I think we all know February is Black History Month, but how many of you know when Say Something Nice Day is? This calendar of 2023-2024 school holidays and special days offers a variety of monthly celebrations for your classroom. We’re also linking to activities, lesson plans, resources, books, and more for each event.
Want to download our 2023-2024 calendar with all of these school holidays and special days? Get an editable file by submitting your email here so you’ll always have the calendar available.
Go to: August | September | October | November | December | January | February | March | April | May | June | July |
August
Daily observances and celebrations:
- August 9: Book Lovers Day [Read More: Reading Lists for all Grades]
- August 13: Left-Handers Day [Read More: Help Left-Handed Students Succeed]
September
Monthly observances and celebrations:
- Hispanic Heritage Month [Read More: Books To Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month | Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month With These Activities | 20 #OwnVoices Novels]
- National Yoga Month [Read More: Virtual P.E. Resources | Best Apps to Combat Stress & Anxiety]
Daily observances and celebrations:
- 1st Monday: Labor Day [Read More: Classroom Activities To Teach Labor Day]
- September 11: 9-11 Remembrance Day [Read More: Websites and Books To Teach Kids About 9/11]
- September 17: Constitution Day [Read More: Classroom Activities for Constitution Day]
- September 23: First Day of Autumn [Read More: Fall Books | Fall Picture Books | Fall Art Projects | Leaf Art Projects | Fall Bulletin Boards | Fall Poems]
October
Monthly observances and celebrations:
- National Arts & Humanities Month [Read More: Drawing Books | Music Books | Collaborative Art Projects | Art Projects With Basic Supplies | Directed Drawing Activities | Kindergarten Art Projects | First Grade Art Projects | Second Grade Art Projects | Third Grade Art Projects | Fourth Grade Art Projects | Fifth Grade Art Projects | Online Art Resources | Virtual Art Museum Tours | Painting Ideas | Famous Museums Kids Should Know]
- National Bullying Prevention Month [Read More: Anti-Bullying Books | Anti-Bullying Posters | Ideas To Stop Bullying]
Weekly observances and celebrations:
- October 1-7: Banned Book Week [Read More: Banned Books To Read Before 12th Grade]
- October 8-14: National Fire Prevention Week [Read More: Free Resources for National Fire Prevention Week | Activities for Grades Pre-K–2 | Activities for Grades 3-5]
- October 8-14: Teen Read Week [Read More: YA Books to Read Today]
- October 23-31: Red Ribbon Week [Read More: Teen Vaping Guide]
Daily observances and celebrations:
- October 9: Indigenous Peoples’ Day [Read More: Books by Indigenous Authors | Honoring Indigenous Peoples’ Day]
- October 31: Halloween [Read More: Halloween Books | Pumpkin Books | Books About Monsters | Educational Halloween Videos | Halloween Math Word Problems | Halloween Poems | Frightfully Fun Halloween Games, Crafts, and Learning Activities for Kids | Halloween Candy Experiments | Halloween Decorations on a Budget | Literary Halloween Costumes for Teachers | Halloween Group Costumes for Teachers]
November
Monthly observances and celebrations:
- Academic Writing Month [Read More: Best Writing Apps for Kids | Writing Anchor Charts | Writing Center Ideas | 100 Creative Writing Prompts | Writing Prompts for High School]
- American Indian & Alaska Native Heritage Month [Read More: Books by Indigenous Authors for the Classroom]
Daily observances and celebrations:
- November 11: Veterans Day
- 4th Thursday (Nov. 23, 2023): Thanksgiving [Read More: Thanksgiving Books | Thanksgiving Crafts | Leaf Projects | Thanksgiving Poems | Thanksgiving Bulletin Boards | Thanksgiving Lesson Plans | Books by Indigenous Authors | Thanksgiving Food Experiments | Thanksgiving Paper & Gratitude Prompts]
December
Monthly observances and celebrations:
- Winter Holidays [Read More: Our Favorite Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, and Christmas Books for Kids | Favorite Videos for Teaching Kids About Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa | Holiday Crafts | Holidays You Didn’t Know About | School Holiday Countdown | Virtual Holiday Classroom Celebrations]
Daily observances and celebrations:
- December 7: Letter Writing Day
- December 7: Pearl Harbor Day [Read More: Pearl Harbor Facts for Students of All Ages]
- December 7, 2023: Hanukkah Begins [Read More: Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, and Christmas Books]
- December 21: First Day of Winter [Read More: Winter Picture Books | Educational Winter Videos | Winter Crafts | Winter Songs | Winter Poems | Winter Jokes | Winter Outdoor Learning | Winter Science Experiments | Winter Classroom Doors | Winter Classroom Decorations]
- December 24 and 25: Christmas Eve and Christmas Day [Read More: Classroom Door Ideas To Welcome Winter and the Holidays | December Bulletin Board Ideas]
- December 31: New Year’s Eve
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January
Daily observances and celebrations:
- January 1: New Year’s Day
- 3rd Monday (Jan. 15, 2024): Martin Luther King Jr. Day [Read More: Meaningful Martin Luther King Jr. Activities for the Classroom | Classroom Books for Teaching About Martin Luther King Jr. | Martin Luther King Jr. Quotes for the Classroom]
- January 24: Compliment Day [Read More: Compliment Cards To Encourage Staff and Students | Teachers Share Best Thank-You Notes | Teachers Share Funniest Compliments]
February
Monthly observances and celebrations:
- Black History Month [Read More: Black History Month Activities | Picture Book Biographies To Celebrate Black History Month | Black History Month Poems | Black History Videos for Students | Black History Month Posters | Black Scientist Posters | Black History Month Door Ideas]
- National Bird-Feeding Month [Read More: Easy Ways To Get Kids Into Birding]
- National Dental Health Month [Read More: Easy Science Experiments (one with teeth!)]
- Heart Health Awareness Month [Read More: Heart & Anatomy Activities]
- Library Lover’s Month [Read More: Inspiring School Libraries | Start a Free Take-Home Library]
Daily observances and celebrations:
- 100th Day of School [Read More: Ways To Celebrate 100th Day | 100th Day Videos To Celebrate in the Classroom | Hundreds Chart Activities!]
- Lunar New Year [Read More: 10 Lunar New Year Activities]
- Super Bowl (Feb. 11, 2024) [Read More: Football and Super Bowl Activities]
- February 2: Groundhog Day [Read More: Groundhog Day Activities ]
- February 2: 2s Day [Read More: Celebrate 2s Day in the Classroom]
- February 11: International Day of Women and Girls in Science [Read More: Inspiring Women Scientists]
- February 13: Galentine’s Day
- February 14: Valentine’s Day [Read More: Virtual Valentine’s Day Activities | Books To Celebrate Valentine’s Day | Valentine’s Day Poems | Valentine’s Day Jokes | Valentine’s Crafts for the Classroom | Easy & Inexpensive Valentines to Send to Students | Educational Valentine’s Day Videos]
- February 17: Random Acts of Kindness Day [Read More: Free Kindness Posters | Create a Wave of Kindness in Schools | Kindness Books for Kids | Ways To Teach Kindness to Kids | Bucket Filler Activities | Teach Kids To Pay It Forward]
- 3rd Monday: Presidents’ Day [Read More: Presidents’ Day Activities | Teach Presidents’ Day in a Socially Conscious Way | Best President Books for Kids | Presidents’ Day Videos ]
March
Monthly observances and celebrations:
- Women’s History Month [Read More: Women’s History Month Activities | Women’s History Month Books | Women’s History Month Facts for Kids | Women’s History Month Bulletin Boards | Podcasts to Celebrate Women’s History Month | Inspiring Women Scientists]
- National Nutrition Month [Read More: Educational Nutrition Information | Teach Healthy Eating | Fun Food Facts | Food Books for Kids | Books That Teach Healthy Eating Habits]
- Music in Our Schools Month [Read More: Free Music Resources | Creative Music in the Classroom]
Daily observances and celebrations:
- March 2: Read Across America Day [Read More: Reading Lists for all Grades]
- March 14: Pi Day [Read More: Pi Day Activities | Pi Day Jokes]
- March 17: St. Patrick’s Day [Read More: St. Patrick’s Day Activities | St. Patrick’s Day Poems | St. Patrick’s Day Books]
- March 19: First Day of Spring [Read More: Free Spring Posters | Free Spring Writing Paper | Best Spring Books for Kids | Weather Activities for Spring | Poems for Spring]
- March 20: Very Hungry Caterpillar Day [Read More: Very Hungry Caterpillar Day Activities]
- March 22: World Water Day [Read More: Crafts Using Water Bottles & Recycled Materials]
- March 31, 2024: Easter [Read More: Cool Ways To Use Plastic Easter Eggs for Learning, Crafts, and Fun]
April
Monthly observances and celebrations:
- Financial Literacy Month [Read More: Financial Literacy Books | Hands-On Banking | Teach Money Skills | Online Apps and Websites to Teach Money Skills | Adventures in Math]
- Math Awareness Month [Read More: All Things Math! | Adventures in Math]
- National Autism Awareness Month [Read More: Books for Teaching Kids With Autism | 7 Things Your Students With Autism Wish You Knew About Them | Books About Autistic Kids]
- Poetry Month [Read More: Poetry Games & Activities | Must-Share Poems for Elementary School | Must-Share Poems for Middle/High School | Best Poetry Books for Kids | Haiku Poems for Kids | Write a Found Poetry Essay | Poems for Spring]
- School Library Month [Read More: Inspiring School Libraries]
- Volunteer Month [Virtual Volunteering | Volunteering With Children & Teens]
Daily observances and celebrations:
- April 1: April Fools’ Day [Read More: Pranks for Teachers]
- April 7: World Health Day [Read More: Educational Nutrition Information | Teach Healthy Eating]
- April 15: Tax Day [Read More: Tax Saving Strategies for Teachers]
- April 22: Earth Day [Read More: Crafts Using Recycled Materials | Meaningful Earth Day Activities | Earth Day Books for Kids | Free Recycling Resources for the Classroom]
- April 23: Shakespeare’s Birthday [Read More: Shakespeare Activities | Favorite Videos for Teaching Shakespeare]
- April 24: Secretary Day [Read More: 7 Ways School Secretaries Are a Secret Weapon for Good Communication]
- Last Friday: Arbor Day [Read More: Easy Nature Crafts & Activities | Books About Nature | Plant Life Cycle Activities | Gardening Books]
May
Monthly observances and celebrations:
- Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month [Read More: 20 #OwnVoices Nonfiction Books | 20 #OwnVoices Novels]
- Mental Health Awareness Month [Read More: 10 Steps for Building a Mental Health Program at School | How To Talk About Mental Health]
- National Pet Month [Read More: Adorable Classroom Pets | 5 Reasons Why High School Classrooms Need a Pet]
- Physical Fitness Month [Read More: Virtual P.E. Resources | Social Distancing P.E. Activities | Ways To Sneak in Exercise]
Daily observances and celebrations:
- 1st Saturday (May 4, 2024): Kentucky Derby
- May 4: Star Wars (May the 4th Be With You) Day [Read More: Star Wars Bulletin Boards]
- May 5: Cinco de Mayo [Read More: Critical Thinking About Cinco de Mayo]
- 2nd Sunday (May 12, 2024): Mother’s Day [Read More: Mother’s Day Crafts for Kids | Mother’s Day Surprises for Kids | Mother’s Day Books | Free “All About My Mom” Printable]
- Last Monday (May 27, 2024): Memorial Day
June
Monthly observances and celebrations:
- National Safety Month
- Pride Month [Read More: Articles on Making an LGBTQ-Inclusive Classroom]
Daily observances and celebrations:
- June 1: Say Something Nice Day [Read More: Bring Positive Language Into the Classroom]
- June 6: D-Day
- June 14: Flag Day
- 3rd Sunday (June 16, 2024): Father’s Day [Read More: Father’s Day Crafts for Kids | Father’s Day Books | Free “All About My Dad” Printable]
- June 19: Juneteenth [Read More: Ideas for Teaching Juneteenth]
- June 20: First Day of Summer [Read More: Summer Activities | Get Kids to Love Summer Reading | Poems for Summer]
- June 21: International Yoga Day [Read More: Virtual P.E. Resources | Best Apps To Combat Stress & Anxiety]
July
Monthly observances and celebrations:
- National Ice Cream Month
Daily observances and celebrations:
- July 4: American Independence Day [Read More: 4th of July Activities | 4th of July Books]
