August 12th is National Middle Child Day! Once a year, the middle children of the world get a day completely devoted to only them. Celebrate your middle child uniquely with a few of these creative ideas that highlight just how much that kid means to you and your family.
Middle Child Memories
Have everyone in your family gather to share their favorite memory or two of the middle child. Recall birthdays, vacations, special achievements of theirs, and funny moments that make you smile every time you think of them.
Make a "Mid" Night Snack
On August 12th, National Middle Child Day, let your middle child stay up and party all night long! Okay, perhaps pulling an all-nighter is a bit over the top, but play on this idea and stretch the bedtime out for one evening. Watch movies, play cards and make sure to prepare a "mid" night snack. Of course, with little kids, snacks don't have to wait until the clock strikes twelve, but a later than usual feast will delight kids, regardless.
Make a Middle Child Board
Purchase poster board or large trifold posters and dedicate them to your extraordinary middle child. Tack on report cards, ribbons or medals, A+ test scores, pictures, and other memorabilia from your middle child's lifespan. Display the visual tribute somewhere central in the home for all to see.
Middle Child Meal Day
Every kid has favorite foods. On National Middle Child Day, make a meal that is comprised of everything your darling desires. Before the day, sit down with your kid and design a tailored menu specifically featuring their faves. It's okay if the menu doesn't quite make sense or isn't the healthiest thing in the world. Have fun with this and make all of your middle child's culinary dreams come true.
Middle Child Charades
Every child has specific traits associated with their personality. Think of your middle child. Are they adventurous? Do they love dancing and music? Are they book lovers? Clumsy? Giggly? Solid sleeper? What makes them unique? Think of all the traits and characteristics common to your middle child. Write them down on slips of paper and put the slips into a jar. Have everyone in your family use these traits for a game of Middle Child Charades, where everything acted out is an homage to them.
Research Key Information Revolving Around Your Middle Child
Look into the history of your middle child's name. Where does it originate from? Are there famous people who also have that name? Research important events that happened on your middle child's birthday. Share fun facts about middle children, such as: half of the United States presidents in the country's history were middle children. Gather up this information and present it to your middle child, reminding them that everything about them is special.
Do Activities That Start With Significant Letters
Take the letters that spell out "Middle" and do an enjoyable activity for each letter of the word. Examples could be:
- "M" - Make cookies, music parade, mom and child sleepover, manicures
- "I" - Ice cream for a snack, go on an insect hunt, pretend to be on an island
- "D" - donuts with dad, drink milkshakes, dance party
- "L" - Have a lollipop, play with LEGO, learn a new skill (magic tricks, origami)
- "E" - Eat on the patio, visit the elephants at the zoo
Make the Middle Child the Boss
Do you have a bossy middle child? Is your middle guy always trying to assert dominance over older and younger siblings? If you find that your middle kid is a naturally bossy baby, and you are forever telling them to curb those tendencies, give them the pleasure of actually being the boss for the day. On August 12th, they call the shots, perhaps not all of them, but more shots than they normally get to call. They decide what is for dinner, what shows to watch at rest time, whether the family takes an evening stroll or plays a board game, and what evening story gets read. Give them a day where they wield some power.
Middle Child's Space Renovation Day
Pay particular attention to your middle child's bedroom on August 12th. Give it a major facelift with new paint and new bedding, or add some cute elements and decorative details into their bedroom with their help and input, of course. Middle Child Syndrome can make some children feel less vital to the family structure than the oldest child or the baby, so dedicate a day to focus on only the middle child's special space in the home.
Walk Down Middle Child Memory Lane
Surprise your middle child on the morning of August 12th with a walk down memory lane. Print out 20 or more pictures of moments from their life, from birth to the present. Tape the pictures to the hallway walls, leading from their bedroom, down the halls, stairways, and through the house. Have the pictures create a progression of their life. They will never again question if you paid as much attention to their growing up as you did to the older and younger siblings. These pictures are proof that you were doing exactly that!
Hold a Middle Child Field Trip
What is your middle child's most favorite thing to do? Is it a day of fishing on the lake, riding rollercoasters at breakneck speed, or shopping at the local mall? On August 12th, spend part of the day doing what your middle child loves. Kids love sharing their interests with the people closest to them.
Create a Living Museum in Honor of Your Middle Child
Many children have participated in a living museum event at school, where they dress up as someone famous and present facts about that person's life and accomplishments. You and your family members can create a living museum dedicated to your middle child. Dress up in outfits that belong to the middle child or reflect their style. Think about some iconic looks, sports outfits, past Halloween costumes, or favorite dress-up attire. Everyone presents their outfit to the honorary kid, reciting a few fun facts about the middle child.
Make a Middle Child Time Capsule
This won't be an activity that you can do annually, but for one special National Middle Child Day, gather the family and create a time capsule dedicated to your middle child. Items to consider putting in the capsule might be:
- Wrappers of favorite candies
- Ticket stub to a favorite movie
- Report cards
- Pictures of your child during the current year
- Awards
- Items or images that represent favorite shows, favorite activities, favorite colors, or other middle child favorites
Consider doing this activity when your middle child is older and has more elements to their personality and interests that can be incorporated into a time capsule.
Make a Middle Child Movie
This movie might not premiere at the yearly film festival or receive an Academy Award, but it will be a family favorite in no time! Think of a funny memory or a special event that stars your middle kid. Friends and family can help recreate this moment or event on film. Fashion a movie premiere night and present your middle child with a movie in their honor.
Make a Middle Child Scrapbook
Scrapbooks are such great ways to capture snippets of your child's life. Create a scrapbook that is dedicated to your middle darling. Every page should be unique and tailored to the middle kid in the family. This is something that your child will be able to open up and look at throughout their life.
Prepare for National Middle Child Day
Parents put time, thought, and preparation into celebrating a future birthday for kids, but days like National Middle Child Day are often forgotten. To make the day completely about your middle kid, from start to finish, be sure to plan out the day's activities well in advance. Start by taking a personal day from work and blocking August 12th out on the calendar. If you are partaking in any activities that require reservations or pre-booking plans, be sure to do those in advance. Discuss ideas and options with your middle child before the big day so that you can be sure that this one day during the year is all about them.
