Last Saturday, families headed to the 95th Street Library for the Día del Niño, or Children’s Day celebration event, hosted by the Alliance of Latinos Motivating Action in the Suburbs (ALMAS).
“It’s a holiday that is celebrated in Latin America, and it essentially is a celebration of children. They do lots of parades, it’s a big deal, [and] they give prizes. They have lots of activities for children and again, we just wanted to bring that over here to Naperville and have everyone else enjoy that as well,” said Laura Navarro, co-founder of ALMAS.
Fun activities for children to enjoy
The exact day Día del Niño is celebrated varies by country. To enjoy the day in Naperville, ALMAS offered several activities, including many that are authentic to Latin cultures.
“We have a fun day filled with lots of activities. We have bilingual storytime, family yoga, a reptile show, face painting, balloon artists, crafts such as the Guatemalan Worry Doll, traditional games for all children to play, and lastly, we will have a Panamanian Folklorico dance, as well as a piñata,” said Navarro.
A day to celebrate children
She said honoring and recognizing what children bring to the world is important.
“Día del Niño is a day that celebrates their contribution to society, and we take into consideration their well-being as well as their rights,” said Navarro. “So it’s just a day to let them know that we love them [and] that we love what they bring to our lives as well.”
ALMAS members hope celebrations like Día del Niño can help build the foundation for future generations.
“It is this kind of event for the community that inspires me to believe that culture is so important because culture shapes values, and values are what define the future,” said Elida Sughey Estrada, co-founder of ALMAS.
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