Looking for fun and meaningful ways to celebrate special days and holidays in your classroom or homeschool? I have personally developed this Holidays & Special Days to Celebrate in School 2026 Calendar to include hundreds of ready-to-use ideas and educational activities that bring learning to life all year long! From World Kindness Day and Earth Day to International Dot Day and International Lego Day, you’ll find creative opportunities to connect curriculum goals with real-world events that matter to students.
Whether you’re planning ahead for classroom displays, theme weeks, or seasonal learning centers, this calendar makes it easy to stay organized, spark curiosity, and keep students engaged through every month of the school year.
Designed especially for teachers and homeschoolers, this printable PDF calendar features beautifully designed monthly planning pages with direct links to related learning resources and classroom activity ideas for over 300 student-friendly holidays, awareness days, and celebrations. There’s plenty of space included for planning your activities.
Each special day has been thoughtfully chosen for its classroom appeal across kindergarten, elementary, middle, and high school, making it a time-saving tool you’ll turn to again and again when planning lessons, bulletin boards, and creative learning experiences.
I personally choose special days to celebrate that are most relevant to my students and their interests, and that tie in best with the curriculum for the grade I am teaching. For chosen celebrations I suggest;
Below you will find a list of the holidays included in our calendar with links to a range of supporting learning activity suggestions. These activities are also linked within our free printable PDF version of the calendar.
1 New Years Day: New Years Activities for Kids2 Science Fiction Day3 Mahayana New Year (Buddhist)4 World Braille Day • World Spaghetti Day6 Epiphany (Christian)8 Bubble Bath Day: Bubble Activities for Kids9 Word Nerd Day: Word Games for Kids | Spelling Activities13 Lohri (India)14 World Logic Day: Logic Puzzles for Kids • International Kite Festival (India)15 Bagel Day17 Kid Inventors Day: Mystery Bag Challenge | 5 Construction Challenges | Best STEM Sets18 Winne the Pooh Day & AA Milne Day • World Religion Day19 Popcorn Day • Martin Luther King Jr Day (USA)20 Cheese Lover’s Day (UK): Cheese Puffs Recipe | Alphabet Cheese Matching Game21 Hug Day24 International Day of Education • Global Belly Laugh Day25 Opposite Day: Secret Spy Antonyms Game | Printable Opposites Matching Game26 Australia Day (Australia): 50 Best Australian Picture Books | 35 Books About Australian Animals27 Holocaust Memorial Day : Chocolate Cake Day: Slow Cooker Choc Banana Cake Recipe28 International Lego Day: 25 Lego Learning Ideas | Printable Lego Mosaics | Lego Ideas Books for Kids29 Puzzle Day: Brain Games & Logic Puzzles for Kids31 International Zebra Day
1 Black History Month Starts (USA): Research a Black Inventor Writing Activity2 World Wetlands Day4 World Read Aloud Day: 50 Fun Ways to Read Aloud | Best Read Aloud Chapter Books | Best Read Aloud Picture Books5 World Nutella Day6 Winter Olympics Games start • Waitangi Day (New Zealand)9 World Pizza Day10 Safer Internet Day: Picture Books About Digital Citizenship | Chapter Books for Kids Who Love to Code14 Valentines Day: Valentines Day Activities for Kids • Global Movie Day: 75 Kids Book to Movie Adaptations | 65 Teen Books That Are Movies15 Galileo Day • World Hippopotamus Day • World Whale Day16 National Tim Tam Day17 Shrove Tuesday (Christian) • Pancake Day • Random Acts of Kindness Day: Random Acts of Kindness for Kids | Loving Kindness Yoga for Kids | Kindness Books • Lunar New Year (Asia): Lunar New Year Resources18 Ash Wednesday (Christian)20 World Social Justice Day: Books About Diversity • Love Your Pet Day21 International Mother Language Day26 Tell a Fairy Tale Day: Fairy Tale Activities27 International Polar Bear Day
