New Year's Activities

The New Years seasonal pages will provide you with great activities to be used on and around the New Year. Ideas in this section include: resolution activities, journal ideas, lesson plans, and more.

Your creativity can help other teachers. Submit your New Years activity today. Don't forget to include additional resources-documents, web sites, or a photo.

The New Year is the day the marks the end of one year and the beginning of another. Countries that use a Gregorian calendar celebrate New Year's Eve on December 31st, and New Year's Day on January 1st.

New Year's Eve occurs on:
December 31st

New Year's Day occurs on:
January 1st

Check our January Events Calendar for more important dates

Be sure to visit our January Bulletin Boards page for fun New Year's ideas.

This indicates resources located on The Teacher's Corner.

• Pattern Recognition Skills - New Year's Color by Number Grades PreK-K-1st **NEW**
  Need a simple, no prep, activity to practice pattern recognition skills during your classroom New Year's celebration? This fun and engaging worksheet is designed to reinforce pattern recognition skills while encouraging independent learning and critical thinking. Students decode the numbers based on completing a pattern, while the color by number activity refines fine motor skills. You can also check out our entire Winter Bundle!
• New Year's Resolutions Grades 3 and Up
  At the beginning of each new year, I discuss 'resolutions' with my classes. We talk about the benefits of making long-term goals, and the advantages of planning and documenting them. I provide them with some official-looking paper and they write down their behavior and/or academic goals for the remainder of the school year (in ink, of course!) for the and then sign them with their full name. In past years, I collected the papers and returned them during the last week of school. They are good for reflection and for noting progress made. This year I think I am going to keep them in their portfolios!
  Submitted by: From Kathleen McGinley. This idea was published in the NEA's Weekly "Works4Me" Email list.
• Ringing in the New Year Grades 2-4
  Upon returning to school after winter recess, I discuss school and classroom rules and behavior expectations. By reviewing class rules and routines, students are gently moved back into the swing of the school day. Students work in cooperative learning groups and create collages of favorite gifts or favorite moments from the break. Rather than 'clamping down' or 'getting tough' on kids, I take advantage of their energy and excitement at the New Year and use it to my advantage! Students enjoy the activities and I am sometimes surprised at the results!
  Submitted by: Janine P. Riggins. This idea was published in the NEA's Weekly "Works4Me" Email list.

• New Year's Word Search
  Create your own or use our word list.
• New Year's Word Scramble
  Create your own or use our word list.
• New Year's Journal & Coloring Pages
  Print out some free New Year's coloring and journal pages.
• New Year's Crossword Puzzle
  Create your own Crossword or use our premade word/clue list.

Also see our other January Lesson Plans, Thematic Units and Activities

Happy New Year! Or is it?
Happy New Year? That depends on which calendar you use! Students can explore the world's calendar options and create their own "perfect" calendars!

New Year's Day
abcteach offers great ideas for students to set goals, write poems, and much more.

New Year's Eve
These printable worksheets were designed to enhance your students' knowledge of New Years.

New Year's Resources
A thematic unit that contains lessons, resources, worksheets, and clip art.