There are some really fun national days in August for kids and families to enjoy together!
Check out our fun printable August National Day calendar and some great ideas for things you can easily do with your kids to celebrate every day of the month.
Summer is winding down, the sun is hot and shining, and you want to make some fun memories before the kids go back to school, right?!
Why not celebrate some National Days together?
Kids are almost always up for a celebration, and the best thing about National Days is that they’re usually really easy to celebrate!
{{Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that I may make a small commission if you click through or purchase at no cost to you. For more information, click here.}}
What are National Days?
While the United States only actually recognizes 10 official national holidays and 44 national observances per year, National Days have been growing in prominence since 1984.
That was the year when President Ronald Reagan created National Ice Cream Day, which was supposed to be a one-time thing (and this July will be the 38th anniversary of National Ice Cream Day, by the way!).
Today, thanks to websites such as National Day Calendar and the popularity of social media, self-proclaimed National Days have become very popular and widespread.
Each day of the year has at least one unofficial National Day associated with it, and most days have three or four different National Days to celebrate.
While some National Days aren’t the most family-friendly (National Dive Bar Day, anyone?) we’ve picked the most kid-appropriate National Days in August right here for you!
August National Days for Kids Free Printable
To easily choose which days you want to celebrate with your kids in August, be sure to grab a copy of the FREE August National Days for Kids calendar right here! (And yes, it is part of the entire yearly bundle!)
These free printable National Days for Kids calendars are accessed by thousands of families every month, so don’t miss out!
The Best National Days in August for Kids
August 1 – Respect for Parents Day
August starts off with a GREAT day to celebrate with your kids: Respect for Parents Day! And with school starting soon, it’s a great day to review manners in general.
August 2 – National Coloring Book Day / Ice Cream Sandwich Day
If you have little artists at your house, celebrate National Coloring Book Day with a fresh new coloring book and a new set of crayons!
But if you’d rather celebrate National Ice Cream Sandwich Day with your kids, that’s sure to be a fun and easy thing to do as well.
Or, go ahead and celebrate them both!
August 3 – National Watermelon Day
What feels more like summer than eating copious quantities of watermelon?
Celebrate National Watermelon Day with your kids by cutting open a fresh watermelon and having a watermelon feast.
If you want to try some interesting watermelon carving, check out these fun and easy ideas on The Food Network! (We just might love the spaceship watermelon too much!)
August 4 – National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day
Celebrating National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day is almost a no-brainer, right?!
Grab some fresh chocolate chip cookies from your favorite local bakery or have a fun baking session with your kiddos!
August 5 – National Water Balloon Day
Get out and enjoy the summer heat on National Water Balloon Day!
We love these neon rapid-fill, self-sealing water balloons that are easily available on Amazon.
August 6 – National Root Beer Float Day
On August 6th, celebrate National Root Beer Float Day with a few scoops of vanilla ice cream and your favorite root beer in one frosty mug!
Easy and fun for everyone!
August 7 – American Family Day
We love the idea of designating one special day to spend as a family.
American Family Day is exactly that! No matter what you choose to do, set aside some time to spend together today.
August 8 – Global Sleep Under the Stars Night
We’ll admit it: Global Sleep Under the Stars Night is not for the faint of heart.
But whether you sleep under the stars out in the wilderness or in your backyard on the trampoline is totally up to you!
August 9 – National Book Lovers Day
National Book Lovers Day is a great time to schedule some family reading time!
You could read a favorite book out loud together or cuddle up on the couch as you read individually.
August 10 – National S’mores Day
What would summertime be without s’mores?
Celebrate National S’mores Day with a fun s’mores buffet for your kids.
Get creative and try cinnamon graham crackers, white chocolate, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, or any other favorite chocolate bar, and see what combinations your kids like best!
August 11 – National Sons and Daughters Day
National Sons and Daughters Day is a great to acknowledge what a gift your children are to you.
Do something small, like write them a note or make their favorite meal, to let them know how much you love them.
August 12 – National Middle Child Day
Honestly, we’re so glad to see that National Middle Child Day is a thing.
If you’re like us, we totally agree with the widely-accepted idea that the middle child is often more overlooked than the oldest or youngest child.
So take this special day to celebrate your middle child and let them be the star of the day!
August 13 – National Bowling Day / International Left-Handers Day
This is a great day to go bowling with your kids!
It doesn’t matter if you’re a bowling newbie or a serious pro, head on out to your local bowling alley with your kids and bowl a few games together.
August 14 – National Creamsicle Day
If Ice Cream Sandwich Day is a thing (see August 2nd), it makes total sense that there should be a National Creamsicle Day too!
Did you know that creamsicles were invented all the way back in 1905?
Grab your favorite brand of creamsicles and enjoy them with your kids on this fun day!
August 15 – National Relaxation Day
What does National Relaxation Day look like for you?
Maybe a family naptime?
Or a simple trip to the beach?
Whatever it is, take advantage of this great National Day to spend with your kids!
August 16 – National Rollercoaster Day/ National Tell a Joke Day
If you have the opportunity to hit up an amusement park with your kids today, go for it! It might be cool to see how many of the park employees know that it’s National Rollercoaster Day!
