Where Family Day Began

Spending time with our family members, whether it is as we homeschool each week or visit family living further away, is a blessing. In Canada, several provinces observe Family Day each year in February, which gives families the gift and opportunity of spending more time together. Read on to learn more about the history behind this day.

History – In 1990, Alberta was the first province to introduce Family Day when then-Lieutenant Governor Helen Hunley passed the Family Day Act. Other provinces which followed in adopting Family Day are:

• Saskatchewan in 2007
• Ontario in 2008
• British Columbia in 2013 
• New Brunswick in 2018

Of the four provinces—Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, and British Columbia—British Columbia was the only province which celebrated Family Day on the second Monday in February until the province announced that, beginning in 2019, British Columbia would also celebrate on the third Monday in February to align the holiday with other provinces.

The below provinces also observe the third Monday in February, but for different reasons:

• Manitoba: Louis Riel Day
• Nova Scotia and Yukon: Heritage Day
• Prince Edward Island: Islander Day

The reason that provinces have added Family Day in February is that it provides a long weekend in between the stretch from New Year’s to Easter and time for families to be together.

Canada is not the only country that celebrates Family Day. Other countries around the world also have days set aside to observe the importance of family.

Observe – Many families do things together as a way to mark Family Day, such as gathering for meals, visiting relatives, playing games, attending festivals, and enjoying outdoor activities like ice skating, walking, or skiing. For activity ideas, check out these articles and resources:

• Gathering for meals: Make Chicken Linguine One-Pot Meal or Chocolate Chip Cookies 
• Playing games: Using Games For Learning and Connection 
• Attending festivals: Canada Winter Festivals with Snowman Craft for Kindergarten
• Outdoor activities: 10 Winter Activities: Outdoor Fun for the Whole Family 
• Indoor activities: Ideas for Indoor Things to Do at Home in the Winter

This Family Day, enjoy the gift of spending time with loved ones and making memories that you will cherish for a long time to come. Happy Family Day!

This article has been written by homeschooling staff writers of The Canadian Schoolhouse (TCS). Enjoy more of our content from TCS contributors and staff writers by visiting our Front Door page that has content on our monthly theme and links to all our content sections. 

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