Kikori January SEL Calendar
- Kikori App - Kendra Bostick & Bryn Lottig
- Dec 1, 2025
- 7 min read
Updated: Dec 31, 2025
The Sky Is the Limit in 2026: Goal-Setting for a New Year ☁️🚀
It’s January, and that fresh-start energy is real! ✨ This is the perfect time to help students reset, refocus, and imagine what’s possible as they step into the new year. January’s “The Sky Is the Limit” SEL Calendar invites students to dream big, build confidence, and set meaningful goals through engaging, easy-to-use activities that spark connection, reflection, and growth right when students need it most.
What You’ll Love About the January Experiential Connection Calendar
🎯 SEL activities that build self-confidence and self-belief
🌟 Goal-setting experiences that strengthen classroom community
🧭 Easy to use during Morning Meetings, Advisory, and beyond
🎉 Fun, relevant National Day themes that spark motivation
📚 SEL standards-aligned and simple to integrate into lesson plans
Start the year off dreaming of a new you with connection and confidence building activities!
How It Works: Accessing the January Experiential Connection Calendar
There are two easy ways to access the January Experiential Connection Calendar:
Once logged in, navigate to the National Day activity you want.
Click on the Slides in the Materials section.
Play the slides directly for your students - ready to go, no prep needed!
Click below to download the Calendar for Your Grade Level
Open the calendar PDF and click into any activity listed for the month.
Each activity includes instructions, materials, and reflection prompts so you can easily guide your students through the experience.
PK-K Calendar | 1st-2nd Calendar | 3rd-5th Calendar | MS Advisory Calendar | HS Advisory Calendar |
With both options, the calendar makes it simple to bring goal-setting, reflection, and SEL experiences to your classroom every day in January.
Why January Is Perfect for Experiential Learning
January is a time for fresh starts and new goals. These daily activities help students reflect on where they are, set meaningful goals, and take action toward personal growth. With intention, motivation, and purpose built in, January sets the stage for a year of learning, resilience, and progress. 🎯✨
January Weekly Focus & Learning Intentions
Week | SEL Focus | What it looks like in your classroom |
Week 1 🪞 | Self-awareness Self-efficacy | Students reflect on what they achieved this school year so far. |
Week 2 🎯 | Self-management Goal Setting | Setting and working toward SMART goals. |
Week 3 🤝 | Social awareness Respect | Respecting goals - yours, mine and ours. |
Week 4 🗣️ | Relationship-building Social engagement | Students working together toward a group goal. |
Click below to access the Kikori January Calendar
January Week 1 (FREE SAMPLE WEEK)
Self-Awareness | Self-efficacy
FREE - Monday, January 5: National Bird Day
Prek-K | 1st-2nd | 3rd-5th | MS Advisory | HS Advisory
FREE - Tuesday, January 6: Take a Poet to Lunch Day
Prek-K | 1st-2nd | 3rd-5th | MS Advisory | HS Advisory
FREE - Wednesday, January 7: I am a Mentor Day
Prek-K | 1st-2nd | 3rd-5th | MS Advisory | HS Advisory
FREE - Thursday, January 8: Earth's Rotation Day
Prek-K | 1st-2nd | 3rd-5th | MS Advisory | HS Advisory
FREE - Friday, January 9: Word Nerd Day
Prek-K | 1st-2nd | 3rd-5th | MS Advisory | HS Advisory
January Week 2
Self-awareness | Goal-setting
Monday, January 12: Work Harder Day
Prek-K | 1st-2nd | 3rd-5th | MS Advisory | HS Advisory
Tuesday, January 13: Make Your Dreams Come True Day
Prek-K | 1st-2nd | 3rd-5th | MS Advisory | HS Advisory
Wednesday, January 14: World Logic Day
Prek-K | 1st-2nd | 3rd-5th | MS Advisory | HS Advisory
Thursday, January 15: National Hat Day
Prek-K | 1st-2nd | 3rd-5th | MS Advisory | HS Advisory
Friday, January 16: National Nothing Day
Prek-K | 1st-2nd | 3rd-5th | MS Advisory | HS Advisory
January Week 3
Social awareness | Respecting others
Monday, January 19: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Day (Civil Rights Day)
Prek-K | 1st-2nd | 3rd-5th | MS Advisory | HS Advisory
Tuesday, January 20: Take a Walk Outdoors Day
Prek-K | 1st-2nd | 3rd-5th | MS Advisory | HS Advisory
Wednesday, January 21: Squirrel Appreciation Day
Prek-K | 1st-2nd | 3rd-5th | MS Advisory | HS Advisory
Thursday, January 22: Come in from the Cold Day
Prek-K | 1st-2nd | 3rd-5th | MS Advisory | HS Advisory
Friday, January 23: National Handwriting Day
Prek-K | 1st-2nd | 3rd-5th | MS Advisory | HS Advisory
January Week 4
Relationship Skills | Social Engagement
Monday, January 26: Int'l Environmental Education Day
Prek-K | 1st-2nd | 3rd-5th | MS Advisory | HS Advisory
Tuesday, January 27: Speak Up And Succeed Day/ Int'l Holocaust Remembrance Day
Prek-K | 1st-2nd | 3rd-5th | MS Advisory | HS Advisory
Wednesday, January 28: Lego Day
Prek-K | 1st-2nd | 3rd-5th | MS Advisory | HS Advisory
Thursday, January 29: National Puzzle Day
Prek-K | 1st-2nd | 3rd-5th | MS Advisory | HS Advisory
Friday, January 30: School Day of Non-violence and Peace
Prek-K | 1st-2nd | 3rd-5th | MS Advisory | HS Advisory
What You Get with Kikori’s January Calendar
Daily routines designed to increase engagement, strengthen SEL skills, and reduce classroom management challenges (while having FUN!)
