JANUARY
1: Happy new year!
8: Argyle Day. Wear some socks with the fun and funky pattern.
15: The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday; the civil rights leader was born in 1929. (You get off school on the 16th).
17: Kid Inventors’ Day. Celebrating earmuffs, skis, popsicles and everything else invented by kids.
23: National Handwriting Day. Observed on the birthday of that guy with the famous signature, John Hancock.
30: Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day
FEBRUARY
National Black History Month
2: Groundhog Day
3: Bubble Gum Day
8: Boy Scouts of America founded in 1910.
12: Abraham Lincoln was born in 1809.
14: Valentine’s Day
18: Pluto discovered in 1930. It was demoted to dwarf planet in 2006.
20: Bun Day in Iceland. Children go to homes in the morning with colorful sticks and are given whipped cream buns.
22: George Washington was born in 1732.
29: Leap Day
MARCH
National Umbrella Month
National Women’s History Month
2: Read Across America Day in honor of the 108th anniversary of Theodor Seuss Geisel’s birth. He’s better known as Dr. Seuss.
8: National Proofreeding Day. (Can you spot our mistake?)
15: Absolutely Incredible Kid Day. Which, of course, is in honor of all our readers!
17: St. Patrick’s Day
20: First day of spring
31: The Eiffel Tower opened in Paris on this date in 1889.
APRIL
National Poetry Month
2: April Fool’s Day. (April Fool!)
6: “Barney and Friends” first aired on TV 20 years ago. (You watched “Barney”; even if you don’t remember!)
12: National Licorice Day
15: First McDonald’s opened on this date in 1955.
23: The Boston Latin School opened on this date in 1635, making it America’s oldest public school.
27: Arbor Day. Hug a tree; or better yet, plant one!
MAY
2: Great American Grump Out. Can you go all day without being grumpy?
3: National Day of Prayer. Whatever you believe, pray for a better world.
4: Star Wars Day. “May the fourth be with you!”
13: Mother’s Day
18: Bike to Work (or School) Day
28: Memorial Day
JUNE
9: Donald Duck’s birthday. He first appeared in a movie on this date in 1934.
16: World Juggling Day
17: Father’s Day
20: First day of summer
27: “Happy Birthday to You” birthday: A schoolteacher wrote the music to this famous song on this date in 1859.
JULY
National Ice Cream Month
National Hot Dog Month
1: The nation’s first zoo, in Philadelphia, opened on this date in 1874. Admission cost 25 cents for adults; 10 cents for kids.
4: Independence Day
7: Father-Daughter Take a Walk Together Day
16: Global Hug Your Kids Day
20: First man landed on the moon on this day in 1969.
25: Chincoteague Pony Swim
AUGUST
5: National Underwear Day. (We recommend that every day be National Underwear Day.)
9-13: Perseid meteor showers, catch a falling star and put it in your pocket!
13: International Left-Handers Day
19: Black Cow Float created on this date in 1893. Features root beer and vanilla ice cream.
26: National Dog Day
SEPTEMBER
Happy Cat Month
2-8: National Waffle Week
3: Labor Day
7: Google founded on this date in 1998. (Don’t believe us? Google it!)
9: National Grandparents Day
15: International Eat an Apple Day
19: International Talk Like a Pirate Day
22: First day of fall
OCTOBER
1: The first CD player went on sale on this date in 1982. It sold for $625.
10: Bring Your Teddy Bear to Work Day
15-19: National School Lunch Week
16: Dictionary Day
23: Apple unveiled the first iPod on this date in 2001. It sold for $399.
30: National Candy Corn Day
31: Halloween
NOVEMBER
4: The tomb of Tutankhamen, the boy king of Egypt (also known as King Tut), was discovered on this day in 1922.
6: Election Day
7-13: Dear Santa Letter Week. (Because it’s never too early to write that special note.)
15: I Love to Write Day
18: Mickey Mouse’s birthday. He first appeared in “Steamboat Willie” on this date in 1928.
18-24: National Game and Puzzle Week.
22: Thanksgiving
DECEMBER
8: Hanukkah starts
21: First day of winter
21: First crossword puzzle was published on this date in 1913.
25: Christmas
26-Jan. 1: Kwanzaa
31: New Year’s Eve. Celebrate: We made it through another year!
