ARRL Kids Day: Share Ham Radio With Young People on the Air

Some on-air events are about points, multipliers and rate. Kids Day is about something simpler: giving a child a microphone, a friendly voice on the other end, and the thrill of hearing a stranger in another state say their name back. The ARRL runs it twice a year as an event designed to promote amateur radio to young people. This guide explains what the ARRL says about the event: when it takes place, how long it lasts, what to say during a contact, which frequencies the ARRL suggests, and how to plan a session so that the children enjoy it and the adults enjoy helping. Always check the ARRL page for the current details, since this event has no scoring and few formalities, but dates and notes can change.

What Kids Day Is for

According to the ARRL Kids Day page, the event is offered twice a year to promote amateur radio to young people. You are invited to share the excitement with your kids or grandkids, a Scout troop, a church group or the general public. The goal is to give young people on-the-air experience and hopefully foster interest in getting a license of their own. It is also intended to give older hams a chance to share their station and their love for the hobby with the next generation.

That focus shapes everything else. The page describes no scoring system and no contest-style log deadline, and there is no penalty for operating for ten minutes or for five hours. The ARRL’s wording is that you operate as much or as little as you like. If you have been looking for a low-pressure way to bring a child to the radio, this is the easiest entry point on the calendar. For general background on the hobby itself, the Wikipedia article on amateur radio is a good starting point for parents. Our guide to introducing children to amateur radio offers activities for before and after the event.

Dates and Times

The page says Kids Day is generally held on the first Saturday in January and the third Saturday in June, and that current dates are listed in the ARRL contest calendar. By that rule the next January event would fall on January 2, 2027 and the June event on June 19, 2027, but confirm both on the calendar before you announce anything. The event always runs from 1800 UTC through 2359 UTC, which is six hours. Convert that to local time for your area and remember that the UTC date can differ from your local date in the evening.

A fixed six-hour window works well for children. You can run a morning or lunchtime session if the UTC window falls in your daytime, you can take breaks for food, and you can plan a short time for each child instead of a long vigil at the radio. In the Americas, the UTC window falls during the afternoon and evening. In Europe it falls in the evening and night, so parents and organizers in Europe should plan accordingly, or run an earlier local demonstration and listen for stations later.

The Exchange: Name, Age, Location and Favorite Color

The suggested exchange is deliberately simple: name, age, location and favorite color. It is easy for a child to remember and it gives the other operator something to say. The page also says to be sure to work the same station again if an operator has changed. In other words, when a different child sits in front of the microphone, call the same friendly station again so that each child gets a contact. To draw attention, call “CQ Kids Day”. A typical contact might sound like this:

1. The child calls: “CQ Kids Day, CQ Kids Day, this is [callsign].”
2. The answering operator gives the callsign and says: “Hello, my name is John, I am 62, I am in Texas and my favorite color is green.”
3. The child answers with name, age, location and favorite color, and the two sign off with thanks and the callsigns.

The experienced operator should slow down, speak clearly and avoid jargon. The child may read the exchange from a card, and a pause is fine. It helps to review the phonetic alphabet before the event so the child can spell a callsign or a town name; our guide to the ham radio phonetic alphabet includes the standard words.

Suggested Frequencies

The ARRL suggests these frequency ranges so participants can find each other. Using them is not mandatory, but sticking to them keeps the event concentrated where people are listening.

You can also use your favorite repeater, with the permission of the repeater’s sponsor. The ARRL also reminds participants to observe third-party restrictions when making DX QSOs. That is important if a child is speaking to a station in another country: not every country allows third-party communications, so check the rules before you let a child talk to an overseas station. If you are unsure which sideband to use on these bands, our guide on USB versus LSB gives the usual convention.

Planning a Station for Young Operators

The best Kids Day stations are simple. A radio that the child can understand, a microphone within easy reach, a comfortable chair and a clear card with the exchange are more important than a big signal. The ARRL page gives a good example of a successful local event in an account from an Indianapolis Red Cross disaster radio group: they began setup and testing early in the week before, held a code-practice area so children and parents could see Morse code, gave each child a log sheet, and ran five stations, one each on 10, 15 and 20 meters and two on 2 meters. Twenty-four kids made 58 contacts. The page also mentions a station in Hawaii that made 125 contacts one January.

From those examples, a few good habits follow:

• Test everything beforehand. Set up the antenna and radio the week before, and make a test contact so you know the band you plan to use is open.
• Prepare a log sheet for each child. Seeing their own callsign and a list of contacts gives the child something to keep.
• Have more than one position. One station for HF and one for VHF means that waiting children can still do something.
• Keep the licensed control operator close. In most countries an unlicensed child may speak over the radio under the supervision of a licensed operator; check the rules where you live and ask your national society if you are unsure.
• Have a plan for noise and propagation. If a band is closed, move to another or switch to a VHF simplex contact with a nearby ham.

