December 2026 Events

3rd December: International Day of People with Disabilities

This is a wonderful chance to champion diversity, inclusivity, and neurodiversity in early years. Everyone is unique, so use this day to celebrate both our differences and our similarities with the message that everyone is special. Introduce disability-focused inclusive sports to give children fresh perspectives while trying something new. You can practice catching and throwing from a seated position or invite Sammy Skills along to play a game of visually impaired football or cricket using a specialised ball that has a bell or noisemaker inside to help children track it by sound.

3rd December: Elf Day

Spread some magical festive cheer while backing a fantastic cause with the Alzheimer’s Society Elf Day! With the immense popularity of Elf on the Shelf, dressing up as elves is an incredibly easy way to engage your setting and raise vital funds to beat dementia. Keep the festive energy healthy by baking some nutritious Christmas treats for the children to enjoy with your visiting elf. Looking for some active holiday inspiration? Head over to our Winter board on Pinterest and website to find heaps of festive recipes and holiday movement games to try with Active Azra

4th December: International Cheetah Day

International Cheetah Day is dedicated to raising awareness about how close these wonderful big cats are to extinction. Since cheetahs are famous for their incredible speed, it is the perfect day to host a theme day focused entirely on running! Running is a fundamental locomotor skill that needs to be actively taught so that young children can safely improve their posture, balance, and pace as they accelerate. Bring Sammy Skills along for the fun to help children practice their form, coordinate their arms, and master their pacing through fun running games and races.

10th December: Christmas Jumper Day

Christmas Jumper Day is the annual, fundraising tradition hosted by Save the Children. Dig out your brightest, silliest, or most festive holiday sweater, wear it proudly for the whole day, and make a small donation to change children’s lives for the better. Be a fantastic healthy role model like Suzy Startwell by getting all your staff teams involved too! It’s also a wonderful day to try making healthy Santa Snacks with the children. For creative food prep ideas, head over to our Winter board on Pinterest.

4th – 12th December: Hanukkah

Hanukkah is the Jewish Festival of Lights, celebrated across eight nights by lighting a candle each evening on a beautiful, traditional menorah. Festive gatherings often feature classic foods like baked potato latkes, applesauce, dairy dishes, and brisket. While enjoying these holiday treats with families, it is a great time to lean on Mickey Me Size to teach children mindful eating. Remind them to listen to their tummies and proudly say, “I’ve had enough,” when they feel full—even when celebrating special occasions!

21st December: National Robin Day

National Robin Day is a nationwide event created by the charity SongBird Survival to raise awareness about the unique challenges that robins and other small songbirds face during the harsh winter months. Use this day to encourage your children and families to wrap up warm and head out on a brisk winter walk to see how many garden birds they can spot! It is a brilliant way to stay active with Active Azra while enjoying a fun, healthy day out for the whole family. Back at your setting, the children can get hands-on making homemade bird feeders to hang out in the garden. For a burst of indoor energy, try an interactive Active Azra session where the children learn to flutter, hop, and move like different types of birds.

25th December: Christmas Day

Christmas Day takes place on the 25th of December to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. While it is traditionally a Christian holiday, many non-Christian families also choose to participate in the festive spirit by exchanging gifts, spending precious time with loved ones, and enjoying a traditional holiday meal. To keep everyone moving and healthy in the run-up to the big day, have you been taking part in our festive Startwell’s 12 Days of Christmas Advent Activities? It is the perfect countdown to keep seasonal energy active and fun for all of your early years families.

 

 

 

 

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November 2026 Events

November: Veg Pledge & World Vegan Day

Throughout the entire month of November, Cancer Research UK is encouraging us to embrace a plant-based diet by taking the Veg Pledge—going vegetarian or vegan for one month to help raise vital funds to beat cancer. It is a fantastic opportunity to focus on our health and highlight our character, Fay 5 a day! If you want to take the pledge this November, visit Cancer Research UK Veg Pledge Page to sign up and order your free fundraising pack. We also have plenty of delicious, parent-friendly vegetarian recipes available on our website that families can try out at home.

2nd-8th November: Sugar Awareness Week

Consuming too much sugar has a detrimental effect on our bodies – causing excess weight gain and contributing directly to painful tooth decay. During Sugar Awareness Week, help us protect little smiles by encouraging families to adopt our 2 Snacks Max rule for healthy snacking at home. To bring this message to life in your setting, set up a Smiley Shen sugar display! Visually highlighting the sugar content in everyday items like drinks, breakfast cereals, toast toppings, etc. For brilliant, practical tips on reducing sugar, explore the sugar swaps resources provided by Better Health: Healthier Families, or visit the official Action on Sugar Website for the latest policy campaigns. You can also discover a wide range of fun tooth-protection activity ideas using our Startwell website.

5th November: Outdoor Classroom Day

Outdoor Classroom Day is a fantastic global initiative celebrating the value of outdoor learning and play to make children happier, healthier, and more connected to nature. On this day, schools and early years settings all over the world will be spending their entire day outside! With children spending less time outdoors than ever before, days like this are vital to championing its importance. Why not host your own completely outdoor day? Remember to get your physical characters involved! Try making some sensory mud dough with Sammy Skills or lead a high-energy outdoor wake-and-shake session with 180 Katie. Don’t forget, you can also access our Startwell Outdoor Environment workshop module and downloadable resources

5th November: Bonfire (Guy Fawkes) Night

“Remember, remember the 5th of November!” Why not jump over to our Pinterest page this Autumn to discover a treasure trove of healthy, active ideas? You can try out themed movements like dancing and spinning like fireworks alongside Active Azra or whip up a batch of our super-warming Spicy Lentil and Carrot Soup or Pumpkin and Butternut Squash Soup with Fay 5 a Day. Children will also love getting hands-on with sensory activities, like exploring the gooey inside of a pumpkin or safely hammering golf tees/nails into them – perfect for introducing Sammy Skills. Check out our Autumn Pinterest board here.

