Labor Day Crafts for the Whole Family

Here in the U.S., on the first Monday of September, we celebrate Labor Day — a federal holiday recognizing the American labor movement and the achievements of workers. 

The first Labor Day parade took place in New York City on September 5, 1882 and reportedly around 10,000 people participated. It became a federal holiday in 1894 when President Grover Cleveland and the U.S. Congress passed the act, but its origins and history go further back. You can read more about it here. 

Current day celebrations include town parades, fireworks or backyard BBQs and family gatherings. 

We put together a few craft ideas for the whole family to decorate, celebrate and learn! 

Felt Centerpiece Sticks

For this project, you’ll need the following supplies:

Cutting mat — to protect your workspace and to cut on

Scissors 

Felt

Wooden skewer sticks

Glue

Pen or pencil

With a pen or a pencil, draw various tools like a hammer or a wrench on the felt. Cut two of each. Then, glue the skewer stick to one shape and glue the second shape on top to cover the skewer stick completely. 

Make as many as you like to decorate floral centerpieces or utensil holders. 

Thank You Cards

Thoughtful thank you cards are always a good idea! Make a few blanks for your kids to decorate and send to the local volunteer fire department, police station or any other community organization. 

To make a blank card, you’ll need a few supplies:

Cutting mat

Ruler

Scissors

Cardstock

Embossing stylus — for scoring the paper

Cut an 8.5”x11” piece of light colored cardstock in half. Then, score down the middle, width-wise, using a ruler and the embossing stylus. Pass two or more times if the score isn’t defined enough. 

Your kids can decorate these cards with crayons, watercolors or any other kid-friendly decorative craft supply. This is a fun project and it’s sure to bring a few smiles to the community workers who receive them.

Party Garland

Decorate the house or outdoor BBQ area with a one-of-a-kind party garland. 

You’ll need a few supplies to complete this project:

Cutting mat

Scissors

Ruler

Craft paper

String

Pencil

Invisible table 

On the craft paper, in light pencil, draw shapes associated with Labor Day, like hard hats, hammers, garbage trucks, letters, etc., along with geometric shapes such as triangles and stars. Then, cut each one out. Arrange in a row, spaced about an inch or so apart. 

One by one, tape each shape to a string until you are happy with the length of the garland. Hang it up and enjoy the party!