History for Kids: May Day

 

What is May Day?
May Day is May 1st and is a celebration of the arrival of spring. It is believed that the holiday originated in Roman times as a festival of flowers.

Today, children celebrate this day by making small baskets filled with treats or flowers to give secretly to friends and neighbors. It is a common custom (and lots of fun) to leave the basket on the doorstep of a friend, ring the doorbell and run away. If the friend sees you before you get away, you owe them a kiss!

May Day Paper Basket Craft

Supplies:

• ~ Pastel colored construction paper
• ~ Liquid starch
• ~ Paintbrush
• ~ Yogurt containers, emptied and washed
• ~ Treats to fill the completed baskets

Directions:

• ~ Cut out an 8-inch circle from the pastel paper.
• ~ Paint both sides of the paper with liquid starch.
• ~ Turn over the yogurt container so the open end is on the table.
• ~ Then form the wet paper around it.
• ~ Place a rubber band around your project, about an inch from the bottom. Then fan out the edges to create the basket's rim.
• ~ When the paper dries, remove the rubber band and slide the paper basket off the yogurt container.
• ~ Fill with treats.

I'm a Little Basket:

A May Day Song Sung to the tune of I'm a Little Teapot.

I'm a little basket,
Look at me-
Filled with treats
And pretty as can be
Hang me on a friend's door on May Day
Then ring the bell and run away!

Credit: Elizabeth McKinnon