Celebrating and enjoying 'National Days' can stop every day with a small person feeling like Ground Hog Day (which is actually on February 2nd, in case you were wondering). The list below can provide an idea for something unusual / new to do each day, mostly using things you'd have around your home already. You could... paint a picture relating to the day OR find and play with relevant toys you already own OR sit in the bath for themed messy play OR watch suitable YouTube videos together on the sofa OR make associated food OR listen to music which fits the day OR sing songs and read stories with the theme in OR go on a walk to spot things linked to the day's theme OR wear clothing related to the day OR play relevant games. This isn't about doing a big, hard-to-organise, Insta-worthy, jam-packed, day-long event every day of the year. Whatever you do, be sure to take photos and ring up relatives/friends and tell them what you've done to celebrate the day.
January
1 – New Year’s Day
2 – Swiss Cheese Day
3 – Festival of Sleep Day
4 – National Spaghetti Day
5 – National Bird Day
6 – National Shortbread Day
7 – Old Rock Day (music or garden stones – you choose!)
8 – National Bubble Bath Day
9 – National Apricot Day (the colour or the fruit – you choose!)
10 – Houseplant Appreciation Day
11 – National Splash in Puddles Day (if no puddles, take some water outside and create some!)
12 – Glazed Doughnut Day
13 – National Rubber Ducky Day
14 – International Kite Day (if no wind you’ll just have to run fast dragging it behind you)
15 – National Hat Day
16 – Appreciate a Dragon Day
17 – Young Inventor’s Day (is there something that a child you know does differently to everyone else!?)
18 – National Winnie the Pooh Day
19 – Good Memory Day (test your memory skills or look back at happy photos – you choose!)
20 – Penguin Awareness Day
21 – National Hugging Day (household hugs or pet hugs or teddy hugs or tree hugs - you choose!)
22 – National Polka Dot Day (wearing spotty clothes or drawing dotty pictures – you choose!)
23 – National Pie Day
24 – Belly Laugh Day (can you tell the best joke or be the best tickle monster?)
25 – National Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day (please recycle it in the carrier bag recycling afterwards!)
26 – Australia Day
27 – National Chocolate Cake Day (it is also World Holocaust Memorial Day - Newsround has an excellent 30 minute video for older primary school kids upwards)
28 – National Lego Day (or Duplo of course)
29 – National Puzzle Day (jigsaw or word puzzles – you choose!)
30 – National Croissant Day
31 – National Backwards Day (wear your clothes backwards and eat breakfast before going to bed!)
February
1 - National Serpent Day
2 - Hedgehog Day ***also Number Day / Dress Up For Digits in 2024***
3 - National Carrot Cake Day
4 -National Thank a Postie Day
5 - World Nutella Day (try and choose a palm-oil free alternative chocolate spread) ***also the start of Children's Mental Health Week in 2024***
6 - National Chopsticks Day (eating implements or the simple piano tune - you choose!) ***also Safer Internet Day in 2024***
7 - Ballet Day
8 - National Potato Lover's Day (chips and baked potato or potato printing - you choose!)
9 - Read in the Bathtub Day
10 - Teddy Day (an indoor teddy bears' picnic anyone?)
11 - National Get Out your Guitar Day (a real guitar or one from elastic bands and an old box - you choose!)
12 - National Lost Penny Day (hunt the coin / chocolate coins / do coin rubbings)
13 - Kiss Day (make lipstick lip prints on a mirror / card or bake Mars Bar kisses - you choose!)
14 - Valentine's Day
15 - National Hippo Day
16 - National Do A Grouch A Favour Day (watch Oscar on Sesame Street or do a grumpy person a good turn)
17 - National Cabbage Day
18 - Thumb Appreciation Day
19 - National Chocolate Mint Day (make peppermint creams and dip in chocolate)
20 - Clean out your Bookcase Day (rearrange books by colour / theme or sort out some for charity)
21 - National Sticky Bun Day
22 - National Wildlife Day (spot from your window, in the garden, on a walk or watch some David Attenborough on iPlayer - you choose!)
23 - Play Tennis Day (use a tennis racket or just your hand - you choose!)
24 - National Tortilla Day (crisps or wraps - you choose!)
25 - Quite Day
26 - National Tell a Fairy Tale Day
27 - Pokemon Day
28 - National Tooth Fairy Day
29 - National Frog's Legs Day (Leap Year only)
March
1 - National Dr Seuss Day (a nonsense-rhyme writing author)
2 - National Old Stuff Day (find the oldest things in your house or do an archaeological dig in the garden sandpit - you choose!)
