The Month of the Military Child (MOMC) recognizes that military kids serve our country too, as part of a military family … not just in April, but all year long. These amazing kids face challenges and enjoy triumphs along the way, and while no military child’s journey is the same, they each have a through-line that connects them by experience, globally.
Recognize the military children in your life, celebrate their global perspectives, and nurture the connections that help build a strong community.
Here are resources to help you and your community recognize the Month of the Military Child:
Celebration Supplies to Download and Print
Stay tuned! We are hard at work on fun and helpful downloads for use in your community or school, including a Month of the Military Child Purple Up poster celebrating #PurpleUp Day, a Yard Sign design to print at your local printer, Certificates of Recognition for Military-connected Kids, templates for stickers, activity sheets, and the 2025 MOMC T-shirt design.
Purple Up Day
Wear purple on a special day to celebrate military kids! Purple has been chosen to represent all service branches, Active Duty, Reserve, National Guard, and Veterans. It blends each branch’s colors: the Air Force, Navy, Space Force, and Coast Guard’s blues, the Army’s green, and the Marines’ red. MCEC celebrates Purple Up Day on April 11, 2025 – but it’s always a good day to Purple Up!
The MCEC Call for the Arts
This annual contest invites military-connected children around the world to express their perspectives through art. Entries are wonderfully varied, including paintings, drawings, music, performance art, poetry, essays, and more. Visit the Call for the Arts page for eligibility and guidelines.
Hashtags to Help Spread the Word
Use #MOMC and #MonthoftheMilitaryChild for discussion every April, and #PurpleUp for promotion and celebration of your area’s Purple Up Day. And all year long, please tag #MCEC when you recognize military-connected kids and their stories!
This “Purple Up” video will inspire you. These students are all at Gunston Middle School in Arlington County, Virginia – yet their military families’ journeys have brought them from all over the world. Their heartfelt stories of experiences, challenges, and triumphs show why our mission matters.