Free New Year worksheets for children, with seven printable activities that use real New Year words, from countdowns and fireworks to resolutions, goals and fresh starts. Print a word search in three levels, bingo cards, a word scramble, a “how many words can you make” page, an acrostic poem, a writing prompt and a fold-up New Year card, each with an answer key where one is needed.
New Year worksheets to print (PDF)
These four pages show what the New Year maker prints: a medium word search with a word list, two bingo cards on a page, an acrostic poem for the letters of NEWYEAR, and the fold-up card that says “Happy New Year!” Click a picture for the PDF.
Prefer one download? Grab the ready-made New Year activity pack (PDF), which has every page in one file.
About New Year: the holiday at a glance
A little background makes the words on the page mean more. Here are the basic facts that go with these New Year worksheets:
| Date | January 1 in the Gregorian calendar, which most of the world uses |
|---|---|
| Eve | December 31, with a countdown to midnight |
| Name origin | January is named after Janus, the Roman god of doors and beginnings |
| Famous event | The Times Square ball drop in New York City, held since 1907 |
| Songs | Auld Lang Syne, based on a poem by Robert Burns |
| Traditions | Resolutions, parties, fireworks and midnight kisses and cheers |
The story of New Year
New Year’s Day on January 1 is the first day of the Gregorian calendar, the calendar used in most countries. The Romans named January after Janus, a god with two faces, one looking back at the old year and one looking ahead to the new. That is why the day is a time to think about what we have done and what we hope to do.
People around the world welcome the new year in different ways. Many gather for a countdown to midnight, set off fireworks and sing Auld Lang Syne. Others eat lucky foods, such as lentils in Italy or twelve grapes in Spain, or make resolutions, which are promises to try something new. Other cultures celebrate their own new year at different times, such as Lunar New Year and Diwali.
Wikipedia’s New Year article describes how people around the world welcome the year.
What is in the New Year activity pack?
Every activity uses the same list of 24 New Year words, so children meet each word several times in different ways. The list is the heart of these New Year worksheets: the word search hides it, the scramble mixes it up, the bingo calls it out and the writing prompt asks children to use it.
New Year word search: three levels
The word search comes in easy, medium and hard grids, with 10, 14 and 18 words from the list.
The longest New Year words are resolution and noisemaker with 10 letters, and the shortest word is hats with 4.
New Year vocabulary: words to talk about
Take a few minutes to talk about the words before children search for them. These eight are a good place to start:
| Word | Letters | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| countdown | 9 | Counting backward to a special moment, such as midnight |
| midnight | 8 | Twelve o’clock at night, the moment the new day starts |
| resolution | 10 | A promise to yourself to do something better |
| confetti | 8 | Tiny pieces of colored paper thrown at celebrations |
| noisemaker | 10 | A toy that makes a loud sound for parties |
| streamers | 9 | Long strips of colored paper used as decorations |
| goals | 5 | Things you want to achieve |
| hopes | 5 | Wishes for things to go well |
The other 16 words in the list are calendar, fireworks, celebrate, party, balloon, cheer, clock, sparkler, january, family, friends, music, dance, hats, toast and happy.
How people celebrate New Year
- Counting down to midnight and cheering
- Watching or setting off fireworks
- Making resolutions and goals
- Sharing a meal with family and friends
- Singing songs and dancing at parties
New Year activities for kids to do with the worksheets
Pair the printed pages with a hands-on idea, and the vocabulary sticks:
- Resolution jar: write one goal on a slip of paper, fold it and put it in a jar to open next year.
- New learning writing: use the prompt about one new thing to learn this year, and why.
- Countdown craft: make a paper clock with movable hands and set it to midnight.
- Year in review: draw one picture for each month of the year that just ended.
- New Year acrostic: write NEW YEAR down the page and add a hope for each letter.
How to use these New Year worksheets in five minutes
The new year worksheets maker works from the 24-word New Year list, so whichever page you print uses the same words. Choose an activity, set the level and press Download PDF or Print, and press New puzzles for a fresh set.
New Year worksheets: frequently asked questions
When is New Year?
The Gregorian New Year is on January 1. Other calendars have their own new year, such as Lunar New Year in January or February.
What are good New Year resolutions for kids?
Small, clear goals work best: read for ten minutes a day, learn to tie shoes, help with a chore or try a new food.
Are these worksheets only for January?
No. They also suit a school-year new start in August or September.
New Year printables: find the right page
More holiday worksheets
- Lunar New Year worksheets
- Christmas worksheets
- Winter worksheets
- All holiday worksheets for 22 holidays and seasons
- Word search generator for your own words
- Bingo card generator for custom cards