1 World Compliment Day • International Ideas Month Starts3 Chinese Lantern Day (Asia) • World Wildlife Day: 21 Kids Nature Movies • Wangari Maathai Day (Africa)4 Holi (Hindi)7 National Cereal Day8 International Women’s Day: Inspiring Women Quotes Coloring Pages | Strong Girls Graphic Novels9 Barbie’s Birthday11 World Plumbing Day12 Plant a Flower Day: DIY Seed Tape | Plants That Are Perfect for Play Spaces14 International Day of Mathematics: Math Activities15 Fastelavn (North Europe) • World Speech Day: 10 TED Talks for Kids • Mother’s Day (UK & others): Mother’s Day Activities16 National Panda Day (USA)17 St Patrick’s Day: St Patrick’s Day Activities18 Global Recycling Day: DIY Worm Farm19 International Digital Learning Day: Coding & Digital Learning Resources • Edi al-Fitr starts (Muslim)20 World Oral Health Day • World Storytelling Day: Story Telling with Story Stones21 World Poetry Day • International Day of Forests22 World Water Day: 10 Fun Water Play Ideas23 World Bear Day25 Waffle Day (Sweden)27 Wear a Hat Day (UK): braintumourresearch.org • World Theatre Day: world-theatre-day.org28 Earth Hour 8:30pm local time: Earth Hour Books for Kids30 International Zero Waste Day31 Crayon Day: Crayon Resist Leaf Art | DIY Rainbow Crayons
1 April Fool’s Day • Passover starts (Jewish)2 International Children’s Book Day: Book Activities3 Good Friday (Christian) • Find a Rainbow Day: Rainbow Learning Activities • World Aquatic Animal Day: Ocean Books for Kids4 World Stray Animal Day5 Easter Sunday (Christian): Easter Printables & Activities6 International Day of Sport for Development & Peace: PE Group Games for Kids7 World Health Day: Ideas for Teaching Kids About Germs10 International Siblings Day (USA/Canada): Books About Siblings13 Scrabble Day: Printable Scrabble Spelling Activity15 World Art Day: Kids Art Ideas16 World Voice Day: worldvoiceday.org17 International Haiku Poetry Day: thehaikufoundation.org18 World Circus Day: circusfederation.org21 Creativity & Innovation Day: Mystery Bag Challenge22 Earth Day: Earth Day Activities • Jelly Bean Day: Jelly Bean Science23 St George’s Day (Europe) • World Book & Copyright Day: Library Scavenger Hunt25 Anzac Day (Australia/New Zealand): Printable Anzac Day Learning Pack • World Veterinary Day • International Sculpture Day28 Global Pay It Forward Day: Books About Kindness | Acts of Kindness for Kids29 International Dance Day: Dance Ideas for Toddlers & Preschoolers | Dance Charades • International Guide Dog Day30 International Jazz Day
1 Vappu (Finland) • Vesak (Buddhist) • Mother Goose Day: Themed Nursery Rhymes2 Harry Potter Day • Free Comic Book Day (USA): 30 Comic Books for Kids3 Wild Koala Day (Australia): Books About Australian Animals • World Laughter Day: Funny Books for Kids4 Star Wars Day: Star Wars Matching Game | Star Wars Lego Mosaics | Star Wars Books5 Cinco De Mayo (Mexico) • Kodomo No Hi (Japan) • World Asthma Day6 World Kids Coloring Day: Mindful Coloring Pages8 VE Day (Europe)9 Peter Pan Day10 Mother’s Day (USA/Australia & others): Mother’s Day Activities12 International Nurses’ Day: International Council of Nurses14 Dance A Chicken Day15 International Day of Families: 35 Books About Families • Endangered Species Day16 International Day of Light: Light Themed Learning Activities | All About Light Writing Prompts17 World Baking Day: Easy Baking Ideas for Kids18 International Museum Day20 World Bee Day: Kids Bee Activities • World Metrology Day21 World Day of Cultural Diversity22 Sherlock Holmes Day23 World Turtle Day24 Scavenger Hunt Day: Fun Scavenger Hunt Ideas25 Tap Dance Day (USA) • Africa Day (Africa)26 Edi al-Adha starts (Muslim) • World Dracula Day • Paper Airplane Day (USA)28 International Burger Day31 World Parrot Day
