by Rynette R. Kjesbo, M.S., CCC-SLP
What is Labor Day and Why Do We Celebrate It?
Labor Day is a time to honor the men and women of our country who work to make our communities better places to be. Hundreds of years ago, men, women, and even children often worked twelve hours a day, every day of the week. Not only did they work long hours, but their working conditions were often unsafe, and their pay was poor. In the late 1800s, workers started joining unions. (A union is an organized group of workers that is created to look out for the welfare of its members.) Then, in the 1880s, workers and unions began to hold marches and protests to make people aware of the bad conditions where they worked. Because of the marches and protests, the government eventually passed laws requiring employers to keep their workers safe and to pay them a minimum wage. In 1894, President Grover Cleveland made Labor Day a federal holiday.
Nowadays, we always celebrate Labor Day on the first Monday in September. People usually use the day as a time to get together with family and friends. On Labor Day, we often enjoy parades, picnics, barbecues, fireworks, and other activities. This Labor Day Scavenger Hunt is one activity you can do with your family and friends on Labor Day.
Number of Players
Materials Needed
- Labor Day Scavenger Hunt game page (one copy for each player or team)
- Pencils or crayons
- Laminate game pages and use dry erase markers during game play (optional)
Object of the Game
Be the first player to check off all the squares on your board by finding objects that fit each square’s description!
Directions
- Provide each player with a copy of the game board found on the next page.
- Go for a walk or look around the neighborhood for items that match the descriptions in each square.
- When you find an item that matches a square’s description, write the name of the item in the square.
- Try to fill your board by finding an item that matches each square’s description.
Game Variations
- Instead of simply checking off items as you find them, keep count of the number of items found by making tally marks in the squares to see who can find the most of each of the items.
- Divide into two teams and work cooperatively to find all of the items on your team’s board.
- Use your phone to take pictures of the items you find. After you’ve done, try to describe the items in the pictures to see if the other players can guess what you found.
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