National Mother Goose Day 2023: Date, History, Facts, Activities

When we learn that May 1 is National Mother Goose Day, we are immediately swept back to our childhood. From Humpty Dumpty’s clumsy fall to the Three Little Pigs’ scramble for houses to Pinnochio’s elongated nose, fairy tales and nursery rhymes provided us with limitless entertainment and valuable life lessons as children. In 1695, it is believed that French author Charles Perrault was the first to establish fairy tales as a distinct genre. The Grimm fairy tales, which were first published in the 19th century, are now quite well-known throughout the globe. Originally, the Grimm fairy tales contained gruesome details, but Disney has made them more child-friendly. In the original version of “Snow White,” for instance, her stepmother died after being cursed to eternally dance in glass heels.

The background of National Mother Goose Day

In 1987, prominent fairy-tale author Gloria T. Delamar founded National Mother Goose Day. In the same year, Delamar released “Mother Goose: From Nursery to Literature.” However, the history of fairy tales and succeeding nursery rhymes goes back much further in time. Charles Perrault, a French author from the 17th century, is believed to have created the genre of fairy tales. He was the first author to incorporate fantasy and life teachings into his works. In 1729, Robert Samber published a translation of Perrault’s work into English titled “Histories, or Tales of Past Times, Told by Mother Goose.”

Many of the original versions of fairy tales and nursery chants had significantly darker themes than their modern counterparts. Instead of a happy conclusion, in the Little Mermaid story, Ariel returns to the sea and dies after transforming into sea foam. The bubonic plague is also referred to in the nursery rhyme “Ring a Ring of Roses.” In the past, fairy tales and nursery chants parodied the political situations of a country, much like poetry. Occasionally, satire was perceived as so offensive that the author was executed.

Numerous contemporary authors, including C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien, cite the influence of fairy tales and nursery chants on their thinking and writing. This was the goal of Delamar and all the other nursery rhyme writers who wished to inspire children to read. Reading fiction from a young age creates empathy, and these individuals tend to be leaders with exceptional qualities and abilities, according to studies. Empathy, in and of itself, is a crucial trait in all aspects of life.

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NATIONAL MOTHER GOOSE DAY ACTIVITIES

Reread your old tales

Bring out the old fairy tales and nursery rhymes from your infancy for a trip down memory lane. Grab a few snacks for the reading session and relax for a while.

Plan activities with the children

Celebrate the day by reading with your children. You can take turns reading to young children and then discuss your favourite aspect of the activity.

Consume some of the tales’ sweets.

We don’t know about you, but we really wanted to try those hot cross buns being sold for one or two pennies each. You may order the cuisine of your choosing for delivery or prepare it from scratch at home. Either way, the day will be enjoyable.

5 GRIMM BROTHERS FACTS THAT WILL BLOW YOUR MIND

The Grimm brothers intended for their fairy tales to be read by adults rather than children, which explains why the original fairy tales were much more violent than the ‘clean and safe’ versions of today.

The Grimm brothers were not the actual authors of the tales; they were merely collectors whose primary purpose was to preserve the orally transmitted tales of the German oral tradition.

It is believed that the Grimm brothers’ stories outsold both Shakespeare and the Bible in terms of sales.

In 1823, Edgar Taylor translated and published the tales of the Grimm brothers in England.

Multiple editions of the Grimm fairy tales are among the most widely published books in the world.

NATIONAL MOTHER GOOSE DAY DATES

Year	Date	Day
2023	May 1	Monday
2024	May 1	Wednesday
2025	May 1	Thursday
2026	May 1	Friday
2027	May 1	Saturday