Kikori’s Experiential Connection Calendar gives educators simple, consistent practices that boost belonging, focus, and readiness to learn. Each component is intentionally designed to produce measurable outcomes - academically, socially and behaviorally.
🌀 Start Your Day with a Strong Morning Meeting or Advisory
Morning Meeting and Advisory daily sessions are aligned with the Responsive Classroom framework and sets the tone for connection and learning. With a consistent structure, students know what to expect, feel safe, and begin the day grounded and ready.
Welcome Message (1–2 min)
Begin with a warm, joyful message tied to the daily National Day theme. This gentle “hook” captures attention, creates anticipation, and helps students transition smoothly into learning mode. Here at Kikori, we believe SEL happens in the world around us, which is expressed through fun National Days!
For example, some of January's National Days includes Word Nerd Day, Make Your Dreams Come True Day, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Day (Civil Rights Day), Squirrel Appreciation Day, Int'l Environmental Education Day, Lego Day and School Day of Non-violence and Peace. We do our homework to find the best days for kids to celebrate.
Sharing (3–5 min)
Daily sharing gets every student thinking, speaking, and connecting—which boosts engagement for the rest of the day. Each day offers a different style to support diverse learners:
Monday – Popcorn: Low-risk way to encourages initiative and confidence.
Tuesday – Partner Share: Strengthens communication and peer bonds.
Wednesday – Round Robin: Ensures every voice is heard.
Thursday – Journal Write: Gives space for reflection and quieter expression.
Friday – Small Group: Builds collaboration and connection.
When sharing becomes a habit, participation becomes the norm—not the exception.
Greeting (3–5 min)
Start with joy. Fun, inclusive greetings invite movement, eye contact, and social connection - helping students feel seen, welcomed, and ready for the day. January's free greetings include:
🎯 Weekly Experiential Activity (15–25 min)
Each week features an engaging, hands-on activity that strengthens January's CASEL SEL Skill-building learning intentions. Choose the version that fits your classroom:
Tier 1: Builds whole-class community (SEL or Wellness block)
Tier 2: Deepens teamwork and problem-solving (small group counseling)
Tier 3: Challenges students to reflect and stretch individually (individual SSW or counseling sessions)
These activities align with the weekly learning intention and provide meaningful opportunities to practice real SEL skills.
🧰 SEL Tools to Use All Week
These flexible, plug-and-play tools support smoother transitions, better self-regulation, and stronger focus, leading to more instructional minutes and less redirecting.
Check-In: Helps students name their feelings and identify what they need to be ready to learn.
Energizer (brain break):A quick movement burst that resets attention, boosts mood, and supports executive functioning—perfect between lessons.
Calmer: Mindfulness and grounding practices that help students refocus after high-energy moments.
Call & Response: A fun, community-building way to get attention quickly and reset focus during transitions.
🔄 Weekly Closing Circle (5 min)
End the day the same way you started - together. Students reflect on their growth, celebrate small wins, and reconnect to the weekly intention. Closing circles create a sense of completion that smooths the transition home and prepares them for the next day.
How does Kikori ensure these activities build social emotional skills like self-awareness and relationship skills?
Each activity follows the Kikori Experiential Learning Cycle by actively engaging youth and guiding them through reflection afterward.
These questions help youth:
Reflect by building self- and social-awareness (what happened during the activity?),
Connect by making meaningful connections to their own lives (how did what happened during the activity connect to other experiences?), and
Grow by engaging in personal growth (what are they going to take from this activity into their lives?).
BONUS: We understand how important SEL frameworks are so we've aligned each activity with CASEL's Social Emotional Learning standards and 21st Century Skills to make finding the RIGHT activity for your youth easier than ever!
Top 3 Tips for Helping Students Set and Reach Meaningful Goals
#1: Make Goals SMART & Clear 🎯
Help students turn big ideas into SMART goals—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Clear goals give students direction and make it easier to track progress and celebrate success.
#2: Connect Goals to What Matters 💡
Encourage students to reflect on why a goal is important to them. When goals are personally meaningful, students are more motivated, resilient, and committed to seeing them through.
#3: Break Goals into Action Steps 🤝
Support students in breaking goals into small, manageable steps and identifying people who can help along the way. Collaboration, check-ins, and accountability help students stay on track and build confidence as they grow.
Each week of the January Experiential Connection Calendar intentionally supports students in setting and achieving individual goals. Through scaffolded activities, students build self-awareness, practice goal-setting with SMART strategies, manage their progress, and strengthen the skills needed to reflect, adjust, and follow through—turning goals into meaningful action over time.
Bring January Focus to Your Classroom
Kikori offers flexible options for individual educators or whole schools.
Are you an individual educator?
Kikori Pro Memberships give individual educators access to all Morning Meeting and Advisory slides, printable activity resources, and playlists curated to support student growth.
Are you and other educators in your school using Kikori?
Kikori's School-wide Solution provides every educator in your school with the platform, training, and bonus resources for school-wide culture-building.
Your Turn: Kick Off January Goals! 🎯
What’s your favorite January activity to help students set, track, or work toward their goals? Share it in the comments, and we may feature it to inspire educators around the world!