9th – 13th November: World Nursery Rhyme Week

Nursery rhymes are incredible, time-tested early childhood development tools that make learning foundational skills fun. Here at Startwell, we love turning classic rhymes and music for physical movement! Children often spend far too much time sitting down while singing, so let’s get creative and get everybody moving. Channel your inner Suzy Startwell to act as a brilliant active role model, and pair up with Active Azra to turn your daily nursery rhymes into action-packed dance routines! To get started, download the Active Azra Nursery Rhymes Cube Games at, and check out our video demonstrating active baby rhymes.

9th – 15th November: Children’s Book Week

Children’s Book Week is all about celebrating the absolute joy of books and storytelling. At Startwell, we love making stories as physical, active, and interactive as possible! Have you explored our dedicated Active Stories section yet? Check it out at here. We encourage you to take some of the children’s absolute favourite books and, instead of reading them while sitting still, turn them into a movement story. Remember to tie in characters like Active Azra, Sammy Skills, or 180 Katie to guide the physical fun. Get inspired by watching our storytelling playlists on YouTube.

13th November: World Kindness Day

Celebrated globally every year on the 13th of November, World Kindness Day encourages everyone to kickstart a chain reaction of good deeds. Use this beautiful day as a chance to get the children involved in health and community pledges. They can make a physical activity pledge to keep their own bodies strong, alongside a kindness pledge to help a friend in the setting or a family member at home. You can display these together on a colourful World Kindness Board! Introduce our core role model, Suzy Startwell, as you launch the children’s pledges to set a wonderful example for the whole setting.

14th November: World Diabetes Day

World Diabetes Day is a dedicated global event to raise awareness of a condition that millions live with every single day. Diabetes is a serious, lifelong condition where a person’s blood glucose levels become too high. While Type 1 diabetes cannot be prevented, millions of people across the UK are at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. The good news is that most cases of Type 2 diabetes can be delayed or prevented by maintaining a healthy weight, eating a balanced diet, and staying physically active. The official theme for the day is to wear blue, get moving, and rack up your step count! Connect your favourite Startwell characters to active games throughout the day! Visit Diabetes UK for more info and family resources.

15th – 22nd November: Road Safety Week

Organised by the charity Brake, Road Safety Week is all about raising awareness of the life-changing impact of road speed and teaching children to make safe choices as both future drivers and current pedestrians. It’s the perfect week to set up a bike or scooter track in your outdoor space, using mock traffic lights to help children regulate their speed—a perfect way to loop in Sammy Skills as they practice their steering and coordination! You can also play red-light-green-light traffic games to practice changing speeds, or take a walk with Active Azra to practice using real zebra crossings and traffic signals safely. Visit the Brake Road Safety Week Page to grab your free action packs and resources.

20th November: Universal Children’s Day

Celebrated across the globe, Universal Children’s Day focuses on improving children’s welfare, promoting their unique voices, and championing their rights. Why not mark the occasion by dedicating a week to reviewing your setting’s nursery rules alongside the children? While early years rules naturally focus on elements like “kind hands” or “good sitting,” this day is the perfect opportunity to co-create proactive nutrition and physical movement rules that children can enthusiastically action! Work with them to add ideas like “We eat our fruits and vegetables with Fay 5 a day“, or “We keep our belly buttons moving like Active Azra“. It’s a wonderful, empowering way to explore child health, celebrate what keeps our bodies strong, using our Startwell characters.

21st – 29th November: National Tree Week

National Tree Week is the UK’s largest annual celebration of our wonderful greenery, officially marking the start of the winter tree-planting season. It is traditionally connected to the custom of “tree dressing” to show how much we appreciate and value them. Where possible, make use of a living tree or bush in your garden! Head outside with the children for a brisk winter walk to look closely at local trees and make textured bark rubbings. You can also dance and sing high-energy active songs with Active Azra around a favourite tree, using the inspiration to decorate both the real and artificial trees throughout your setting.

30th November: St Andrew’s Day

Celebrate the rich culture of Scotland on St Andrew’s Day! This event is an opportunity to explore traditional Scottish music, flags, storytelling, and dance with the children. Try setting up an interactive sensory experience in your tuff trays by letting children create the blue and white Scottish flag using coloured rice. Play traditional music, like the lively sound of bagpipes, and observe how the children organically react and shake to the rhythm. Be sure to link in 180 Katie as the children practice jumping, spinning, and high-energy dancing to the traditional folk tunes.

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October 2026 Events

October: Black History Month

Black History Month aims to raise awareness to highlight history and heritage particularly from African and Caribbean areas whilst raising understanding of the UK’s diverse cultural heritage. Look at traditional foods and flavours from a range of cuisines to celebrate black communities e.g. plantain, cassava, yam, jerk seasoning, banana with rice. Look at the food based planning sheet to develop your Sammy Skills food skills while exploring these foods and remember to link in Micky Me Size so we do not eat too much! Another great way to explore culture is through music – why not ask the families in your setting to share their favourite music with you and get all of the children moving and listening to a range of genres. Remember to link in Active Azra and 180 Katie.

