8 offbeat activities parents can plan to celebrate their children on Children's Day

Do you remember the delicious cupcake your daughter made for Mother's Day? Or the beautiful hand-written letter on Father's Day? Now, it's your chance to show how much you love your child. This Children's Day, let's celebrate our little ones and surprise them with some offbeat activities.

We celebrate Children's Day or Bal Diwas on 14 November, the birthday of the first prime minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. Fondly called by children as Chacha Nehru, he had immense love and affection for them. He strongly believed that children should be given the opportunity and the guidance to grow into strong pillars of the country in future.

Children get all excited to go to school on this day. Schools and institutes conduct fun events and games on this day. What's more, teachers put up various performances and also, sing and dance to entertain the kids.

So, what can you do to make this day special? With some out-of-the-box thinking, you can transform this into a memorable day for your children.

To begin with, here are some unique ideas for you to celebrate Children's Day with your child.

1. Go on a trek

Adventure has no age limit. If your child is fit and healthy, short treks can turn into wonderful experiences, for the whole family. What's more, kids like to participate, so involve them in the planning and organizing as well. Even better, give her some tasks to complete during the trek. Involve her in little challenges like preparing food, setting up a campfire, asking directions from locals and so on. Trekking is a great way to learn survival tips and inculcate life lessons. You also get to share your life journey with your child.

2. Make it a special day for other children

While you put so much love and care into making this day special for your child, there are many others less privileged children in the world. So, how about taking some time out to spend the day with those who are not so fortunate? Take your child to an orphanage and indulge in some activities with the children. Let your child play, paint, dance and eat with the children there. This will make your child more empathetic and also make him realize the true value of happiness and love.

3. Take your child to an indoor play area

Kids have almost forgotten the idea of playing outside. Given the increase in nuclear families with working parents, it is possible that your child gets no opportunity to physically play or interact with other children. So, look for indoor play areas in your city and ensure that your child makes full use of one! These are modern creative spaces that encourage children to move around and play. It also encourages social skills in children and makes them more confident.

4. Bake with kids

Is your child fascinated by watching you cook? Well, get him to help out in the kitchen. Know that your child will derive several health benefits from doing so, like bilateral coordination (more control using their hands), hand strengthening (kneading dough for cookies is great exercise!), planning (recipes require step-by-step planning and execution) and Maths (learn about measurements and calculations). What's more, baking together is a great way to bond with your child.

5. Organize a surprise picnic

Kids love surprises! Not only on their birthdays but surprise them on Children's Day too. So, take a day off and give your child a break from the routine of homework and classwork. Take her on a long drive, go for a walk on the beach or visit a theme park. Pack a simple picnic and take along a frisbee, a ball or badminton racquets. Have a sporty and fun day!

6. Engage in community events

It is fun to dress up my children every year for the fancy dress competition during Children's Day, says Gayathri Ethiraj, a mother-of-two from Chennai.

Bring all the kids together from your community or building and organize some group events for them. You could conduct a fancy dress, a fashion show or get them to participate in impromptu singing and dance competitions.

"It is fun to dress up my children every year for the fancy dress competition during Children's Day. The society contributes equally to put up an engaging event every year, says Gayathri Ethiraj, a mother-of-two from Chennai."

7. Make her the boss of the home

Let your little one decide what will happen on that day. He will be responsible for making sure that the home runs smoothly let him plan out everything for the day, right from what needs to be served for breakfast to what bed-time story should be read! This inculcates responsibility in children and develops their planning and organizing skills.

8. The story table:

This is an activity that is particularly suitable for families with older children. Let every one gather around a table. Cut out small pieces of paper and write a task on each slip. Put the pieces in a bowl and then, each must take turns to pick one. Remember, the tasks you write down should make the player talk about experiences or memories from childhood. For example, talk about the time you helped a stranger or the time when you felt guilty about something you did. These topics will make for great learning and sharing experiences for the entire family.

Try out these ideas this Children's Day and make your child feel special. After all, it is essential to give your little one good memories to cherish in his later years. And it is moments like these that will make your child feel loved and secure.