Several hundred children and their parents attended the 21st Annual Día de Los Niños at Johns Ferns Park where there was dancing, numerous games put on by community groups and books.

The event came in advance of an expected Tuesday Resolution declaring April 30 as “Día de los Niños: Celebrating Young Americans” by the Yolo County Board of Supervisors.

Friday’s event at Ferns Park has evolved over the decades. Initially, there were hundreds of free books for children to select, take home and read. This year it was more about providing information on education, health and safety as well as familiarizing families with services offered by Yolo County, the city of Woodland and law enforcement among others.

At Tuesday’s Board meeting, 5th District Supervisor Angel Barajas is expected to introduce the Resolution which recognized the “celebration of their country’s future — their children.”

“The celebration began in Woodland 21 years ago because of the partnership between government agencies, nonprofits and community members,” according to the Resolution, which recognizes children as being the center of families, and also “represent the hopes and dreams of the people of Yolo County.”

Additionally, the Resolution states that in California, Latinos are the “fastest growing ethnic community … and continue the tradition of honoring their children on this day, and wish to share this custom with the rest of the state and (that) the primary teachers of family values, morality, and culture are parents and family members, and we rely on children to pass on these family values, morals, and culture to future generations.”

The Resolution goes on to recognize the importance of literacy and education as being “most often communicated to children through family members; and (that) families should be encouraged to engage in family and community activities that include extended and elderly family members and encourage children to explore, develop confidence, and pursue their dreams.”

However, the Resolution also notes that the “children of a nation are the responsibility of all its people, and people should be encouraged to celebrate the gifts of children to society — their curiosity, laughter, faith, energy, spirit, hopes, and dreams.”