Some of the most memorable experiences from a child’s preschool and elementary school years come from those unique events that the school plans for kids. Here are plenty of ideas for special events that will keep your school or child care center exciting throughout the year:

Silly hair day: Set aside a particular day for children to come to school with the craziest hairdos’ they can create.

Splash day: Have kids bring in their swimsuits or water shoes, and set out water activities on the playground. Kiddie pools with buckets, a slip and slide, a sprinkler, squirt guns, or even just a mischievous teacher with a hose will do. This can be a fun weekly event for your child care center throughout the summer.

Pajama day: Set aside a day for kids to come to school dressed in their pajamas. Parents will love not having to get their child ready in the morning!

Character dress-up day: Who says dressing up has to be restricted to Halloween? Set aside a day or two for children to come to school dressed in a costume of their choice.

Crazy clothes day: Like crazy hair day, have kids come to school in the most outlandish outfit they can put together.

Bike day: Have kids bring in their bicycles or tricycles and ride them around the playground.

Bring your pet to school day: Set aside a day when kids can bring their pet to school. For larger pets like dogs and cats, it’s best to set a specific time where parents can bring their pets. Or simply invite parents to drop by with their pets at any time of the school day.

Backwards day: Have kids come to school dressed in clothes that are backwards, inside out, upside down, or otherwise opposite of what they should be.

Hat day: Allow kids to come to school with a hat. But not just any hat – encourage them to get creative and try to come up with the biggest, fanciest hat they can muster, either one they find or one they put together themselves. Have a class vote on who has the prettiest hat, craziest hat, etc.

Other unofficial holidays & special days throughout the year:

January

• Jan 2: Science Fiction Day
• Jan 4: Trivia Day
• Jan 5: Bird Day
• Jan 7: Old Rock Day – A day to celebrate rocks & fossils!
• Jan 9: Static Electricity Day
• Jan 9: World Nerd Day
• Jan 13: Make Your Dreams Come True Day
• Jan 15: Strawberry Ice Cream Day
• Jan 16: National Nothing Day
• Jan 17: Benjamin Franklin Day
• Jan 17: Kid Inventions Day
• Jan 18: Thesaurus Day
• Jan 19: Popcorn Day
• Jan 20: Penguin Awareness Day
• Jan 21: Squirrel Appreciation Day
• Jan 21: National Hugging Day
• Jan 22: National Answer Your Cats Questions Day (encourages humans to see the world through their Cats’ eyes)
• Jan 23: Handwriting Day
• Jan 24: Compliment Day
• Jan 25: Opposite Day
• Jan 27: Chocolate Cake Day
• Jan 29: Puzzle Day
• Jan 31: Backwards Day
• Jan 31: National Gorilla Suit Day

 

February

• Feb 1:National Serpent Day
• Feb 2: Groundhog Day
• Feb 2: National Hedgehog Day
• Feb 2: National Sled Dog Day
• Feb 3: Eat Ice Cream for Breakfast Day
• Feb 3: Carrot Cake Day
• Feb 4: Thank Your Mailman Day
• Feb 5: National Weatherperson’s Day
• Feb 6: Lame Duck Day
• Feb 7: Send a Card to a Friend Day
• Feb 10: Umbrella Day
• Feb 11: Make A Friend Day
• Feb 11: Don’t Cry Over Spilt Milk Day
• Feb 12: Darwin Day
• Feb 13: World Radio Day
• Feb 14: St. Valentine’s Day
• Feb 14: Library Lovers Day
• Feb 15: Gumdrop Day
• Feb 15: World Hippo Day
• Feb 16: Do A Grouch A Favor Day
• Feb 17: Random Act of Kindness Day
• Feb 22: Be Humble Day
• Feb 24: World Sword Swallowers Day
• Feb 26: Pistachio Day Feb 26: Tell A Fairy Tale Day

 

March

• March 1: World Compliment Day
• March 2: Old Stuff Day
• March 2: International Cat Rescue Day
• March 3: I Want You To Be Happy Day
• March 4: March Forth and Do Something Day
• March 6: Dentist’s Day
• March 7: Alexander Graham Bell Day
• March 8: Proofreading Day
• March 12: Napping Day
• March 12: Alfred Hitchcock Day
• March 13: Jewel Day
• March 14: Albert Einstein’s Birthday
• March 14: National Learn About Butterfly’s Day
• March 15: Everything You Think Is Wrong Day
• March 15: Absolutely Incredible Kid Day
• March 17: St. Patrick’s Day
• March 17: Submarine Day
• March 18: Awkward Moments Day
• March 19: Let’s Laugh Day
• March 20: World Storytelling Day
• March 20: World Sparrow Day
• March 21: Common Courtesy Day
• March 22: International Goof Off Day
• March 23: Puppy Day
• March 26: Make Up Your Own Holiday Day
• March 28: Something On A Stick Day
• March 29: Smoke & Mirrors Day
• March 30: Take A Walk in the Park Day