1 World Milk Day: Magic Milk Experiment | DIY Milk Jug Catcher3 World Bicycle Day • Global Running Day: globalrunningday.org5 World Environment Day: Environment Day Books • National Donut Day (USA/Others)8 World Oceans Day: Ocean Books for Kids | Ocean Sensory Bottle | Ocean Slime Recipe9 Donald Duck Day11 International Day of Play: Screen Free Play Ideas | 31 Days of Sensory Play12 Superman Day14 World Blood Donor Day15 Global Wind Day: Make Paper Pinwheels | Windblown Book & Activity16 Vegemite Day (Australia) • World Sea Turtle Day17 World Crocodile Day • Eat Your Vegetables Day: Eat the Alphabet: Recipes from A to Z18 International Picnic Day: Yard Games to Play on Your Next Picnic • International Sushi Day19 Juneteenth (USA) • Dragon Boat Festival (Asia)20 World Refugee Day • World Juggling Day21 Father’s Day (USA/UK/Others): Father’s Day Activities • International Day of Yoga: Kids Yoga Resources for School & Home • World Music Day: Music Games for Kids | The Plate Dance Percussion22 World Rain Forest Day24 St John’s Day (Christian)25 Eric Carle’s Birthday: Eric Carle Picture Book Study26 Eid al-Adha (Muslim)27 International Pineapple Day28 International Pride Day29 International Mud Day: Mud Play Ideas30 International Asteroid Day: asteroidday.org
1 Canada Day (Canada) • International Joke Day: Sight Word Chatterboxes with Jokes2 Disco Day: Printable Dance Charades Game4 Independence Day (USA) • Lewis Carroll Day5 NAIDOC Week starts (Australia)7 World Chocolate Day: Make Chocolate Crackles10 Matariki (New Zealand) • Teddy Bear’s Picnic Day: Bear Hunt Sensory Bin12 Malala Day14 Bastille Day (France) • Cow Appreciation Day • Shark Awareness Day: Kids Books About Sharks15 World Youth Skills Day • Hot Dog Day (USA)16 World Snake Day: Rainbow Snake Pots Craft17 World Emoji Day: Emoji Matching Game | DIY Emoji Rock Painting18 Nelson Mandela Day19 International Karaoke Day • National Ice Cream Day (USA)20 International Moon Day: 50 Space Books for Kids • World Chess Day21 Lamington Day (Australia): Bake Mini Lamington Cupcakes22 World Brain Day23 Commonwealth Games start24 International Self-Care Day • Schools Tree Day (Australia)25 Christmas in July: Kids Christmas Activities26 National Tree Day (Australia): treeday.planetark.org27 Sleepy Head Day (Finland)28 Beatrix Potter Day29 International Tiger Day30 Friendship Day: Books about Friendships31 World Ranger Day
1 Sandcastle Day: Ideas for Sand Play | 35 Fun Things to Do at the Beach | Beach Scavenger Hunt2 Ice Cream Sandwich Day (USA)3 Watermelon Day: Watermelon & Strawberry Sorbet Recipe4 Owl Awareness Day8 International Cat Day9 International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples10 World Lion Day • Bullying No Way Week starts (Australia): Bullying Videos for Kids – Preschool through Middle Grades12 World Elephant Day • International Youth Day13 Obon starts (Buddhist) • Left Hander’s Day14 World Lizard Day15 National Relaxation Day: Classroom Mindfulness Activities | Social Emotional Learning Printables • International Geocaching Day: Try Geocaching16 Tell a Joke Day: Sight Word Chatterboxes with Jokes18 Never Give Up Day19 World Photography Day • World Orangutan Day20 Day of Medical Transporters • Bacon Lover’s Day: Bacon, Cheese & Spaghetti Pie Recipe22 Be an Angel Day25 Banana Split Day26 International Dog Day • La Tomatina (Spain)27 Hungry Ghost Festival (Asia) • Rock Paper Scissors Day29 Lemon Juice Day: Lemon & Rosemary Scented Playdough | Lemon & Mango Yoghurt Cake Recipe30 Toasted Marshmallow Day31 Eat Outside Day
1 World Letter Writing Day • International Primate Day2 Health & Physical Ed Day (Australia): Group Games for PE5 International Day of Charity6 Father’s Day (Aus/NZ): Father’s Day Resources7 Threatened Species Day (Australia)8 International Literacy Day: 30 Kids Writing Prompts | Verbal Literacy Games9 National Teddy Bear Day10 R U Okay Day (Australia): Play The Game of Feelings11 Rosh Hashanah (Jewish)12 World First Aid Day13 Roald Dahl’s Birthday15 International Day of Democracy • International Dot Day: Dot Sticker Drawings16 Play-doh Day: Playdough Ideas17 International Microorganism Day19 Talk A Pirate Day: Pirate Books & Activities • International Eat An Apple Day: Simple Apple Slice Recipe20 Yom Kippur (Jewish) • World Clean Up Day21 International Day of Peace22 World Rhino Day • Dear Diary Day: 25 Best Journals for 8-15 Year Olds23 International Day of Sign Languages24 World Gorilla Day • Punctuation Day • World Maritime Day25 World Dream Day • the Koala Day (Australia)26 International Rabbit Day30 World Stroopwafel Day