1st October: World Vegetarian Day

World Vegetarian Day starts off Vegetarian awareness month. Could you offer a meat free day in your nursery e.g. Meat free Mondays? Remember to make sure that your meat free day contains a good source of protein such as beans or pulses and meets the Startwell and the Department for Education EYFS Nutrition Guidance for Early Years Providers. Remember being a vegetarian isn’t just about having fruit and vegetables, there are some fantastic vegetarian resources/recipes  for the under 5’s from First Steps Nutrition. We also have some vegetarian family recipes on our Startwell website.

2nd October: World Smile Day

World smile day is a day to think about how important kindness is and how smiling helps to lift the spirits of others around us. Why not have a day in setting where you talk about what makes us smile and look at everyone’s different smiles and how that makes us feel when people smile. I smile when the day is bright and sunny, and I am out walking my dogs – what makes you smile? Remember to link in Smiley Shen as we want to keep our smiles nice and healthy and link in Suzy Startwell as staff role model smiling and talking about kindness/emotions and looking after our smiles.

5th – 9th October: Cycle to School Week

Cycle to School Week is a great way to get children moving and using a range of wheeled toys as we travel. Children on average spend more time travelling in cars rather than walking or cycling to places. Why not challenge yourself/setting for this week to see if you can ride or scoot more. Try to encourage active travel as a way of coming to and from your setting! Remember to link in Active Azra and Sammy Skills. You may even want to share a task for parents even if they have to drive, could they park a bit further away and allow the children to scoot or ride to the door?

5th – 11th October: National Curry Week

It is described as the nation’s favourite dish. Do you feature curry on your nursery menu? We have several family friendly curry recipes on our Startwell website catering for vegetarians as well as fish and meat eaters. Why not share with your families so they can make a healthier home-made variety of their favourite take-away curry. It is also a good opportunity to remind families about ‘Me size Meals’ that Micky promotes and encourage families to use age-appropriate plates.

10th October: World Porridge Day

Porridge is a staple breakfast in many homes as it is very filling but lots of children still have not tried it. On World Porridge Day why not offer it on your breakfast menu. Try serving it with cherries, raspberries, strawberries, bananas, raisins, blueberries or any range of fruit combinations. Remember to link in the Startwell characters and encourage the children to cut the fruit and prepare the porridge with you.

14th – 20th October

We are now in ‘The Great British Bake Off’ season and October also sees National Baking Week. We recommend you aim to cook at least once every half term with children across all age groups. Three quarters of the recipes should be savoury.  Why not try our Startwell raisin and bread rolls from our children’s recipes on our website. Don’t forget to look at the food skills-based planning sheet to see which skills the children can learn and practice while enjoying cooking. Remember to link in Sammy Skills and Micky Me Size.

21st October: Apple Day

There are so many apple varieties to choose from and so many activities you could do. Offer a range of apples to try at snack time. You could do a tasting activity and encourage children to try different varieties of apples. Are they sweet or sour, crunchy or soft? Can you eat them raw or do they need to be cooked? You could make sugar-free mini apple crumble’s with the children to take home or share some of the apple recipes from our website with parents. Remember to talk about Fay 5 a Day and the importance of eating fruit and vegetables every day to fight off illness.

31st October: Halloween

Halloween is celebrated on 31st October but no-one really knows the origins of Halloween but it is thought to be a Pagan festival. It is thought to be the one night of the year that ghosts, witches and fairies are particularly active. Visit our Autumn Pinterest board for spooky healthier food and physical activities! Remember to link in your Startwell characters.

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September 2026 Events

September: National Organic Month

This is a celebration of all the work farmers do to bring fresh food to our tables. Organic food isn’t necessarily healthier or more nutritious but does focus on home growing which is what Startwell would like you to undertake with the children. National Organic month looks at the journey of food from ‘farm to fork’ and is a great time to grow your own and teach children the journey of food, where your food has come from and the importance of looking after the planet and our bodies. Growing at home has disappeared from many households so growing at nursery is a great way to explore food and learn new skills. There is lots of research to support the notion that children being involved in the growing and preparation of food, means they are more likely to try the food. Get children thinking about where food grows by playing ‘Where do I grow’, this is a great Fay 5 a Day interactive game to play with children using real fruit and vegetables. Look at our website for growing and food ideas.

9th September: 999 Day – Emergency Services Day

999 day is a day to celebrate the work of the emergency services from nurses, doctors through to firefighters and coastguards. Suzy Startwell is an important role model for children and staff and could be used as the driver to talk about and explore a range of roles and the impact that they have on health and wellbeing.

14th – 20th September: Recycle Week

an you encourage your staff, children and families to get those belly buttons moving with Active Azra and recycle more in setting and at home. Check out WRAP’s webpage for more info on how you can do this.

13th – 19th September: Balance Awareness Week

Imagine living life without balance? We do not really think about balancing and we take it for granted as we walk, run, climb and move but it is such an important skill. Balance is a fundamental skill necessary for maintaining controlled positions, such as sitting in a chair, or engaging in physical activities like running or riding a bike. Having balance makes motor skill development easier, reduces the risk of injury, and helps children focus on academic tasks. Sammy Skills wants to know if you could promote Balance Awareness Week in your setting and deliver activities to develop balance in your children? Use your Startwell Physical Skills Toolsheet and try out a whole host of static and dynamic stability skills with Sammy Skills.

16th September: National Fitness Day

National fitness day is a day to encourage activity and fitness. It is a day to celebrate how important physical activity in our lives to keep our bodies healthy. Children under 5 need a minimum of 180 minutes of physical activity daily to be healthy. It’s a great day to be physical and talk about the physical characters and share their messages with the children and families.

