What's special about today?

A free online resource to help Canadian teachers commemorate special awareness days throughout the year.

hat-day

Sep 15th - Make a Hat Day
terry-fox-day

September - Terry Fox Day
equinox-day

Sep 22nd - Autumn Equinox
sign-language-thumb

Sep 23rd - International Day of Sign Languages

There are so many wonderful things to celebrate throughout the year! Sometimes as teachers we just get too busy to think of ways to recognize and integrate special days, special people, and special ideas into our curriculum.

This calendar is a unique and evolving project. Instead of the “special days” that you may already be used to celebrating in your classrooms, you will find some interesting, educational, and even some outrageous dates, accompanied by quick “Activity Bursts” to get your students talking and thinking. Enjoy!

Note: In addition to the references suggested in some of the Activity Bursts you may want to check out the following resources that connect to and extend the “special day” experience.

Little Book Finder 
(Easily search for a little book by topic or theme) Free downloadable Student & Teacher resources
from our Well Aware program.

Special Days by Month

September  |  October  |  November  |  December  |  January  |  February  |  March  |  April  |  May  |  June

Categories

Interesting

Awareness / remembrance

Just for fun

Getting involved

September

CategoryDateSpecial DayActivities Provided For
resized-just-for-fun-holding-dot.pngSep 15th               Make a Hat DayAll
resized-awareness-holding-dot.pngresized-getting-involved-holding-dot.pngSeptember Terry Fox RunAll
resized-interesting-holding-dot.pngSep 22ndAutumn EquinoxAll
resized-interesting-holding-dot.pngSep 23rdInternational Day of Sign LanguageAll
resized-interesting-holding-dot.pngSep 25thNational Comic Book DayAll
resized-awareness-holding-dot.pngresized-getting-involved-holding-dot.pngSep 30thNational Day for Truth and ReconciliationGr. 3-5, 6-8

October

CategoryDate                   Special Day                                               Activities Provided For
resized-interesting-holding-dot.pngOct 1stInternational Music DayAll
resized-awareness-holding-dot.pngOct 1stInternational Day of Older PersonsAll
resized-getting-involved-holding-dot.pngOct 5thDo Something Nice DayAll
resized-awareness-holding-dot.pngOct 5thWorld Teachers’ DayAll
resized-awareness-holding-dot.pngresized-getting-involved-holding-dot.pngOct 9th - 15thFire Prevention WeekAll
resized-awareness-holding-dot.pngOct 10thWorld Mental Health DayAll
resized-just-for-fun-holding-dot.pngOct 16thDictionary DayAll
resized-getting-involved-holding-dot.pngOct 24th-28thNational Media Literacy WeekAll

November

Category          Date              Special Day                                               Activities Provided For
resized-just-for-fun-holding-dot.png2nd SundayInternational Tongue Twister DayAll
resized-awareness-holding-dot.png

Nov 10th

Forget-Me-Not DayAll
resized-awareness-holding-dot.pngNov 11thRemembrance DayAll
resized-awareness-holding-dot.pngNov 13thWorld Kindness DayAll
resized-just-for-fun-holding-dot.pngNov 24thCelebrate Your Unique Talent DayAll

December

Category                  Date              Special Day                                                                  Activities Provided For
resized-awareness-holding-dot.pngresized-getting-involved-holding-dot.pngDec 3rdInternational Day of Persons with DisabilitiesAll
resized-just-for-fun-holding-dot.pngDec 5thInternational Volunteer DayAll
resized-getting-involved-holding-dot.pngresized-interesting-holding-dot.pngDec 7thLetter Writing DayAll
resized-just-for-fun-holding-dot.pngDec 8thPretend to be a Time Traveler DayAll
resized-getting-involved-holding-dot.pngresized-awareness-holding-dot.pngDec 10thHuman Rights DayAll
resized-interesting-holding-dot.pngresized-just-for-fun-holding-dot.pngDec 12thNational Poinsettia Day All

January

Category           DateSpecial DayActivities Provided For
resized-awareness-holding-dot.pngJan 4thWorld Braille DayAll
resized-just-for-fun-holding-dot.pngAll monthNational Hobby MonthAll
resized-interesting-holding-dot.pngJan 17thKid Inventors’ DayAll
resized-awareness-holding-dot.pngresized-getting-involved-holding-dot.pngJan 24th

International Day of Education

All
resized-awareness-holding-dot.pngresized-getting-involved-holding-dot.pngLast WednesdayBell Let’s Talk DayAll
resized-getting-involved-holding-dot.pngJan 27thFamily Literacy DayAll

February

CategoryDateSpecial DayActivities Provided For
resized-just-for-fun-holding-dot.pngFirst WednesdayGlobal School Play DayAll
resized-getting-involved-holding-dot.pngFeb 7thSafer Internet DayAll
resized-interesting-holding-dot.pngFeb 15th

National Flag Day

All
resized-just-for-fun-holding-dot.pngFeb 20thNational Hoodie-Hoo DayAll
resized-interesting-holding-dot.pngFeb 15th

Canada's Agriculture Day

All
resized-awareness-holding-dot.pngLast WednesdayPink Shirt DayAll
resized-getting-involved-holding-dot.pngFeb 26thTell a Fairy Tale DayAll

March

CategoryDate               Special DayActivities Provided For
resized-just-for-fun-holding-dot.pngMar 2ndDr. Seuss Day!All
resized-interesting-holding-dot.png

Mar 21st

World Puppetry DayAll
resized-interesting-holding-dot.pngMar 21stWorld Poetry DayAll
resized-getting-involved-holding-dot.pngMar 22ndWorld Water DayAll

April

CategoryDateSpecial DayActivities Provided For
resized-awareness-holding-dot.pngMonth of AprilNational Oral Health MonthAll
resized-awareness-holding-dot.png

Apr 7th

World Health DayAll
resized-getting-involved-holding-dot.pngresized-awareness-holding-dot.pngApr 22nd

Earth Day

All
resized-just-for-fun-holding-dot.pngApr 29thInternational Dance DayAll

May

Category                  DateSpecial DayActivities Provided For
resized-just-for-fun-holding-dot.pngMay 1stSchool Principal DayAll
resized-getting-involved-holding-dot.pngresized-awareness-holding-dot.pngFirst week of MayScreen-Free WeekAll
resized-getting-involved-holding-dot.pngresized-awareness-holding-dot.pngMonth of May

National Sun Awareness Month

All
resized-awareness-holding-dot.pngFirst week of MayMental Health WeekAll
resized-interesting-holding-dot.pngMay 8th - 14th

National Nursing Week

All
resized-just-for-fun-holding-dot.pngresized-interesting-holding-dot.pngMay 18thNational Museum DayAll
resized-getting-involved-holding-dot.pngMay 26th

National Paper Airplane Day

All

June

Category

 

Date                   Special Day                                         Activities Provided For
resized-getting-involved-holding-dot.pngJune 5thWorld Environment DayAll
resized-just-for-fun-holding-dot.pngJune 6thNational Gardening Exercise DayAll
resized-getting-involved-holding-dot.pngJune 7thNational Health and Fitness DayAll
resized-just-for-fun-holding-dot.pngJune 8th

National Best Friends Day

All
resized-just-for-fun-holding-dot.pngJune 17thWorld Juggling DayAll
resized-awareness-holding-dot.pngJune 21stNational Indigenous Peoples DayAll

*To best support teaching and learning throughout the school year, special days are highlighted from September to June.

 

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