 1, 2017

      British Columbia

      Family-Friendly Adventures on BC’s Sunshine Coast

      November 8, 2017

      British Columbia

      A National Park Reserve in the South…

      November 3, 2017

      Okanagan

      More to Explore in the Okanagan Valley:…

      November 1, 2017

      Okanagan

      Hiking Spion Kop with Kids in Lake…

      October 10, 2017

      Okanagan

      More to Explore in the Okanagan Valley:…

      September 28, 2017

      British Columbia

      More to Explore in the Okanagan Valley:…

      August 30, 2017

      Alberta

      Rock Climbing with Kids in Jasper National…

      August 8, 2017

      Alberta

      Family Adventures in Jasper National Park: 10…

      July 26, 2017

      Alberta

      Shaw’s Point Resort

      August 6, 2015

      Alberta

      Apiaries in Northern Alberta

      August 5, 2015

      Alberta

      St. Isidore, Alberta

      August 4, 2015

      Alberta

      The Hoodoos

      July 29, 2015

      Alberta

      Royal Tyrrell Museum

      July 28, 2015

      Alberta

      Bow Valley Campground

      July 27, 2015

      British Columbia

      Hiking and Camping with Kids at Kokanee…

      July 30, 2018

      British Columbia

      More to Explore in the Okanagan Valley:…

      December 1, 2017

      British Columbia

      Family-Friendly Adventures on BC’s Sunshine Coast

      November 8, 2017

      British Columbia

      A National Park Reserve in the South…

      November 3, 2017

      British Columbia

      More to Explore in the Okanagan Valley:…

      November 1, 2017

      British Columbia

      Hiking Spion Kop with Kids in Lake…

      October 10, 2017

      British Columbia

      More to Explore in the Okanagan Valley:…

      September 28, 2017

      British Columbia

      More to Explore in the Okanagan Valley:…

      August 30, 2017

      Lower Mainland

      Visiting the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park in…

      March 7, 2017

      Lower Mainland

      Outdoor Family Adventures in Metro Vancouver

      August 2, 2016

      Lower Mainland

      Biking the Stanley Park Seawall

      July 27, 2016

      Lower Mainland

      Exploring Deep Cove and Quarry Rock Trail

      July 25, 2016

      Lower Mainland

      Visiting Queen Elizabeth Park

      July 22, 2016

      Lower Mainland

      Biking Through Pacific Spirit Regional Park

      July 20, 2016

      Lower Mainland

      Exploring Lynn Canyon Park

      July 18, 2016

      Lower Mainland

      1001 Steps to the Beach

      April 19, 2014

      Northern Interior

      Life at Ness Lake

      September 1, 2016

      Northern Interior

      McMillan Creek Regional Park

      October 8, 2015

      Northern Interior

      Ferguson Lake Nature Reserve

      October 6, 2015

      Northern Interior

      Eskers Provincial Park

      October 5, 2015

      Northern Interior

      Autumn in Northern British Columbia

      September 28, 2015

      Northern Interior

      Wildflowers in Northern British Columbia

      June 6, 2015

      Northern Interior

      Visiting Barkerville Historic Town

      June 2, 2015

      Northern Interior

      Travelling North

      June 19, 2013

      Okanagan

      More to Explore in the Okanagan Valley:…

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      A National Park Reserve in the South…

      November 3, 2017

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      More to Explore in the Okanagan Valley:…

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      July 18, 2017

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Backwoods Mama

Raising Rabbits

9 Magical Ways to Celebrate May Day with Kids

April 17, 2018

May Day is a wonderful springtime celebration that takes place on May 1st. This special day has its roots in ancient history. A very long time ago the ancient Greeks celebrated the Festival of Chloris and the Romans celebrated Floralia. Both of these festivals were in honour of the goddess of flowers.  Over time these springtime festivals have evolved into the May Day celebrations that take place around the world today.

Celebrating May Day with Your Kids

“Mama, are we celebrating May Day this year?” wondered my daughter. “Absolutely!” I replied. Over the years May Day has been a much anticipated celebration for our family. We wear colorful clothes, makes flower crowns, sing songs and dance around the Maypole with our friends. Celebrating May Day with your children is a wonderful way to connect with nature and enjoy springtime changes.

