Incorporating meaningful birthday traditions for children into their special day makes it more memorable and fun for your child, and gives them something to look back on fondly when they grow up.
Lots of families have different birthday traditions, especially with young kids. If you’re looking for some inspiration and a few birthday tradition suggestions, you’ve come to the right place! Read on to find out some ways you can make your child’s birthday extra special.
Meaningful BirthdayTraditions For Children
Yes Day
This meaningful birthday tradition is a hit with children for many reasons. For one day only, you and your family will say yes to everything your child asks (within reason!)
Do they want to go to the water park? Say yes and fish out that swimsuit! Have they asked for control of the TV remote? Unfortunately for you, today is Yes day.
The Birthday Acts Of Kindness Challenge
Today is dedicated to kindness. Challenge your child to complete the same number of kind acts as their age. This will encourage their creativity, and show them the importance of kindness. This is a truly magical and meaningful birthday tradition for children to remember for the rest of their lives.
Make A Time Capsule
If you’re looking for a meaningful birthday tradition that you’re children can one day show their own children, then a time capsle is the perfect choice. You can create a time capsule using an old lunchbox or other item you don’t really need or that has some sentimentality, which your child will fill with a few objects or toys.
Dig a hole in the garden and remind your child to dig it back up when they’re older. This is a great way to have a look back on their childhood and cherished birthday memories!
Plant A BirthdayTtree
Make your own meaningful birthday tradition by planting a tree on each of your child’s birthdays. Encourage them to care for the plant properly, and watch as they raise many plants across the years.
Break Out Some Noodles For Longevity
In Chinese culture on a child’s birthday, they are given a bowl that has one very long noodle in it. The longer that they can slurp it, the longer their life expectancy.
Slurping noodles on a birthday is a Chinese symbol of longevity, and a fun tradition to introduce to your child’s birthday.
Let Your Child Choose The Menu For The Day
Dessert for breakfast? No way. Chips with chocolate sauce? Normally unheard of. But on your child’s birthday, anything goes! If they want to set up a fully stocked cereal bar for your family’s evening meal, then so be it.
This birthday tradition is more fun than meaningful, but it will certainly mean a lot to your kids!
Special Breakfast In Bed
Breakfast in bed has long been a coveted birthday tradition for kids and adults alike. It’s more fun if you get creative with your child’s birthday breakfast.
On this special day you don’t need to worry about tooth decay, if serving up a huge stack of pancakes with some birthday candles on top will make your little one smile, then go for it!
Put Messages In A Bottle
Have all the birthday attendees, family members and friends leave your child a short birthday message, and leave them in a bottle or bowl for your child to read at a time in the future. This will be a meaningful birthday tradition that will live on through the years.
Donate Old Toys
Get your child to put together some toys they don’t play with anymore, and take them down to your local charity store.
Making this a yearly birthday tradition is not only an enjoyable memory to have, but also helps other children who might be less fortunate on their own birthdays.
This meaningful tradition will make children feel good about themselves and appreciate what they have and the gifts they receive.
Birthday King Or Queen
It’s a tradition in Israel to give the guest of honor a leaf or floral crown to wear, and to sit them down in a chair decorated with colorful streamers. If you really want to follow Israeli custom, have the birthday guests lift the chair up while your little royal is sitting on it and dance around enthusiastically.
Create A Birthday Scavenger Hunt
Hide a variety of birthday gifts throughout your home and garden area so that your child has to hunt them down, just like an easter egg hunt. You can leave clues for your child to solve or play the “hot or cold” game to add even more excitement to the game.
Write A Birthday Letter
Each year, write a birthday letter to your child for them to open on the morning of their birthday. Tell them what you love about them, about all the fun you had with them this year, and what you hope is in store for the next year of their life.
Opening a birthday letter will make your child feel even more special and appreciated on their favorite day of the year. This meaningful birthday tradition is something you and your child will cherish forever.
Take A Birthday Photograph
Every year, take a birthday photo of your child. You can add props and costumes to make it more fun, or even turn it into a full blown photoshoot with party guests included.
Looking back at their birthday photos will give your child and you some fantastic memories of birthdays gone by and is a truly memorable, and meaningful birthday traditional.
Themed Party
Having a theme for a child’s birthday adds some real fun to their day. Let your child choose the theme – will it be pirates, superheroes or Disney princesses?
Bring Out A Piñata
Follow Mexican birthday tradition and hang up a piñata for your child’s birthday party. Take it in turns to wear a blindfold and swing at the piñata until it bursts into an array of tasty treats!
Final Thoughts
Birthday traditions are a great way to make your child’s birthday meaningful and memorable for years to come. You can pick a variety of traditions to try out, and find one that your child and family enjoy the most.
We’ve listed our favorite meaningful birthday traditions for children that you can try out with your own children year on year. That way, your child will look forward to that one special tradition every year!
My name is Joyce Bailey, and I am a mother of two wonderful children. When I had my first child five years ago, at first I struggled to know which method of parenting I wanted to adopt. Traditional parenting just did not seem right for my family.