3 - 33 Flavours Day (can you find 33 different foods to taste in the house?)
4 - National Marching Music Day
5 - National Cheesy Wotsit Crisp Day
6 - National Frozen Food Day
7 - National Cereal Day (eating it or making necklaces from Cheerios - you choose!) ***also World Book Day in 2024***
8 - International Women's Day
9 - National Barbie Day (the doll or a BBQ - you choose!)
10 - National Pack Your Lunch Day ***also Mother's Day in 2024***
11 - Dream Day (the night time kind or thoughts of what you'd like to happen - you choose!)
12 - National Plant a Flower Day
13 - National Earmuff Day
14 - National Learn about Butterflies Day
15 - National Peanut Lovers Day (the edible kind or the character in Charlie Brown / Snoopy - you choose!)
16 - National Panda Day
17 - St Patrick's Day
18 - National Oaty Cookie Day
19 - National Let's Laugh Day
20 - French Language Day
21 - World Poetry Day
22 - World Water Day
23 - Cuddly Kitten Day
24 - National Chocolate Covered Raisin Day (or celebrate regular raisins or yoghurt covered ones - you choose!)
25 - International Waffle Day (sweet or savoury - you choose!)
26 - National Purple Day
27 - National Scribble Day
28 - Children's Picture Book Day
29 - National Lemon Cake Day ***also Good Friday in 2024***
30 - National Doctors' Day
31 - Dance Marathon Day ***also Easter Sunday in 2024***
April
1 - April Fool's Day (can you catch someone out before midday?) ***also Easter Monday in 2024***
2 - International Children's Book Day
3 - National Find a Rainbow Day (in the sky or paint your own)
4 - International Carrot Day (eat them / plant them / print with them - you choose)
5 - National Read a Road Map Day (raid the glove box in the car or go online to the 'route planner' section of theaa.com website)
6 - National Tartan Day (wear some or design your own)
7 - National Coffee Cake Day
8 - National Zoo Lovers Day
9 - National Unicorn Day
10 - Golfer's Day (set up a crazy golf course in the garden - use rolled-up paper as golf clubs)
11 - National Submarine Day
12 - Drop Everything and Read Day
13 - National Scrabble Day (cut out the letter 'tiles' of your name from paper and see what other words you can make)
14 - National Gardening Day
15 - National High-Five Day
16 - Save the Elephant Day
17 - National Haiku Poetry Day (line 1 has 5 syllables, line 2 has 7 syllables, line 3 has 5 syllables)
18 - National Velociraptor Awareness Day
19 - National Garlic Day
20 - National Lookalike Day (look back at old family photos - do you look like your relatives?)
21 - National Tea Day
22 - National Earth Day / International Mother Earth Day
23 - St George's Day
24 - National Skipping Day
25 - National Telephone Day (do you know important phone numbers by heart?)
26 - Hug a Friend Day
27 - National Tell a Story Day
28 - National Superhero Day
29 - International Dance Day
30 - National Raisin Day
May
1 - National Lemonade Day (learn how to make it from scratch)
2 – International Harry Potter Day
3 – National Teacher Day
4 – Star Wars Day (‘May the 4th be with you’)
5 – World Password Day
6 – National Space Day
7 – National Fitness Day
8 – World Red Cross Day
9 – National Lost Sock Day
10 – National Clean Your Room Day
11 – National Eat What You Want To Day
12 – International Nurses Day
13 – International Hummus Day
14 – National Dance Like a Chicken Day
15 – National Chocolate Chip Day
16 – National Love a Tree Day
17 – National Graduation Tassel Day (you could make your own hats with tassels)
18 – National No Dirty Dishes Day
19 – National May Ray Day (learn how to enjoy the sun’s rays safely)
20 – National Pizza Party Day
21 – International Tea Day (learn how to make a cup of tea or enjoy afternoon tea)
22 – International Being You Day
23 – World Turtle Day
24 – National Scavenger Hunt Day
25 – National Sing Out Day
26 – National Paper Airplane Day
27 – Nothing to Fear Day
28 – International Burger Day (meat or veggie or vegan – you choose!)
29 – Learn About Composting Day
30 – National Water a Flower Day (if none have bloomed yet, craft a paper flower)
31 – National Smile Day
June
1 – Dinosaur Day
2 – National I Love My Dentist Day
3 – World Bicycle Day
4 – National Black Bear Day
5 – National Gingerbread Day
6 – National Yo-Yo Day
7 – National Chocolate Ice Cream Day
8 – National Best Friends Day
9 – National Donald Duck Day
10 – National Herbs and Spices Day (sniff the ones in your kitchen – which is your favourite?)