If your radio club is looking for a venue, ask about libraries, community centres and Scout halls. The page suggests sharing the excitement with a Scout troop, and our guide to Jamboree on the Air explains another event that connects scouting and radio.

Making the First Contact Easy

Children often feel nervous when the radio crackles and a stranger answers. A few steps make the first contact smoother. Let the child listen for a few minutes first, and show how the waterfall or the dial moves. Practice the exchange aloud with a parent or an older ham before going on the air. Explain that the person on the other end has volunteered to be there and is excited to hear from them. Keep the microphone technique simple: press the push-to-talk, speak after a short pause, and let go to listen. A few simple instructions beat a long lecture. Our first QSO guide shows what a basic contact sounds like, and it applies to children and adults alike.

Experienced operators who want to help can do so without a station of their own. Listen on the suggested frequencies during the event, answer any call that sounds like a child, and play along with the exchange. If you hear a child struggling, slow down and give them time. The page asks that you work the same station again if the operator has changed, which means a single friendly operator can give several children a contact in one session.

Kids Day for Clubs and Schools

A radio club can turn Kids Day into a small public event. Choose a location where parents and children can walk in, such as a library room or a club shack with open doors, and display a simple poster that explains what is happening. Put one volunteer at the door to welcome visitors, one at the radio to help with the exchange, and one at a table with log sheets, coloring pages or a Morse code practice area. The Indianapolis account on the ARRL page shows the value of that structure: children and parents moved between stations at their own pace, and the club members had time to explain what they were doing.

Think about the day as a demonstration that leaves something behind. A card with the club’s meeting time, a short list of websites about getting a license, and a printed certificate of participation give families a reason to follow up. Many hams remember a single contact from childhood as the start of their interest, and a friendly invitation to the next club meeting can turn a one-day event into a lasting connection.

Using VHF and Repeaters

If propagation is poor on HF, a VHF station provides a back-up. The ARRL page allows the use of a favorite repeater with the permission of the repeater’s sponsor, so a local net can help children make contacts even when the HF bands are closed. Ask the repeater owner in advance, announce the session on the club net, and keep the traffic short so that others can use the repeater. Local contacts are also the best way to let a very young child practice, because the signal is strong and the other operator is nearby if help is needed.

Reporting, Photos and Certificates

The ARRL encourages all participants to post their story and thumbnail photos on the Kids Day Soapbox page and to tell the world who they talked to. It also invites high-resolution photos, 500 KB to 3 MB, of youth in action, such as operating, setting up antennas and having fun, sent by email to contests@arrl.org. The ARRL notes that it must have a release form for photos of anyone younger than 18 before the pictures can be used in publications such as QST. All participants are eligible for a colorful certificate of participation that can be downloaded and completed with the participant’s name and the date of the contact. There is also a short survey asking for the number of participants by age group and the number of contacts.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Making the session too long. Short turns keep children interested.
• Using jargon such as Q codes and abbreviations with a child. Plain language works best.
• Forgetting to ask about third-party rules before a child speaks to a DX station.
• Forgetting a photo release form for children under 18 if you plan to send photos to the ARRL.
• Choosing a band that is closed at that hour, so the radio is silent. Check propagation first.

The Bottom Line

Kids Day is a six-hour ARRL event held generally on the first Saturday in January and the third Saturday in June, built around a simple exchange of name, age, location and favorite color. There is no scoring, only the experience of the first contact. Prepare a simple station, test it, use the suggested frequencies, keep a licensed operator nearby, and give each child their own short turn. If you are an experienced ham without a child to host, answer the calls you hear: your friendly voice could be the reason someone becomes a ham.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Kids Day?

Generally the first Saturday in January and the third Saturday in June. It always runs from 1800 UTC through 2359 UTC, and the ARRL contest calendar lists the current dates.

What is the Kids Day exchange?

The suggested exchange is name, age, location and favorite color. Call “CQ Kids Day” to attract attention.

Does the child need a license?

The ARRL page is about giving young people on-the-air experience. Rules for unlicensed participants differ by country, so a licensed control operator should be present and local regulations must be followed.

Which frequencies are suggested?

For example 28.350 to 28.400 MHz on 10 meters, 14.270 to 14.300 MHz on 20 meters and 7.270 to 7.290 MHz on 40 meters. You can also use a repeater with the sponsor’s permission.

Is there a score or a prize?

The ARRL page describes no scoring. All participants can download a certificate of participation.

Can I talk to stations in other countries?

The ARRL asks participants to observe third-party restrictions when making DX QSOs, so check the rules for the country involved first.