 

April

• April 1: April Fools Day
• April 3: World Party Day
• April 4: Tell A Lie Day
• April 4: World Cat Day
• April5: Read A Road Map Day
• April5: First Contact Day (Aliens)
• April 8: Pygmy Hippo Day
• April 9: Unicorn Day
• April 10: Siblings Day
• April 12: Grilled Cheese Day
• April12: World Hamster day
• April 13: Scrabble Day
• April 14: International Moment of Laughter Day
• April 14: Look Up to the Sky Day
• April 17: Haiku Poetry Day
• April 20: Look Alike Day
• April 21: Astronomy Day
• April 21 World Malaria Day
• April 21: Bulldogs Are Beautiful Day
• April 22: Jelly Bean Day
• April 22: Earth Day
• April 23: Take A Chance Day
• April 23: Lover’s Day
• April 25: DNA Day
• April 25: World Penguin Day
• April 26: Poem in Your Pocket Day
• April 26: Take Our Daughters & Sons to Work Day
• April 26: National Kids & Pets Day
• April 26: Pretzel Day
• April 26: Richter Scale Day (Earthquakes)
• April 27: National Tell A Story Day
• April 30: Honesty Day
• April 30: National Oatmeal Cookie Day

 

May

• May 1: Batman Day
• May 1: Global Love Day
• May 2: World Tuna Day
• May 4: No Pants Day
• May 4: Space Day
• May 4: Star Wars Day (As in “May the Fourth Be With You)
• May 5: Cinco de Mayo
• May 8: World Donkey Day
• May 9: National School Nurse Day
• May 9: Europe Day
• May 9: Lost Sock Memorial Day
• May 10: Clean Up Your Room Day
• May 11: Eat What You Want Day
• May 13: Frog Jumping Day
• May 14: Dance Like A Chicken Day
• May 15: Chocolate Chip Day
• May 16: National Sea Monkey Day
• May 18: Pizza Party Day
• May 20: World Bee Day
• May 21: Talk Like Yoda Day
• May 23: World Turtle Day
• May 24: Scavenger Hunt Day
• May 28: Hamburger Day

 

June

• June 1 : Say Something Nice Day
• June 1 : National Doughnut Day
• June 4:  Hug Your Cat Day
• June 6: National Trains Day
• June 8 : Best Friends Day
• June 9 : Donald Duck Day
• June 10 : Iced Tea Day
• June 14: Flag Day
• June 15: Nature Photography Day
• June 16: World Juggling Day
• June 17: Eat Your Vegetables Day June 18: International Picnic Day
• June 18: International Panic Day
• June 21: World Giraffe Day
• June 26: Chocolate Pudding Day
• June 29 : Camera Day
• June 30: Meteor Watch Day

 

July

• Second Tuesday of July: Cow Appreciation Day
• July 1: Canada Day
• July 1: International Joke Day
• July 2: World UFO Day
• July 6: World Kissing Day
• July 7: Tell the Truth Day
• July 8: Video Games Day
• July 9: Sugar Cookie Day
• July 10: Teddy Bears’ Picnic Day
• July 11 : Cheer Up the Lonely Day
• July 12 : Simplicity Day
• July 14: Pandemonium Day
• July 15: Gummy Worm Day
• July 15: Ice Cream Day
• July 16: World Snake Day
• July 19: Stick out Your Tongue Day
• July 20: Space Exploration Day
• July 21 : Junk Food Day
• July 23: Vanilla Ice Cream Day
• July 24: Pioneer Day
• July 24: Cousins Day
• July 26: Uncle & Aunt Day
• July 28: Milk Chocolate Day
• July 29: Lasagna Day
• July 29: International Tiger Day

 

August

• Aug 2: Ice Cream Sandwich Day
• Aug 3: Watermelon Day
• Aug 5: Sisters’ Day
• Aug 5: Work Like A Dog Day
• Aug 6: Fresh Breath Day
• Aug 7: Lighthouse Day
• Aug 8: Happiness Happens Day
• Aug 9: Book Lovers Day
• Aug 10: Lazy Day
• Aug 11: Son & Daughter Day
• Aug 12: Middle Child Day
• Aug 12: World Elephant Day
• Aug 13: Left-Handers Day
• Aug 15: Relaxation Day
• Aug 16: tell A Joke Day
• Aug 19: World Photo Day
• Aug 19: International Orangutan Day
• Aug 22: Be An Angel Day
• Aug 25: Kiss & Make Up Day
• Aug 26: Dog Appreciation Day
• Aug 30: Frankenstein Day
• Aug 31: Eat Outside Day

