ACES Day

Quick facts
When is it?	May 7th, 2025 May 6th, 2026 May 5th, 2027 May 3rd, 2028
What's the date pattern?	first Wednesday of May
It's also known as:	All Children Exercising Simultaneously
Tagged as:	Hobbies & Activities Life & Living Sport & Fitness
What are the hashtags?	#ACESDay #AllChildrenExercisingSimultaneously
We first published this page on:	May 2nd, 2025
We last updated this page:	May 2nd, 2025

Contents

ACES Day, short for All Children Exercising Simultaneously, celebrates the joy of movement and the power of community spirit. Kids stretch, jump, and run alongside their classmates, feeling the buzz of shared energy and pride.

This inspiring event brings schools, families, and local leaders together, proving that exercise can be fun, uplifting, and for everyone.

More than a lively gathering, ACES Day plants the seeds of lifelong healthy habits. When children see thousands of others moving with them, a powerful message sinks in: taking care of your body matters.

Communities rally around young people, showing them that effort and enthusiasm can change their lives. Through simple moves and giant smiles, ACES Day builds strength, confidence, and a deep sense of belonging that children carry far beyond the day’s activities.

How to Celebrate ACES Day

Get Everyone Moving

Start the day with a community-wide warm-up session at a school, park, or local gym. Invite kids, teachers, parents, and friends to stretch, jump, and jog together.

Loud music and colorful banners can make the energy even bigger.

Organize a Fitness Parade

Gather students and staff for a lively fitness parade around the schoolyard or nearby streets. Let kids show off their moves while carrying homemade posters about staying active.

Keep the pace fun and easy, so everyone can join.

Host Friendly Challenges

Plan short, exciting challenges like relay races, jump rope contests, or hula hoop marathons. Offer small prizes like stickers or ribbons to boost excitement.

Focus on participation, not winning, to make everyone feel like a champion.

Create Dance Flash Mobs

Teach a simple, high-energy dance routine a few days before the event. Surprise classmates, parents, or staff by performing it together during recess or lunch.

Capture the fun with photos and videos to share with the community.

Launch a Family Fitness Hour

Encourage families to set aside an hour for active games at home or a local park. Suggest activities like obstacle courses, scavenger hunts, or nature walks. Families can post their adventures online to inspire others to join in.

History of ACES Day

ACES Day started in 1989 when a group in Chicago decided to inspire children to exercise together. Len Saunders, a physical education teacher, came up with the idea.

He believed that kids could build healthier habits if they moved together in a fun, exciting way. His school hosted the first event, and the energy quickly spread beyond the local community.

Soon, other schools across the country joined in. Teachers, families, and local leaders saw how simple exercise could create big smiles and stronger bonds. As word traveled, more states and even countries took part. Each year, millions of students now participate, filling parks, fields, and playgrounds with movement and laughter.

ACES Day stands for All Children Exercising Simultaneously. The event reminds everyone that a little exercise can bring huge benefits. Thanks to Len Saunders’ vision, what started with one school grew into one of the largest youth fitness celebrations in the world.

Today, ACES Day keeps encouraging children to stay active, stay strong, and believe in the power of moving together.