22nd September – 22nd October: Seed Gathering Season

Since 1998, The Tree Council has been organising ‘Seed Gathering Season’, the Autumn campaign to inspire everyone to gather seeds, fruits and nuts and grow the trees of the future. The festival starts each year on the 23rd of September and remember to be as active as possible as you gather. It is a great activity for Sammy Skills and Active Azra as you use a range of skills to pick and gather the seeds ready for sorting and planting and it keeps your belly button moving. You can then use the seeds for future growing and exploration activities with the children.

25th September: World’s Biggest Coffee Morning

This is Macmillan’s biggest fundraising event for people facing cancer each year. Lots of settings do bake sales or coffee mornings where lots of unhealthy cakes/biscuits are on offer. So, to give it a healthier stance as we know that eating healthily keeps us healthier and eating our 5 a day with Fay helps to fight off illness. If you are looking to sell cakes at your site, why not print out some healthier alternative recipes for parents to try at home and have some healthier cakes made so everyone can have a taste.

29th September: World Heart Day

World Heart Day is celebrated throughout the World. It aims to raise awareness of the importance of keeping our hearts healthy. This is the perfect time to talk about 180 Katie and the importance of our heart going Boom, Boom, Boom and also talking about the foods that we eat and what is good for our heart using Fay 5 a day. Why not share the 5 Extra Years clip with parents!

 

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August 2026 Events

1st – 7th August: World Breastfeeding Week

NHS guidelines recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months, continuing up to two years alongside solid foods. In Birmingham, nursing mothers can access free vitamins until their child is one, and children’s vitamins until age four, through local Health Visitors, Nurseries, Children’s Centres and some pharmacies. You can check your nearest distributor here. These can now be ordered direct from public health to your setting. Ask your Startwell consultant for more information. Check out Breastfeeding Network’s Website Here.

5th August: Playday

The Playday 2026 aims to highlight the many ways in which play is beneficial to children and young people. The official campaign theme for this year is “Play – here, there, everywhere”. The 2026 theme highlights the vital importance of creating everyday opportunities for children to play wherever they are—from living rooms, to streets, local parks, and neighbourhoods. Play is a brilliant way for the children to learn about the Startwell characters as you link them into your everyday activities. Active Azra: Encourage children to run, dance, and move! Hold a ” Wake Up Shake Up” with high-energy music or dance the “Around the World” dance by playing Salsa, Reggae, Britpop and Bhangra music.

9th August: Rice Pudding Day

Who knew it existed? But yes, it does, so why not try a rice pudding tasting day where you try it with a range of healthy fruit to see which the children prefer? Check out our Quick Creamy Rice Pudding Family Recipe on the website for a good recipe. Have fun and get tasting but remember to include Micky Me Size and Fay 5 a day.

10th – 16th August: National Allotments Week

National Allotments Week promotes health and wellbeing through community gardening, providing a perfect opportunity for families to combine physical activity with growing fresh, low-cost produce. This activity directly supports 180 minutes of daily physical exercise and the consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables, aligning with Startwell’s 180 Katie and Fay 5 a Day initiative. This years theme is grow to learn. Fay 5 a Day: Hide real or plastic fruit and vegetables in a “harvesting sensory box” filled with soil, lentils, or black beans. Click here for more on how to apply for an allotment.

10th – 16th August: European Athletics Championships

Taking place right here in Birmingham at Alexander Stadium. Why not host your own mini track-and-field “Play Day or Athletics week” to get children running, jumping, and moving like elite athletes and developing their Sammy Skills.

11th August: National Plum Day

National Plum Day was introduced in 2020 as it’s been identified that plum intake is on the decline as they have become a forgotten fruit, and it is hoped National Plum Day will start to make people rethink the perfection of plums. Plums are bursting with vitamins and minerals and are 1 of Fay’s 5 a day. During the summer months plums are in season so normally are cheaper in the supermarkets and are great as one of your 2 snacks Max. Why not do a plum tasting activity with Fay and Max.

28th August: Raksha Bandhan

Raksha Bandhan is a Hindu festival celebrating protective family bonds, traditionally marked by sisters tying a sacred thread (Rakhi) around their brother’s wrist. In modern celebrations, children often exchange friendship bracelets to honour special relationships. Making pasta or bead bracelets is a fantastic way to celebrate while developing fine motor coordination, perfectly supporting Sammy Skills and Suzy Startwell.

 

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July 2026 Events

July: National Picnic Month

National Picnic Month was formed to celebrate the history of coming together to share food both indoors and outdoors. It also celebrates the way that eating together brings people, cultures, and even countries together. The good news is that picnics can take place in your home, in the garden or in the park. You can have your lunch, snack, or teatime as a picnic. Having a picnic is a fun way to enjoy your environment and can encourage reluctant eaters to try new foods. We have lots of recipes for foods which would work well for picnics. Remember to link in Micky Me Size to ensure we eat the right amount for us. Have a look at our children and family recipes on our website!

4th – 26th July: Tour de France

The Tour de France is the world’s largest bike race. Cyclists travel from all over the world to compete. Bike play is always popular in settings, so this is a great opportunity to extend this interest area. Take this time to learn all about bikes, their components and how to ride them using pedals. You could even set up your own mini tour in your garden and set up a route for the bikes to follow. Remember to link in a Sammy Skills when you do your activities.

6th – 12th July: National School Sports Week

This year’s theme is ‘Belonging’ – making sure that every child feels that there is a place for them in sport. Focussing on wellbeing, enjoyment, fun, inclusivity, and the importance of regular physical activity. The Youth Sports Trust aims to release the potential and fun of sports and how it can improve lives in both a physical and mental health way. Although this says school sports week lots of nurseries across the UK take part. It is an important time to inform parents about the Chief Medical Officers’ Guidelines for children and remember to link in your physical Startwell characters.

