International Day of Children and Young People 2025
Join us in celebrating the presence, power and promise of children and young people within The Salvation Army!
Every year The Salvation Army celebrates the International Day of Children and Young People on the last Sunday of April.
The day provides an opportunity to create space for children and young people to participate, co-create and co-lead in every aspect of our mission. It is about giving them a voice and a platform.
We believe that, although children are developing, they are, at the same time, whole and complete human beings. God calls each individual into a genuine relationship and a real vocation, not a potential vocation somewhere in the future.
This means we regard children and young people as full, active members of the Body of Christ, equally important as anyone else.
Join us in celebrating on Sunday 27 April, or on another Sunday of your choice.
Theme for 2025: Look Up!
In a world full of distractions, the theme LOOK UP! encourages children and young people to lift their eyes – away from the things that pull them down or distract them – and focus upward on God and outward toward others.
With so many distractions, like screens, social media and the pressures of daily life, Psalm 121 reminds us to lift our eyes and hearts. We are not meant to journey through life alone. By looking up, we reconnect with our Creator and with the people around us.
Within this theme, we will explore four key sub-themes that help us find connection and purpose:
- Look up to God for help and perspective.
- Look up from distractions.
- Look up at each other.
- Look up for hope and faith.
Materials for all ages
This year the materials have been created by the Norway, Iceland and The Færoes Territory.
A team of talented and creative people under the leadership of Captain Thea Karlsdóttir Welander have created materials for all ages:
- a video clip with the theme song 'Look Up!'
- an instruction video for the theme song choreography
- devotions for different ages
- a meeting plan and sermon outline
- icebreakers, games and activities
- prayers for children and teenagers.
Theme song: Look Up!
This year's theme song, featuring Iben Toke Solberg, is an upbeat reminder that God is always near.
Share the song with your church, school or social media followers:
Resource pack
Family devotions, ideas for Sunday worship, games and more:
We invite you to use the materials as a framework. Feel free to add, adjust and adapt them for your own unique context and culture.
If your territory is translating the material into another language, please send us a copy so we can make this available to others. Send your translation by email to youthandchildren@salvationarmy.org.
Promotional material
Download posters and graphics to promote the International Day of Children and Young People:
- save the date flyer (1MB)
- social media graphics (19MB)
- presentation slides (1MB)
- logos (4MB)
- design files (21MB)
Outreach ideas
We believe our children and youth should be fully engaged in the mission of The Salvation Army. They are not supposed to stay on the side-lines! So here are some ideas for activities in your community:
- Use the theme song to go public with the message about ‘Look Up!’. You could introduce the song at school or organise a competition or creative arts festival for children and young people in your neighbourhood. Use the opportunities in your community to reach and involve children, young people and families. Check the creative arts section in Icebreakers, games and activities for more information.
- Organise community stargazing, a blind volleyball game or a sunflower sky watch. See the outdoors section in Icebreakers, games and activities for details. Perhaps a school, community centre or other location would like to join you!
Be as creative as possible! Share your own ideas to inspire others by tagging us on Facebook or Instagram: @TSAyouthandchildren.
Online event
This year, the Norway, Iceland and The Færoes Territory hosted the international competition. Watch the event again on our YouTube channel:
Contact us
If you have any questions, remarks or ideas, please email youthandchildren@salvationarmy.org.
You can also follow us on social media:
