As the new year approaches, it’s the perfect time to rebuild classroom community, review expectations, and ease back into learning. Here are some easy and engaging New Year activities for students to help you start the new year off right.
New Year Activities for Students - Resolutions and Goal Setting
Start the new year by encouraging students to set personal and academic goals.
A “New Year Resolutions” one-pager is an easy and unique way for students to set those goals and resolutions.
Provide a template with sections for goals, such as academic, social, and personal growth. Students can decorate their posters with drawings and motivational quotes. They can display these around the classroom as a constant reminder of their aspirations.
One Word for the New Year - A Different type of New Year Activity for Students.
Instead of New Year’s resolutions this year, try choosing one word to focus on for the New Year.
Together with your students, brainstorm positive words that they would like to focus on for the year, such as “success,” “organized,” or “kind.” Have students write and display their “word” on a poster and hang it up in the classroom. Keep it up for the rest of the school year to remind them of their word.
This is definitely one of my favorite New Year activities for students!
Research and Learn How Other Countries Celebrate the New Year Around the World
Introduce students to different cultural celebrations of the new year.
Create a mini-unit exploring New Year’s traditions around the world.
Have students research how various countries celebrate and present their findings to the class. This activity includes creating art projects, writing reports, or cooking traditional New Year’s foods. It’s a fantastic way to broaden their cultural understanding and appreciation.
I use two activities just for this purpose: a New Year’s Around the World Escape Room and a New Year’s Scavenger Hunt. Both are wonderful ways to get my sleepy students up and moving after the break!
Create a New Year Time Capsule
A New Year’s Time Capsule is a fun way for students to see how much they grow and change over a year.
Create a one-page time capsule or use a One-Pager template. Have them include their friends, hobbies, favorite songs, movies, games, etc.
Brainstorm about other things they could add, such as resolutions, dreams for their future, etc. Hang them on a bulletin board and then save them to give back at the end of the school year.
New Year Countdown Party
With so many students celebrating different holidays over Winter Break, why not have a party to celebrate the New Year instead?
On the day before winter break, schedule a “party” with New Year crafts and a countdown to noon (or any time that works for you). Have noisemakers, party hats, and maybe even some sparkling apple juice to drink.
As far as New Year activities for students go, this is a class favorite!
Collaborative Coloring Poster - A Community Building New Year Activity
Collaborative coloring is a great way to build community in your classroom, and the New Year is the perfect time to come together!
To do this:
- Create a large “Happy New Year” poster and split it so that each student can get one portion to color.
- When students finish coloring their pieces, assemble and glue the poster together.
- Post it on a bulletin board, and have students write a resolution on a fun shape, such as a star, a New Year’s hat, or a heart.
- Staple their resolutions around the poster.
Need a done-for-you poster? Here is the one I use.
Celebrate Martin Luther King
We celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr on the third Monday of January. Take the time to dig into his life and teachings. There is so much to learn from his life and legacy.
Here are some Martin Luther King Jr. activities to start the first week back to school:
Read about Dr. Martin Luther King. Here are a few resources that may be helpful.
Split his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech into paragraphs and give each part to a small group of students. Have students rewrite it in a language they would understand.
In his honor, perform community service. Read to younger students, clean the campus, or write notes of encouragement to others.
I hope these New Year’s activities help you to bring a festive feel to your classroom this New Year!
Happy New Year!
💙tina
