Children are young and beautiful creatures; and with their innocent smiles and carefree spirits, they steal the hearts of many. Little wonder there is a day set aside to celebrate them. Children’s Day, which is celebrated in Nigeria on May 27 annually, is dedicated to celebrating children all over the world, and for adults to remember their childhood experiences.

Here are five things you should know about Children’s Day celebrations.

Origin
The earliest celebration of Children’s Day can be traced back to the United States of America in 1857, where a certain Pastor Charles Leonard held a service for children at his church. Locally, the service became known as Children’s Day.
After then, similar celebrations to celebrate children began to occur in different parts of the world.
The International Children’s Day was first marked in Turkey on April 23, 1920. Later, on June 1, 1925, during the World Conference on the Welfare of Children, the International Children’s Day was declared.

Significance of the celebration
Though it is not a general public holiday in Nigeria, the day is set aside to honour the younger generation and, thus, primary and secondary children are given a day off from school.
In addition to the festivities and celebrations of Children’s Day, this date also serves to recognise that all minors and children have the right to health, education and protection.