July-August: International Animal Days

Throughout July and August there are several national days for Rabbits, Monkeys, Snakes, Lions, Elephants, Dogs and Cats. Why not hold a national animals’ week and learn about a range of animals, their habitats and how they move? Check out our Pinterest pages for yoga animal poses and read a range of stories that the children can act out and copy the animal movements linked to Sammy Skills. This is a great time to link in animals that move fast and encourage children to move as fast as they can and increase their heart rate like 180 Katie.

11th – 12th July: Wimbledon Finals

Wimbledon is the world’s oldest and most prestigious tennis tournament. Why not have lots of fun trying out tennis skills in your setting with Sammy skills. The Wimbledon Ball-Boy Dash: Scatter yellow tennis balls or foam balls across the floor. Give the children a basket and call out a movement style—such as sidestepping, shuffling, or tiptoeing—which they must use to go and retrieve a ball or balloon tennis is also great fun and uses a range of locomotor and manipulation skills.

12th – 19th July: The Open Championships

The Open Championship is a Golf tournament that takes place in Southport in England this year. It is called an open tournament as it is open to professionals and amateurs. Sammy skills love’s playing golf as it improves his manipulation skills as well as developing his eye tracking and hand eye co-ordination. Why not let the children in your setting have a go. You don’t need real golf clubs you could make some from cardboard tubes – have fun!

18th July – 2nd August: Festival of British Archeology

Do you have children in your setting that are interested in outdoors, digging or dinosaurs? This is a perfect event to reach out to them to extend their interests and knowledge. Why not create an archaeology dig area where each day you can hide a range of items from painted stones, fossils, dinosaurs or even pretend bones. Have fun and remember to link in Sammy Skills as the children dig and dust off their finds. This year’s theme is archaeology and wellbeing.

24th July – 2nd August: Love Parks Week

Love parks week is a fantastic week to highlight the importance of using our local green spaces and celebrating all the hard work that goes into keeping our parks clean and tidy. Why not do a walk to your local park to explore with the children or send out an information sheet to families letting them know where their local green spaces are. Remember to link in Active Azra and get those belly buttons moving.

25th July – 9th August: National Marine Week

The Wildlife Trust promote National Marine week each year to raise awareness and celebrate all things marine! Visit the Wildlife Watch website for some fantastic activities to try in setting or at home from making seal masks, egg carton crabs and also setting up your own mini rock pools in setting so the children can explore. To link in Active Azra why not listen to some wave and under the water music to get the children moving their belly buttons or create a large water stream/play area outside where children can walk through and dip their toes in and out – the ideas are endless.

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June 2026 Events

1st June: World Milk Day

World Milk Day is celebrated to raise the awareness of the importance of milk as a food source and as part of a well-balanced diet. Milk and milk products are a very important source of essential nutrients, especially calcium. Children should start drinking semi-skimmed milk from 1 year of age. It is good practice to provide three portions of dairy or fortified milk alternatives each day. Having a milk-based dessert or a glass of milk can help to meet this guideline. Milk and water are the only drinks that should be served and consumed in settings, so this is a great day to talk about the importance of milk for strong teeth and bones and link in Smiley Shen for our teeth and Sammy Skills for our bones. Why not undertake a milk-based food preparation activity in setting?

1st – 7th June: Food Safety Week

Food Safety Week is held to promote the importance of good food hygiene. It also looks at the importance of health, hygiene and wellbeing. Talk about how we wash our hands before we eat and prepare food and include children in activities to wash fruit and vegetables before they are eaten. Encourage children to hold and use utensils safely practicing their Sammy Skills. Talk to them about which foods need to be stored in the fridge e.g. milk, cheese, yogurt and link this to Smiley Shen as they help build strong teeth and bones. Also look at what the different food does for us, use the food groups cube card game to help. Remember to link in Micky Me Size. You can use our Eatwell Guide link to help with this. Remember to look at the Food Safety page on our website for ideas on safe cutting practices with children

5th June: World Environment Day

World Environment Day is celebrated on 5th June every year and is supported by the United Nations to encourage awareness and action for the protection of our environment. This year’s theme is “Climate Action “which has a focus on making changes to reduce climate change:

  • Planting and bug hotels – The bee populations are dwindling so ensuring that they have plenty of flowers/plants in your garden is important. Why not set up bug hotels to encourage wildlife to flourish and consider a wildflower area.
  • Walk, scoot or bike ride to setting – these are great ways to reduce the pollution from cars and encourage body awareness and improve physical fitness and skills.
  • Make compost – composting is an amazing and entirely natural way to create nutrient-rich soil. Compost reduces the need for pesticides, which damage the environment.

5th – 8th June: The Big lunch

The big lunch is an opportunity to bring communities together to make connections and to share food or even just a drink. It is supported and ran through the Eden Project Charities and events will be taking place all over the UK. You could do a Big Lunch with children in your setting and focus on the importance of lunchtime and skills needed such as pouring, using knives. Forks, spoons and if your children are going to school this year why not get them practicing carrying their own tray of food back to their table as well as scraping plates. Remember to link in Micky Me Size and Sammy skills.

7th – 15th June: British Heart Week

The aim of British Heart Week is to raise awareness of the symptoms and signs of heart diseases and the importance of getting the right treatment.   With young children we want them to learn that the heart is an muscle that we need to keep healthy and doing their 180 minutes of exercise with 180 Katie each day will contribute towards it. Can you make your heart go boom every day through high energy activities such as running, dancing and jumping games. Look at out  our 180 Katie page for more information and ideas and remember to make sure that staff and parents are aware of the CMO guidelines for early years.

