It’s Opposite Day!
Opposite Day is a fun, unofficial holiday where everything you do or say is the opposite of what you’d normally do. Celebrated on January 25th (or any day you choose), it’s a playful way to break the routine and get creative with kids.
The idea is to embrace opposites—saying “goodbye” instead of “hello,” wearing clothes backward, or eating dessert before dinner!
How to Celebrate Opposite Day with Kids
Here are some fun and simple ideas to make Opposite Day extra special:
1. Opposite Conversations
- Encourage kids to say the opposite of what they mean. For example, “I love broccoli” could mean “I don’t like broccoli.” Make a game out of it and see who can keep up the longest.
2. Backward Clothing
- Let kids wear their shirts, pants, or hats backward or inside out. The sillier, the better!
3. Breakfast for Dinner
- Serve breakfast foods like pancakes and eggs for dinner, and dinner foods like pizza or spaghetti for breakfast.
4. Opposite Rules
- Create fun “opposite rules” for the day, like walking backward, using the opposite hand to write or eat, or calling each other by opposite nicknames (e.g., calling “Mom” as “Dad”).
5. Backward Writing
- Have kids write their names or simple words backward. You can even try speaking backward to see who can figure it out.
6. Reverse Chores
- Instead of kids doing their chores, let them assign parents or siblings some silly tasks to “reverse” the usual responsibilities.
7. Opposite Art or Activity Pack
- Create drawings or crafts using opposite colors (like yellow skies and green suns) or upside-down designs. Or you can print out our FREE Opposite Day Activity Pack and complete it with your littles!
8. Say Yes for No
- Have fun with opposites by agreeing to requests with a “yes” when you mean “no” or vice versa (with playful, harmless limits, of course).
9. Reverse Games
- Play traditional games but with a twist. For example, walk backward during tag or play Simon Says by doing the opposite of what Simon says.
10. Opposite Books and Movies
- Read a book backward (start from the last page) or watch a favorite movie but skip to the ending first.
Opposite Day is all about fun, laughter, and embracing silliness. It’s a great opportunity to encourage creativity and let kids explore the world in a playful, unconventional way!
History of Opposite Day
Opposite day is January 25th. It’s celebrated on January 25th because that was the date when, in 1996, it is believed that a typo of ‘Januarius’ (the Latin version of January) resulted in the brain-fart phrase, ‘Opposite January 25th’. Following this event people began to celebrate opposite day every year.
FREE Opposite Day Activity Pack
We decided to put together a free little printable packet to help you and your kids celebrate!
Click on any of the image below to download it!