1 International Day of Older Persons2 World Farm Animals Day: The Three Little Pigs Puppets • World Smile Day: DIY Emoji Rocks | How to Draw Emotions3 International Astronomy Day4 World Space Week Starts • World Animal Day5 World Teacher Day • World Habitat Day6 Mad Hatter Day8 World Octopus Day • World Sight Day10 World Porridge Day • World Mental Health Day12 Indigenous Peoples Day (USA) • Thanksgiving (Canada)13 Ada Lovelace Day14 National Fossil Day (USA)15 Global Hand Washing Day: Books about Good Handwashing | Teaching Kids About Handwashing Activities16 World Food Day: 50 Best Pretend Play Food Sets | Eating the Alphabet: 26 Recipes from A to Z20 International Sloth Day21 Back to the Future Day22 Internationall Wombat Day: Books about Wombats24 United Nations Day25 World Pasta Day: Slow Cooker Mini Meatballs with Spaghetti27 International Panda Day (WWF China)28 International Animation Day31 Halloween: Halloween Fun for Kids
1 Prime Meridian Day • Dia De Los Muertos Starts (Mexico)3 World Jellyfish Day5 Guy Fawkes Night (UK) • International Day Against Violence & Bullying at School: 15 Anti-Bullying Videos for 4-13 Year Olds8 Diwali (Hindi): Learn more about Diwali • International Tongue Twister Day9 World Adoption Day10 World Science Day: Science Experiments & Activities • Sesame Street Day (UK)11 Remembrance Day • Origami Day (Japan): Origami Heart Bookmarks13 World Kindness Day: Picture Books About Kindness | Loving Kindness Yoga15 Shichi-Go-San (Japan) • I Love to Write Day16 International Day for Tolerance17 Take a Hike Day18 Mickey Mouse Day19 World Philosophy Day20 World Children’s Day21 World Hello Day • World Television Day24 Fairy Bread Day: fairybreadday.com25 International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women26 Thanksgiving (USA)28 French Toast Day • Red Planet Day30 St Andrew’s Day (Scotland)
2 Special Education Day3 International Day of Persons with Disabilities4 Hanukkah begins (Jewish): Hanukkah Worksheet • National Cookie Day (USA): Sugar Cookie Recipe5 World Soil Day • International Volunteer Day: Ways to Involve Children in Volunteering6 St Nicholas Day (Western Christian)7 Dia De Las Velitas (Columbia) • International Civil Aviation Day8 Bodhi Day (Buddhist)10 International Human Rights Day11 International Mountain Day13 St Lucia Day (Europe): Learn more about St Lucia Day16 Las Posadas begins (Christian): Learn more about Las Posadas17 Wright Brothers Day18 International Migrants Day • Ugly Christmas Sweater Day19 St Nicholas Day (Eastern Christian)21 Crossword Puzzle Day24 JÓLABÓKAFLÓÐIÐ (Iceland)25 Christmas Day: Christmas Around the World Worksheets | Christmas Around the World Books | Christmas Activities Collection26 Kwanzaa Starts (USA): Learn more about Kwanzaa | Kwanzaa Interactive Notebooks27 Cut Out Snowflakes Day (USA): Name Snowflakes | Snowflakes Memory Matching Game31 New Years Eve: New Years Eve Activities for Kids
Bring more joy, meaning, and connection to your school year—without the endless search for ideas! Download your 2026 School Holidays & Special Days Calendar today and discover how easy it can be to plan engaging, curriculum-linked celebrations for every month. Perfect for teachers, homeschoolers, and children’s community groups alike, this printable calendar will quickly become your go-to planning companion for creating memorable learning moments all year long.
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