8th – 14th June: Bike Week

Bike Week UK is organised by Cycling UK, they hold organised bike riding activities and events across the UK to raise the awareness that bike riding is a skill for life. It provides an opportunity for cardiovascular exercise which keeps our heart healthy. Remember to link in 180 Katie and Sammy Skills and teach children how to balance, co-ordinate their body movements, ride and pedal which all require a range of fundamental movement skills.

10th – 14th June: Healthy Eating Week

With the recent Department for Education Early Years Nutrition Guidance there has never been a better time to focus on the importance of healthy eating with your children and parents. Why not link in all of the nutrition characters as you explore the different food groups and the importance that they have on keeping our bodies healthy and well. For activity ideas check out our website and Pintrest boards.

11th June: International Day of Play

The United Nations has highlighted 11th June as play day as current research and data shows that children do not play enough and that adults do not see the benefit of play. The Rights of the Child state that “every child has the right to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child, and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts.” Why not have an active themed play day with Active Azra where children get to undertake a range of physical play activities throughout the day.

18th June: International Picnic Day

International Picnic Day is a great day to celebrate and engage with eating outdoors. Why not have a teddy bears picnic and eat lunch outdoors. This is a great opportunity to explore packed lunches with families and what makes a healthy packed lunch. We know that families often overpack high sugar and fat foods into lunch boxes. Check out our Healthy Packed Lunch webpage for more information and remember to link in the nutrition characters.

21st June: Father’s Day

Celebrating Father’s Day, why not undertake a Daddy’s Day walk with Active Azra or a fun filled Daddy’s Day stay and play where physical activity takes the lead with a few healthy fruit tasting elements with Fay 5 a day?

21st June: International Yoga Day

International Yoga Day is celebrated to coincide with the summer solstice in India. International yoga day is a day for recognising the importance of yoga from a physical and mental capacity and the benefits it brings in relation to mindfulness. International Yoga Day is a day to raise the awareness of the benefits of yoga for young to old. It is a day to look at meditation, reflection and to try a range of yoga movements. Why not check out our Pinterest pages for lots of yoga cards and ideas sheets for you to follow as a family. Yoga is a great activity to develop balance and core strength. Remember to link in Sammy Skills and even Active Azra.

21st June: Make Music Day

On our Movement, Music and Maths training we talk about the importance of music as a mood lifter and how different genres can help us to move and be more active.  Make music day is a perfect opportunity for you to explore and make music with the children in your care. Spend the day playing, listening, dancing and moving to a range of music from different genres and cultures. Remember to link in Active Azra or 180 Katie as you turn the tempo up and make your hearts go Boom, Boom, Boom as you dance and move.

21st June: National Writing Day

National writing day is a day to encourage people of all ages to use their Sammy Skills and take part in a range of mark making activities.  Why not try a range of large-scale mark making using paint brushes, water spray bottles, large sponges or even mops. Other options are mark making in the mud, foam, sand just to name a few. Remember to use Sammy Skills and share your activities with us through social media. Check out more on National Day of Writing on Literacy Trusts website.

21st – 27th June: World Allergy Awareness Week

The theme of this year’s Allergy Awareness Week is Diagnosis Matters. All settings must be compliant with the allergen EU and UK laws. All nurseries need to make sure that they have a written menu for the food and drink they serve and a list of recipes for the food. Each ingredient needs to be checked to see if it contains one of the 14 most common allergens. Nurseries need to have the allergen information on view for parents to see or somewhere it can be easily accessed. For more information visit the ‘Allergen Information’ page on the Startwell website. You could also book onto our Food and Mealtimes training for a full look at mealtime environments, which is free and available to all early years staff working within the Birmingham area.

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May 2026 Events

May: National Walking Month

The campaign theme for National Walking Month 2026 is the #Try20 challenge, which encourages everyone to incorporate at least 20 minutes of walking or wheeling into their daily routine. These 20 tips give you lots of ideas and tip 10 is to “let kids lead the way”. By walking and being physical it keeps our hearts and body healthy. Remember to link in Active Azra as the character who likes to keep those belly buttons on the move. Walking can have a positive impact on children’s mood, concentration, and creativity. Little Feet part of Living Street which is a UK organisation and charity for promoting walking states that 9 out of 10 children are not meeting their physical activity levels. Early Years settings need to discourage the use of cars and pushchairs and encourage more walking. Why not encourage staff, parents, and children to compete with one another and to be positive Role Models incorporating the role of Suzy Startwell. Living Streets have also created an Early Years Little Feet Challenge, to encourage walking.

May: Local and Community History Month

This is the perfect event to share local knowledge and history with the children and parents in your setting. Why not make it Startwell focussed? Do they know where the local Dentists, Doctors, allotments and parks are? What is the local history in your area or the history of your nursery? Remember to link in your Startwell characters e.g. Smiley Shen with the dentist and Fay 5 a day with the grocery store and why not do a few community walks and link in Active Azra.

1st May: Vesak Day

Vesak, also known as Buddha Day or Buddha’s Birthday, is a celebration traditionally observed by Buddhists and some Hindus. Vesak is the celebration of the birth and passing away of Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism. Temples are decorated with flowers, and offerings of food are prepared. Family and friends also share lovely, colourful cards with each other and share vegetarian food. Why not link in Fay 5 a Day and make some fruit/vegetable art that can be eaten with 2 Snacks Max.

4th – 10th May: Children’s Book Week

Children’s book week is designed to raise the profile of the importance of reading but also the message that reading for pleasure is fun.  Why not try one of our active story sheets to help bring a story to life using a range of physical movements with Sammy Skills. Check out our Active Stories page here.

