Yes Day: Your ultimate guide to a day of fun and freedom

When I first heard about Jenifer Garner and the annual ‘yes day’ she has with her children, my exact thoughts were: “Good for her. Not for me.” The concept of a yes day is pretty simple—parents agree to their children’s requests for a whole day.

When I imagined my own family trying a yes day, I had visions of pure chaos: My home in absolute disarray, my kids tucking into eight-scoop ice cream sundaes, an 11 p.m bedtime and a small fortune spent on toys. Quite frankly, that just felt too stressful.

But does that mean parents say “yes” to everything? Not exactly. While the idea is to give kids freedom for a day, most parents set guidelines to ensure the day is enjoyable for everyone. Some popular yes day ideas include limiting sugar intake, setting a budget, and making sure all activities are safe and feasible.

What is the concept of a Yes Day?

The idea of a yes day seems super cute, and I commend Garner and the other parents out there who have the patience and fortitude to take on this trend. The concept is catching on big time right now, with Garner starring in a movie inspired by the tradition and parents everywhere jumping on the bandwagon. For my own family, thought? It just felt way too daunting.

But then I came across a Reddit thread from a mom who gave her 7-year-old son his first yes day, and I can’t lie: It made me rethink the whole concept a bit. More than that, it made some really important points about what kids (and their parents) really want. And I’ll admit it: I actually can really see the appeal of a yes day—particularly right now, as our kids have been denied so much in the past year.

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How can I plan the perfect Yes Day?

The mom shared that she has two very important rules for her family’s yes day: Everything her son requests must be safe and possible. “It made me realise his wants were so so so very simple,” the mom wrote. Her son’s requests included a trip to the playground, a drink from the vending machine, a chance to play his favorite game on his mom’s phone, a walk by the beach and dinner at his favorite restaurant. “My heart is so full now,” the mom shared. “And you should have seen how his eyes lit up.”

If you’re planning a yes day, consider setting a few ground rules. One great tip is to create a list of possible yes day activities ahead of time. This ensures a balance between fun and feasibility. Some ideas include a homemade movie night, a picnic at the park, or a day of board games and fort-building.

What activities work best on Yes Day?

A trip to the playground and a little extra time with mama’s phone? Those sound like requests I could happily indulge. So maybe there is something to this whole yes day thing. Maybe kids don’t really want to buy expensive things or consume mounds of sugar. Maybe they just want to enjoy fun quality time with their families.

Fellow parents chimed in with their own experiences with yes day, and they also drive home an important point about what this type of day can be. “I’ve never heard of a yes day. I like the idea. I think the only rule I would add is that it should have a budget,” one user commented. But others replied with their own experiences: “I think what’s interesting about not starting with a budget is that there are a lot of kids who pick things that don’t cost much money (my son would probably ask to go to the park, play mario kart together, do family game night, and get an ice cream from the ice cream truck, no matter the time of day),” one fellow parent replied.

Some of the best yes day activities focus on family bonding rather than spending money. Consider activities like baking together, having a dance party, or letting your child choose an entire day’s meals. These simple choices can make yes day magical without breaking the bank.

A fellow Motherly writer had a yes day of her own, and found something similar. “I realized that aside from all of the out-of-control requests for sweets, most of what my son asked for was my time,” she wrote. “He wanted to play with me and he wanted my undivided attention, and when he got it, he was the happiest I’d seen him in a while.” And honestly, just reading that makes me a little bit emotional.

Related: Jennifer Garner’s ‘Yes Day’ is Sweet & Exhausting – Motherly 

I think I’m coming around to this whole yes day idea based on what other mamas have experienced. As parents, we spend so much time saying “no”. No to extra screen time, no to extra treats, no to staying up late—and, in this day and age, no to things like playdates or birthday parties or even going going back to in-person school. Maybe our kids need something like this right now. Maybe we need something like this right now, too.

A yes day might not just be about making kids happy—it can also be a refreshing break for parents to embrace spontaneity and connection.

FAQs

Q: What is the concept of a Yes Day?
A: A Yes Day is a designated day where parents agree to say “yes” to their child’s requests within a set of reasonable guidelines. The goal is to create a fun, stress-free day that fosters connection and joy.

Q: How can I plan the perfect Yes Day?
A: Start by setting clear ground rules—requests must be safe and possible. You can also prepare a list of yes day ideas to help guide activities. Keep the focus on fun, low-cost experiences that bring the family together.

Q: What activities work best on Yes Day?
A: Great yes day activities include outdoor adventures like a park picnic, movie nights at home, DIY crafts, and letting kids plan meals for the day. The key is quality time and shared joy, rather than expensive outings.