1. Make a May Day flower crown.

Everyone, children and adults, can be springtime gods and goddesses when they adorn our heads in flowers. The simplest and most earth-friendly way to make a flower crown is to use what nature provides. Twist together a few thin flexible branches or vines into a circle. One of our favourite branches to use is weeping willow because it is so thin and flexible. Pick or buy some real flowers and poke them into the crown.

  • Learn how to weave a weeping willow crown here or here.

2. Give a May Day flower basket.

Share the joy of springtime by making flower baskets and secretly delivering them to family, friends and neighbours. This old May Day tradition is a wonderful way to teach children about the importance of kindness and generosity.

  • Place a small bouquet of flowers in a mason jar, recycled aluminum can or paper cones.
  • Make a simple May Day flower basket.

3. Plant some spring flowers.

Enjoy May Day by getting your hands dirty and planting some flowers with your child. You can purchase flower seeds or flower seedling from your local plant nursery. Some of our favourite flowers to plant in spring include:

  • pansies
  • marigolds
  • sunflowers
  • daisies
  • zinnias
  • poppies
  • sweet peas
  • nasturtiums

4. Dance around a Maypole.

A Maypole is a long wooden stick with ribbons and a garland of flowers attached to the top. The ribbons are weaved around the pole by little and big people through a fun dance. It’s a bit unclear where the Maypole tradition came from but it’s been part of ancient springtime celebrations for a very long time, especially in Europe.

  • Make your own Maypole using a long cardboard tube, PVC pipe, metal pole, long branch or wooden dowels.
  • Make a miniature Maypole or flower wands.

5. Enjoy a May Day picnic.

May Day is the perfect day to spend outside as a family. Explore a new trail, visit a garden or play at the park and bring a May Day picnic along.

  • Pack a salad in a jar.
  • Fill up with warm soup in a thermos and sandwiches.
  • Bring cut up fruit, veggies and cheese.
  • Bring some sweet strawberries for dessert.

6. Build a May Day bonfire.

In parts of the world May Day is celebrated around a fire. Beltane, a Gaelic springtime festival, is celebrated around a big bonfire and so is Walpurgis Eve a celebration that takes place in Germany, Sweden and Finland. Make your own May Day bonfire to chase away winter and celebrate the arrival of spring.

7. Do a May Day dance.

Dancing on May Day is the thing to do. Whether it’s around a Maypole, around the house, down the street or in your backyard, shake away winter with a good wiggle.

8. Go on a May Day nature walk.

Enjoy spring time by taking your child on a May Day nature walk. Pull on your rain boots and go for a walk around your neighbourhood, park or along a nature trail. Here are some fun things to do while you and your child are outside:

  • Look for signs of spring together.
  • Enjoy spring flowers and pick a few (when is it alright to pick flowers?).
  • Dig in the dirt and collect worms.
  • Jump in puddles and get wet.
  • Go on a spring scavenger hunt.

9. Read a picture book about Springtime.

Lay a blanket out on the grass Spring read aloud time. Here’s a list of our favourite Spring and May Day themed books:

    • Little Grey Rabbit’s May Day (Little Grey Rabbit Classic) by Alison Uttley 
    • A Seed Is Sleepy by Dianna Hutts Aston and Sylvia Long
    • The Rainbow Tulip by Pat Mora
    • Abracadabra, It’s Spring! (Seasonal Magic) by Anne Sibley O’Brien
    • And Then It’s Spring by Julie Fogliano
    • In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb by Marion Dane Bauer
    • Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey
    • Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney
    • Plant the Tiny Seed by Christie Matheson
    • Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert
    • Poppleton in Spring by Cynthia Rylant
    • Snow Rabbit, Spring Rabbit: A Book of Changing Seasons by Il Sung Na
    • On the Morn of Mayfest by Erica Silverman
    • The Complete Book of the Flower Fairies by Cicely Mary Barker
    • The Sun Egg by Elsa Beskow

Raising Outdoor Kids Facebook Group

Looking for more ideas, support and inspiration for raising outdoor kids? Come are join our new Facebook community: Raising Outdoor Kids.

Disclaimer: This page contains Amazon Affiliates links and I may earn a small commission from your purchases made through them. 

9 Magical Ways to Celebrate May Day with Kids was last modified: April 16th, 2018 by Josée
May DayMaypoleSpringSpring Kids BooksSpringtime
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