But if you’ll be sticking closer to home, National Tell a Joke Day is one of the simplest August National Days to celebrate with your kids.
Related post: 65 Hilarious Back-to-School Jokes to Tell Your Kids
August 17 – National I Love My Feet Day
So, National I Love My Feet Day might seem a little bit random.
But it’s a great day to do some home pedicures with your kids or go Back-to-School shoe shopping!
August 18 – National Fajita Day
We absolutely love National Days that help us plan our dinner menu for the week!
Serve some fajitas for dinner tonight and, voila! You’re celebrating a National Day!
August 19 – National Potato Day
For a fun National Potato Day activity, let your kids try a different type of potato-based food during each meal of the day!
Fix an easy potato hash for breakfast, serve french fries or potato chips for lunch, and follow it up with roasted or mashed potatoes for dinner!
August 20 – National Radio Day
On National Radio Day, crank up your favorite radio station at home or in the car and have a mini dance party!
If you have the chance, participate in a radio trivia game too!
August 21 – National Senior Citizens Day
On National Senior Citizens Day, have your kids write some notes or draw pictures for residents at a local assisted living facility.
Then deliver them as a family on the next National Day (keep reading, and you’ll see what we mean!)
August 22 – National Be an Angel Day
On National Be an Angel Day, look for ways you and your kids could be of service in your local community.
Deliver notes and pictures to a local assisted living facility, pick up trash at a local park, donate canned goods to a food bank, or volunteer to pet animals at a local animal shelter.
August 23 – National Ride the Wind Day
So what is National Ride the Wind Day after all?
It’s a day that commemorates the first human-powered flight to win the Kremer Prize, which happened all the way back in 1977.
While you don’t have to create your own glider, you could celebrate this National Day by flying kites or making paper airplanes with your kids instead!
August 24 – National Waffle Day
National Waffle Day is another fun and easy August National Day for kids.
Whether you serve waffles for breakfast or dinner is totally up to you!
August 25 – National Banana Split Day
Pull out the ice cream, chocolate syrup, and whipped cream. Slice some bananas lengthwise and create the most delicious banana splits ever!
Your kids will be delighted!
August 26 – National Dog Day
If you own a dog, celebrate National Dog Day by pampering your pooch with your kids.
But even if you don’t own a dog, you can still celebrate by volunteering to play with or walk a neighbor’s dog instead!
August 27 – National Just Because Day
Do something sweet for your kids on National Just Because Day.
Maybe that’s making their favorite treat or slipping a thoughtful note into their lunchbox … just because.
We’ll also mention that we’ve got an awesome printable Lunchbox Notes MEGA Bundle in our Etsy shop right here!
August 28 – National Thoughtful Day
National Thoughtful Day is a great opportunity to encourage your kids to do something thoughtful for someone else.
Maybe they’ll write a thank you note to a teacher, invite a lonely kid to sit by them at lunch, or do a small act of service for a sibling.
Whatever it is, encourage everyone to share their experience with you before they go to bed!
August 29 – National Lemon Juice Day
What could you possibly do to celebrate National Lemon Juice Day?
Have your kids squeeze some fresh lemons and make homemade lemonade!
This recipe right here from Tastes Better from Scratch makes the process quick and easy – you only need 3 ingredients.
August 30 – National Beach Day / National Toasted Marshmallow Day
Of course, National Beach Day is a great time to pack up the beach bag and head out for a few hours of sun and fun.
But if your kids are already back in school, National Toasted Marshmallow Day is sure to be a hit instead!
August 31 – National Trail Mix Day
Raid the pantry with your kids and make a delicious trail mix together to celebrate National Trail Mix Day!
Why Kids Love National Days
Kids are often pleased with the smallest things, which is why National Days seem to resonate so well with them!
In his beautiful essay, “Small Things Matter,” Kelly G. Wilson, Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of Mississippi, wrote:
See if you can remember times, moments, activities, when you knew you were loved.
Did someone read to you? Snuggle with you a minute before bed? Did they let you help cook pancakes and let you stir? These are the landscapes of love. Not big things, rather these patterns of small moments.
While celebrating National Merry-Go-Round Day may seem insignificant to you, it may be just the thing that will create a lifelong memory for your kids.
Final thoughts about August National Days for Kids
As with all things here at Jen Bradley|MOMs, we encourage you to keep your National Day celebrations super simple!
Do NOT think for a second that you have to create a Pinterest-worthy event for any of these days!
Just choose one or two fun days to celebrate each week or month, and view it as a great way to connect with your kids in ways that you might not otherwise.
If you want any more information about the National Days in this article or want to see what other National Days are happening in August, visit the National Day Calendar right here!
Finally, don’t forget to download and print out your August National Days for Kids printable calendar today!
Related articles about National Days and family fun:
31 Awesome January National Days to Celebrate With Your Kids
The Best February National Days to Celebrate as a Family
31 Family-Friendly March National Days to Celebrate With Your Kids
30 Amazing April National Days to Celebrate With Your Kids
31 Fun National Days in May to Enjoy as a Family
The Best June National Days for Kids
31 Awesome National Days in July for Kids and Parents
Pin the image below to return to this article in the future!
Which National Days in August are you excited to celebrate with your kids?