11 – National Corn on the Cob Day (how do you eat sweetcorn?)
12 – National Loving Day
13 – Cupcake Lover’s Day
14 – International Bath Day
15 – Nature Photography Day
16 – World Juggling Day ***also Father's Day in 2024***
17 – National Apple Strudel Day
18 – International Picnic Day
19 – National Garfield the Cat Day
20 – American Eagle Day
21 – Go Skateboarding Day (or watch some videos of Sky Brown)
22 – National Kissing Day
23 – National Pink Day
24 – World UFO Day
25 – Global Beatles Day (the insect or the musical band – you choose!)
26 – Armed Forces Day
27 – National Sunglasses Day
28 – National Alaska Day
29 – National Camera Day
30 – National Meteor Watch Day
July
1 – International Joke Day
2 – National Wrong Trousers Day (watch the Wallace and Gromit film or wear the wrong ones!)
3 – National Eat Beans Day
4 – Alice in Wonderland Day
5 – National Hawaii Day
6 – National Air Traffic Control Day
7 – Tell the Truth Day
8 – National Ice Cream Sundae Day
9 – Fashion Day
10 – Teddy Bear Picnic Day
11- National Swimming Pool Day (why not make your toys a swimming pool using a bowl?)
12 – Paper Bag Day (what can you make out of a paper bag?)
13 – National French Fry Day
14 – Shark Awareness Day
15 – National Give Something Away Day
16 – Guinea Pig Appreciation Day
17 – World Emoji Day
18 – World Listening Day
19 – Stick Out Your Tongue Day
20 – National Fortune Cookie Day
21 – National Be Someone Day
22 – National Hammock Day (can you make a hammock for your teddy or doll, so they can relax?)
23 – National Vanilla Ice Cream Day
24 – National Drive-Thru Day
25 – National Threading the Needle Day (can someone teach you to sew?)
26 – National All or Nothing Day
27 – National Love is Kind Day
28 – World Nature Conservation Day
29 – International Tiger Day
30 – Paperback Book Day
31 – Harry Potter’s Birthday
August
1 – Spider Man Day
2 – National Colouring Book Day
3 – National Watermelon Day
4 – National Coast Guard Day
5 – National Oyster Day
6 – National Fresh Breath Day
7 – National Lighthouse Day
8 – Global Sleep Under the Stars Night
9 – National Book Lovers Day
10 – National Lazy Day
11- Mountain Day
12 – World Elephant Day
13 - International Lefthanders Day (who do you know that is lefthanded?)
14 – National Code Talkers Day (can you make up a secret code?)
15 – National Relaxation Day
16 – National Tell a Joke Day
17 – National I Love my Feet Day (can you do some footprint art?)
18 – National Fajita Day (what’s your favourite filling to put in a wrap?)
19 – National Potato Day (make potato prints or make mash – it’s up to you!)
20 – National Radio Day
21 – National Senior Citizens Day (tell a grandparent or elderly neighbour it’s their day!)
22 – National Tooth Fairy Day
23 – National Sponge Cake Day (learn how to bake a Victoria Sponge!)
24 – Pluto Demoted Day (don’t forget about Pluto now it’s not a planet!)
25 – National Banana Split Day (learn how to make one!)
26 – National Dog Day
27 – International Bat Night
28 – National Bow Tie Day
29 – National Lemon Juice Day (find out what you can use it for around the house!)
30 – Frankenstein Day
31 – Eat Outside Day
September
1 – International Bacon Day (meat or meat-free – you choose!)
2 – World Coconut Day
3 – National Skyscrapers Day
4 – National Pet Rock Day
5 – International Day of Charity (can you find a collection box to donate to?)
6 – National Read a Book Day
7 – National Feel the Love Day
8 – National Iguana Awareness Day
9 – Teddy Bear Day
10 – Swap Ideas Day
11 – National Make Your Bed Day
12 – National Video Games Day
13 – Roald Dahl Day (what’s your favourite story by Roald Dahl?)
14 – National Live Creative Day
15 – Make a Hat Day
16 – National Play-Doh Day (find a recipe and make your own!)
17 – National Gymnastics Day
18 – National Respect Day
19 – Talk Like a Pirate Day
20 – National Pepperoni Pizza Day (can you make one with a meat-free alternative topping?)
21 – Batman Day
22 – Dear Diary Day
23 – International Day of Sign Languages
24 – World Bollywood Day
25 – National Cooking Day
26 – Love Note Day
27 – National Scarf Day (wear one or learn to knit one – you choose!)
