January Calendar Activities
New Year 2024
Make
a Calendar
Have children make their own calendar. Print the pages for students
to color and decorate. Then fill in the numbers for each month.
Oshogatsu (Japanese New Year)
The Japanese New Year, Oshogatsu is celebrated January 1-7. Adults stay up for the watch night gong, which is sounded 108 times to rid them; of the 108 human weaknesses described in Buddhist teachings. Houses are scrubbed and families gather for a feast. Pine branches and bamboo decorate the home in the hope they will bring the inhabitants a long life. "Strong ties" are symbolized by the hanging of a twisted rope decorated with oranges, which symbolized "roundness and smoothness" in the coming year.
Read more about the Japanese New Year.
Nengajo-New Year Cards
Make New Year's Greeting Cards for family and friends.
During the New Year's holidays, people receive greeting cards, known as nengajo, from relatives, friends, and acquaintances. Although there are a few set phrases to be used for nengajo, designs and layout can be made anyway one pleases.
Origami Crane (School-Age)
Houses are decorated with origami cranes to bring peace and happiness to the New Year. Make origami cranes for room decoration.
New Year Games
Play Fuku Warai (a bit like pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey)
The object of the game is to place paper cutouts in the shape of the eyes, nose, and mouth on the face while blindfolded.
The children spread out a piece of paper with the outline of a face on it. Then one child is blindfolded with a cloth. The blindfolded child tries to place cutouts of the eyes, eyebrows, mouth, and nose on the face, while the other children shout instructions--for example, "Higher!" "To the left!" "There!" After the child places the pieces, the blindfold is removed so the child can view his or her handiwork. The face comes out looking ridiculous, and the children can't keep from laughing.
For younger children use flannel facial features on a flannel face.
Play Battledore (like badminton but uses no net) Have at least two of the small wooden paddles (with a ball on elastic band which is easily removed) and a shuttlecock. Allow children to practice hitting the shuttlecock back and forth.
Jan 5 & 14 Bird Day
Jan 17 & 19
Jan 17 Kid Inventor’s Day
Kids STEM activities for National Inventors’ DayJan 19 Artist Paul Cezanne’s Birthday
Jan 18 Winnie the Pooh Day
Pooh’s Author A.A. Milne’s Birthday, 1882
Disney Winnie the Pooh and the Royal Birthday
Watch the story video online and download the storybook (free)
Winnie-the-Pooh Playset print, cut, and fold.
14 page printable Pooh Geography will need to share your email address.
Jan 23 National Handwriting Day
John Hancock (information)
John Hancock's signature
