Every girl deserves to feel seen, heard, supported, and encouraged to dream big. That’s why International Day of the Girl, celebrated each year on October 11, is so meaningful.
At Global Catalyst, we know firsthand through our work around the world that girls are far too often told that they are not enough: Not smart enough, not confident enough, not capable enough, or simply not worthy of taking up space.
International Day of the Girl is an opportunity for all of us to join together to challenge those messages and remind girls that they never need to change who they are to be worthy of respect, opportunity, and belief in their potential.
It’s a day for girls everywhere to feel special — and know that they are enough, exactly as they are.
Whether you’re a parent, mentor, teacher, caregiver, or someone who simply wants to show up for the girls around you, there are plenty of ways to make the day meaningful. From having honest conversations about girls’ dreams and accomplishments to trying a new activity together, small moments can make lasting memories and a lifelong impact on a girls’ confidence and sense of self.
This International Day of the Girl, we encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity to celebrate the girls in your life — and help them see just how much they have to offer the world.
Here are some ideas to get started.
How To Celebrate International Day of the Girl With The Girls in Your Life
Start The Day With a Special Breakfast
Make the day feel special from the moment she wakes up by surprising her with a breakfast she loves. Make it fun! Decorate with streamers, a banner, party hats, and anything else that makes her feel special and celebrated. Use this time to make her feel heard; for example, by asking some self-reflection questions about what she’s excited about, what she’s proud of, and what she hopes to accomplish — and taking the time to really listen to what she has to say.
Complete a Reflective Art Activity Together
Grab some magazines, scissors, markers, and chart paper, and spend an afternoon creating a reflective art activity together. This could be a vision board outlining your individual or shared goals for the year, or a “This Is Me” photo collage that represents her interests, dreams, and moments she’s most proud of. The time spent together reflecting, dreaming, creating, and simply spending time together will be a new memory for her to cherish.
Here are a few other fun, meaningful SEL activities you can complete together.
Do Something That Makes You Both Feel Strong
Complete a physical activity together (suited to her level, of course) to remind her that she is strong and capable. This can be a bike ride, a Zumba or yoga class, lifting weights, shooting hoops, swimming laps, or simply visiting a local playground! The goal isn’t the activity itself, but the time spent together and the feeling of confidence that comes from doing something that feels a little hard in the beginning, but so rewarding when done.
Let Her Become The Mentor
Give her an opportunity to lead by asking her to teach you an activity of her choice — whether that be a TikTok dance, a game, a song she can’t stop singing, or anything else she loves! The feeling of confidence she’ll develop from being an expert for the day and teaching you something new is invaluable.
Bake A Special Treat Together
Let her choose a recipe — a family favorite, a new creation, or maybe something she’s seen online or in a movie — and make it together from start to finish. Spending time making something from scratch often teaches girls that it’s ok to make mistakes, and helps them develop confidence that carries over into their everyday lives. Plus, you’ll have some yummy treats to enjoy together while completing some of the other items on this list!
Have A Girl Power Movie Party
Get the popcorn ready and cozy up together to watch movies with strong female protagonists that celebrate the strength, power, and potential of girls. Being exposed to female role models in media from a young age allows girls to envision themselves as leaders, visionaries, advocates, and more.
Our team put together this list of our top movie pics for you to choose from.
Watch Something Grow
Plant a flower or tree together and choose a word that represents something you each want to grow in yourselves — like confidence, courage, or leadership. Use this time together to talk about what growing that skill might look like for you. Throughout the year, that plant can serve as a reminder that growth takes time, but you should always be proud of the work you put in and the effort you’re making each day.
Give Her a Chance to Lead
Give her the reins for a few hours — let her choose the activity, meal, music, or outing. Giving her the opportunity to make decisions is a simple way to celebrate her voice while building her confidence, independence, and decision-making skills.
Create a “Brave Things” Jar
Have her write down the moments this year when she tried something new, spoke up, set a boundary, asked for help, or did something that scared her. Talk through what those moments meant to her, and how they helped her grow or better understand herself and her vision for her future. Throughout the year, have her continue adding to it as a reminder of how courage can show up in everyday life.
Write Future Headlines
Work together to create newspaper headlines about her future, and add drawings to turn it into a fun, empowering art project. These headlines will imagine something she hopes to accomplish, to a change she wants to see in the world. Encourage her to dream big! Imagine what the headline, “Faith Creates a Medical Breakthrough,” or “Melanie Elected President” can do for her confidence.
Show Her She Can Make a Difference
Help her see that she doesn’t have to be an adult to make a difference. Find a cause she cares about and look for a hands-on way to get involved together. Volunteering is one option, but it doesn’t have to feel like a chore: for example, together, you can can spend the day at a local animal shelter, make care packages for neighbors in need, pick up litter at a local park, deliver encouraging notes to a local nursery home, or simply do something kind for someone in your community. The goal is to help her experience firsthand that her ideas, actions, and voice can create positive change.
Create Affirmation Cards for Her Friends
Have her create Valentines-style affirmation cards for her friends or the girls in her class. These can be inspiring messages, words of encouragement, or simply things she loves or admires about them. It’s a powerful way for her to recognize the strengths in others while reminding the girls around her that they are seen, valued, and appreciated.
Have a Karaoke Party
No fancy equipment needed — just you, her, and your loudest singing voices. Bonus points if you sing songs exclusively by powerful women! This is not only fun; it’s a great way for her to practice using her voice, developing confidence, and letting go of the fear of judgment. Most importantly, it creates a safe space where she can be silly, expressive, and completely herself.
Want More Tips? Check Out, 10 Ways Fathers Can Raise Confident Girls Who Believe in Themselves.
Global Catalyst mentors girls around the world to become powerful advocates and confident leaders. Our signature program, GLOW Club, connects girls in some of the world’s most underserved areas with trusted local mentors and a safe space to express themselves as they develop their agency, find their voice, and build their power. Since our founding, we’ve ignited the power of more than 100,000 girls, sparking a growing movement of youth-led change that is transforming communities — and the world — for the better.