5th May:  African World Heritage Day

African World Heritage Day was started in 2015 so that the history and traditions of African families can be celebrated. Why not take this opportunity to look at fruits widely cultivated in Africa such as bananas and pineapples linking in Fay 5 a Day and explore traditional African dishes alongside Micky Me Size. You could also try some traditional dances alongside 180 Katie as music and dance is a huge part of culture.

5th May: World Asthma Day

World asthma Day was founded in 1988 to raise awareness on what it is and how it affects the people who have it. There is no cure for Asthma and sadly it can be life limiting in some cases. Why not use this day to talk about how our lungs work and the importance of keeping them active and healthy as exercising can help improve lung function. But remember you must build up exercise and always be aware of children’s conditions and trigger points. Why not start with a few Active Azra exercises from our website and move into 180 Katie where appropriate.

10th May: National Children’s Day

National Children’s Day is an opportunity to embrace childhood and remember the joy of being a child. It provides an opportunity for play, freedom and fun. This day is a reminder to treasure the magic of childhood and advocate for the rights and well-being of every child.

11th-17th May: National Sun Awareness Week

Most people love the sun and children love being outdoors, so we need to be aware of the benefits but also the harm that being in the sun has on our bodies. Firstly, the benefit of the sun is natural vitamin D for our bodies to help promote growth and development of the teeth and bones. New research shows it also offers improved resistance to other certain diseases. To gain extra vitamins including vitamin D make sure families are aware of the FREE vitamins they can get in Birmingham for pregnant women until their child is 1 and for children up to the age of 4. You can check out our Healthy Start Webpage Here. The second part of Sun Awareness Week is to remember to look after our skin and reduce the risk of sunburn. Young children have thinner skin than adults. Remember that everyone regardless of skin tone needs to use a high factor sun cream and stay out of direct sunlight during 10-2pm. Take a look at our Sunshine and Vitamin D resource here.

11th – 17th May: Mental Health Awareness Week

The theme this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week is “Action.” Startwell aims to promote healthy lifestyles and wellbeing, this is often called mindfulness. Healthy eating, exercising and sleep all play a part in a person’s mental and emotional state. Why not talk to the children about the importance of being kind to others, asking our friends if they are ok and making sure that they are eating, sleeping and being physically active and linking in the appropriate character.

11th May – 11th June: National Smile Month

National Smile Month is the UK’s largest and longest-running campaign to promote good oral health. This year’s theme is 50 years of Smile, it introduces #Smiley monster and the importance of looking after your teeth and smiling. Remember to link in Smiley Shen and focus on 3 Key Messages:
1.            Brush your teeth last thing at night and on at least one other occasion with fluoride toothpaste.
2.            Cut down on how often you have sugary foods and drinks.
3.            Visit your dentist regularly, as often as they recommend.
For more information on National Smile Month, check out their webpage, and for how you can promote oral health in your setting take a look at our Smiley Shen page.

18th May – 7th June: June French Open

The French Open is a tennis tournament that was first held in 1891 and played yearly in France. The French Open is a great time to get children interested in tennis and trying out new skills. Remember to link in Sammy Skills as you practice those fundamental movement skills of manipulation as you use bats and balls.

21st May: Outdoor Classroom Day

Outdoor classroom day is a day to promote the importance of being and learning outdoors. The aim is to look holistically at the child and consider the health and education benefits that come from being outdoors. Nurseries and schools up and down the country take part in this event that happens twice a year in May and November. They take part by having all or most of their activities outdoors for the whole day or taking more nature walks to explore the local environment. Why not link in 180 Katie and do your wake up and shake up outdoors or take the children on a nature walk with Active Azra. Share your day with us through our social media links.

21st – 23rd May: Shavuot

Shavuot is a Jewish festival celebrated around 7 weeks after the first day of Passover. Shavuot is known as Harvest Festival, as a former tradition was for Jewish people to bring Bikkurim (the first and finest fruits) to the Temple as a gift to God. Why not link in Fay 5 a day and use this festival to explore a range of fruits with the children from washing, cutting, and eating – try fruits that are unknown to them.

26th May – 1st June: Garden Wildlife Week

Garden Wildlife Week has a focus on learning about the wildlife around us. Can you do a wildlife watch in your garden and make a note of what animals and insects you find. Don’t forget to look under rocks and check out our Pinterest page for ideas on building bug hotels. Once you’ve found/spotted wildlife in your garden Active Azra wants to know can you move round your garden like them e.g. fly like a butterfly, slither like a worm, crawl like a spider. Check out our Outdoor Physical Activity Pinterest page here.

26th – 30th May: Eid Al-Adha

Eid Al-Adha is celebrated on the tenth day of Dhul-Hijjah and is one of the holiest festivals in the Islamic calendar. Eid Al-Adha is celebrated with friends and family. Muslims will often attend the Eid prayer and greet each other saying Eid Mubarak, which means ‘Have a blessed Eid’. At Eid families come together to share food to celebrate remember to link in Micky Me Size and try a range of traditional food in your setting.

31st May: Adobe Women’s FA Cup Final

Are the children in your setting interested in kicking balls or scoring goals? The Women’s Adobe FA Cup is England’s top cup competition for women’s football clubs that is just for English teams. This event is a great opportunity to raise the profile of girls and women in football and teach children a range of basic ball mastery skills.  Remember football is a ‘Manipulative Skills’ which makes up part of our Fundamental Movement Skills, so this is a great time to link in Sammy Skills.

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April 2026 Events

5th April: Easter

The Easter bunny has arrived – why not undertake lots of active easter egg hunts where children undertake a physical activity when they find an egg with Active Azra. Remember to talk to the children about the importance of Micky Me Size – eating in moderation and Smiley Shen and how to look after our teeth. Remember not to do chocolate easter egg hunts in setting – look at our Pinterest pages for alternative easter egg hunts instead.