28 – Ask a Stupid Question Day
29 – World Heart Day (learn how to keep your heart healthy)
30 – National Mud Pack Day (enjoy some pampering time!)
October
1 – National Hair Day
2 – National Name your Car Day (real car or toy cars – you choose!)
3 – World Architecture Day
4 – World Animal Day
5 – National Do Something Nice Day
6 – National Mad Hatter Day (ask someone to read a description of him from Alice in Wonderland)
7 – National Inner Beauty Day
8 – World Octopus Day
9 – National Mouldy Cheese Day (watch a video to find out how it is made!)
10 – World Porridge Day
11 – National Face Your Fears Day
12 – National Fossil Day
13 – National Yorkshire Pudding Day
14 – World Egg Day
15 – Bridge Day
16 – Dictionary Day and ***also Restart a Heart Day (learn how to do CPR) in 2024***
17 – National Pasta Day
18 – National Chocolate Cupcake Day
19 – Rainforest Day
20 – International Sloth Day
21 – Celebration of the Mind Day
22 – National Knee Day
23 – National iPod or iPad Day
24 – United Nations Day (what rights do you think it is important to have?)
25 – International Artist Day
26 – Worldwide Howl at the Moon Night (can you howl like a wolf at the moon?)
27 – National Black Cat Day
28 – Bandanna Day (wear one or get your teddy to wear one – you choose!)
29 – National Hermit Day
30 – National Checklist Day
31 – Halloween
November
1 – National Brush Day
2 – Cookie Monster’s Day
3 – National Sandwich Day
4 – Use your Common Sense Day
5 – Bonfire Night
6 – National Bison Day
7 – Hug a Bear Day
8 – X-ray Day
9 – Go to an Art Museum Day (in real life or online – you choose!)
10 – Sesame Street Day
11 – Remembrance Day ***also Odd Socks Day (starting off Anti-Bullying Week) in 2024***
12 – National Fancy Rat and Mouse Day
13 – World Kindness Day
14 – National Seat Belt Day
15 – National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day
16 – National Button Day (learn how to sew on a missing button!)
17 – National Homemade Bread Day
18 – Mickey Mouse Day
19 – World Toilet Day
20 – Name your PC Day (give your computer or laptop or iPad a name!)
21 – World Hello Day
22 – Go for a Ride Day
23 – Dr Who Day
24 – National Jukebox Day (what would your perfect playlist of songs be?)
25 – National Shopping Reminder Day (can you help to make a shopping list today?)
26 – Day of Listening
27 – National Electric Guitar Day
28 – Red Planet Day
29 – Electronic Greetings Day
30 – St Andrew’s Day
December
1 – Eat a Red Apple Day
2 – Play Basketball Day
3 – Let’s Hug Day
4 – International Cheetah Day
5 – Day of the Ninja Day
6 – Miner’s Day
7 – National Letter Writing Day
8 – Pretend to be a Time Traveller Day
9 – National Llama Day
10 – International Animal Rights Day
11 – National App Day
12 – Gingerbread House Day (read Hansel and Gretel or build your own – you choose!)
13 – National Violin Day ***also Christmas Jumper Day in 2024***
14 – Monkey Day
15 – National Cupcake Day
16 – National Chocolate Covered Anything Day
17 – Wright Brothers Day (find out about the flying machines these brothers built)
18 – Answer the Telephone Like Buddy the Elf Day
19 – Look for an Evergreen Day (go tree spotting!)
20 – Go Carolling Day
21 – Crossword Puzzle Day
22 – Mathematics Day
23 – National Christmas Movie Marathon Day
24 – Christmas Eve
25 – Christmas Day
26 – Boxing Day
27 – Make Cut-Out Snowflakes Day
28 – Card Game Playing Day
29 – Still Need to do Day (write a 'to do' list for the coming year)
30 – National Resolution Planning Day (what New Year’s resolutions will you make?)
31 – New Year’s Eve
Adapted from… alwaystheholidays.com and https://nationaldaycalendar.com/ and nationaltoday.com, so most are American / Canadian National Days, I think. I chose the ones most relevant to us as a young family. I'm sure you can edit the list to add others which are special to you and yours - enjoy!
N.B. Number Day (February), Children's Mental Health Week (February), Safer Internet Day (February), Pancake Day (February / March), World Book Day (March), Mother's Day (March), Easter Friday/Sunday/Monday (March / April), Father's Day (June), Restart a Heart Day (October), Odd Socks Day (November), Christmas Jumper Day (December), all move dates each year. The above list will be updated on 1st January (or as close to that date as possible) each year.