 

September

• First Saturday in September: Vulture Awareness Day
• Sep 1: No Rhyme or Reason Day
• Sept. 3: Skyscraper Day
• Sept 4: Eat an Extra Dessert Day
• Sept 5: Be Late for Something Day
• Sept 5: Cheese Pizza Day
• Sept 6: Fight Procrastination Day
• Sept 6: Read A Book Day
• Sept 8: National Iguana Day
• Sept 9: Teddy Bear Day
• Sept 12: Chocolate Milkshake Day
• Sept 13: Positive Thinking Day
• Sept 14: Hug Your Hound Day
• Sept 15: National Clean-Up Day
• Sept 15: Make a Hat Day
• Sept 16: Collect Rocks Day
• Sept 17: International Country Music Day
• Sept 18: Rice Krispie Treat Day
• Sept 19: National Gymnastics Day
• Sept 19: International Talk Like A Pirate Day
• Sept 20: Punch Day
• Sept 21: Miniature Golf Day
• Sept 24: Punctuation Day
• Sept 25: Comic Book Day
• Sept 26: Love Note Day
• Sept 27: Crush a Can Day
• Sept 28: Ask a Stupid Question Day
• Sept 28: Good Neighbor Day

 

October

• October Is Adopt A Dog Month
• Oct 1: Balloons Around the World Day
• Oct 4: Taco Day
• Oct 5: World Smile Day
• Oct 6: Card Making Day
• Oct 6: Mad Hatter Day
• Oct 9: Curious Events Day
• Oct 11: It’s My Party Day
• Oct 12: Old Farmers Day
• Oct. 13: Astronomy Day
• Oct 16: Dictionary Day
• Oct 18: Chocolate Cupcake Day
• Oct 20: International Observe the Moon Night
• Oct 20: Sweetest Day
• Oct 20: International Sloth Day
• Oct 24: Bologna Day
• Oct 26: Howl at the Moon Day and Night
• Oct 28: International Animation Day
• Oct 29: Internet Day
• Oct 29: National Cat Day
• Oct 30: Candy Corn Day
• Oct 30: Mischief Night
• Oct 31: Magic Day

 

November

• Nov 1: Author’s Day
• Nov 1 & 2: Day of the Dead (Mexico)
• Nov 3: Sandwich Day
• Nov 3: Jellyfish Day
• Nov 4: Common Sense Day
• Nov 5: Guy Fawkes Night Day (Great Britain; celebrates the rebel Guy Fawkes) & National Love Your Red Hair Day (Ireland} Nov 6: Malaia Day (North & South America)
• Nov 8: Tongue Twister Day
• Nov 10: Vanilla Cupcake Day
• Nov 11: Origami Day
• Nov 13: World Kindness Day
• Nov 14: Pickle Day
• Nov 14 World Diabetes Day
• Nov 15: Use Less Stuff Day
• Nov 16: Fast Food Day
• Nov 17: take A Hike Day
• Nov 18: National Vichyssoise (US)
• Nov 19: Carbonated Beverage Day with Caffeine Day (US)
• Nov20: National Absurdity Day

• Nov 22: Go For a Ride Day
• Nov 24: Celebrate Your Unique Talent Day
• Nov 25: National Portrait Day (US)
• Nov 26: Cake Day Nov: 27: Teachers Day (Spain)
• Nov 28: Red Planet Day

 

December

• Dec 1: Eat a Red Apple Day
• Dec 3: Make a Gift Day
• Dec 5: Day of the Ninja
• Dec 7: Letter Writing Day
• Dec 8: Pretend to Be A Time Traveler Day
• Dec 9: Christmas Card Day
• Dec 12: Gingerbread House Day
• Dec 13: National Day of the Horse
• Dec 14: Monkey Day
• Dec 16: Chocolate Covered Anything Day
• Dec 21: Ugly Sweater Day
• Dec 23: Festivus
• Dec 26: Thank You Note Day
• Dec. 26-Jan 1: Kwanzaa
• Dec 28: Card Playing Day
• Dec 31: Make Up Your Mind Day

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

July

• July 1: Canada Day
• July 1: International Joke Day
• July 2: World UFO Day
• July 6: World Kissing Day
• July 7: Tell the Truth Day
• July 8: Video Games Day
• July 9: Sugar Cookie Day