6th – 12th April: Community Garden Week

Community garden week is all about exploring outdoors and having a go at a range of gardening activities. It is a great time to get back into the garden and give it a tidy up and overhaul. Why not involve the children in cleaning, sweeping, tidying the garden and setting up new areas for them to explore? This will keep the children active like Active Azra. It is also the perfect time to introduce a range of skills with Sammy Skills through from digging, weeding, and planting, and remember to link in Fay 5 a Day if you are growing fruit or vegetables. Check out our website and Pinterest for gardening tips and information.

7th April: World Health Day

World Health Day is the starting point for many other health awareness days that you can support in your setting. The focus of the World Health Organisation (WHO) 2026 campaign is ‘healthy beginnings, hopeful futures’.  It focuses on maternal health and health beginnings for newborns. This is an opportunity to promote all of Startwell’s key messages as research says that eating well, good oral health and exercise are important for supporting health and wellbeing. For inspiration, please visit our Characters Pinterest boards.

14th April: Vaisakhi

Vaisakhi is the Sikh harvest festival; it is one of the most significant holidays in the Sikh calendar. Vaisakhi is focussed on community spirit and practising spiritual and physical integration. Celebrations are usually held in the Gurdwaras and on the streets, which are colourfully decorated with orange flags and banners and feature marches and processions. Why not hold your own Vaisakhi procession in the nursery where children can dance and move as they move through the procession. Remember to link in Active Azra.

18th April – 26th April: National Parks Week

National Parks Week is dedicated to raising public awareness of Britain’s national parks. Why not do a local map of parks in your area that parents and children can visit. Remember to link in Active Azra and encourage families to walk and keep their belly buttons on the move as they explore their local area. Remember to take some water and fruit to snack on with 2 snacks Max for the long walks.

23rd April: St George’s Day

Use active storytelling to teach children the tale of St George and the Dragon. Try incorporating the following action movements during the story:
•             Dragon – flying (running with arms spread out and moving in an up and down motion)
•             St Georges horse – galloping
•             St George – sword and shield movements
•             The King’s army – marching towards the dragon and running away from the dragon
•             Princess – dancing and twirling when she returns to the village
This is a great story to get your 180 minutes in and make Katie happy.
Challenge children to make the movements in the story high intensity (how fast can they gallop) to work towards the 60 minutes of high intensity movement over 3-year-olds need each day.

30th April: Stop Food Wastage Day

Days of the Year.com state “Roughly one-third of the food produced globally is either lost or wasted every year.” When we complete mealtime observations in settings it always amazes us how much food is wasted and thrown away. With homes and settings affected by the cost-of-living crisis ensuring food waste reduction is important. This is the perfect time to reflect on Micky Me Size and remember how much food is needed so we stop over cooking and having too much waste. This day also helps us to reflect on what we throw away before it’s even cooked due to use by dates and buying too much.

29th April: International Dance Day

International Dance Day is a fantastic day to look at the genres of music that you play in your setting. Try playing a range of genres to see how the children react to different types of music. Why not link in 180 Katie and see if you can raise those heart rates and make your heart go Boom Boom Boom.

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March 2026 Events

1st March: St David’s Day

St David is the patron Saint of Wales, and 1st March is a celebration of both his life and the Welsh culture. Celebrate the day with children incorporating one or both of Wales’s national emblems – the Daffodil and the Leek. Dancing and dragon displays are a large part of this festival so why not play a range of Welsh music for the children to listen and move to throughout the day? Active Azra is always ready to move and dance along. This is also a great time to introduce children to leeks and explain that they count towards our Fay 5 a day. Some activities that you could do are making a leek and potato soup, chopping up leeks and do leek printing, or a simple leek sensory activity.

March: National Bed Month

Many of you may be wondering why Startwell, who want us to have active lifestyles, is promoting bed month. The answer is because it is so important to get a good night’s sleep. If you are sleep deprived you are less likely to be active and more likely to eat high sugar/fat foods so National Bed Month is an important time to talk about good bedtime routines and the importance that sleep has on our bodies. Take a look at our Sleep Page here.

2nd – 8th March: British Pie Week

We all love a food awareness day and British Pie week is no different. Do you know what the best loved pie is in the UK? Believe it or not its cottage pie. Why not check out our Startwell Cottage Pie or Chicken Polka Dot Pie recipe this week too! Remember to link in Micky Me Size to make sure you are serving me size meals.

2nd March Dr Seuss Day

March 2nd is Dr Suess Day where people read his books and celebrate his life. Dr Suess was best known for his writing, poetry and his quirky cartoons. Why not introduce the children to one of his classics? A favourite of the Startwell team and their children is Green Eggs and Ham. This is a great book to start talking about our food preferences and what food we like. This is an opportunity to encourage children to try new foods or foods they think they don’t like; they may be surprised and enjoy them. Especially since our food preferences change over time! Remember to link in our Startwell Food Characters.

4th March: Holi

Holi is a Hindu festival that is known as The Festival of Colours. It celebrates the arrival of Spring after Winter. It signifies the victory of good over evil and is celebrated to spread happiness, love and colour. Be prepared to get messy and experiment with colour. Can you set up a colour splat area indoors or outdoors where children can throw water balloons filled with paint or undertake splatter painting on a large scale? Can the children dance to Bollywood music with colourful streamers and move like 180 Katie? Check out our 180 Katie Pinterest page for extra ideas.

5th March: World Book Day

Children usually love celebrating this day as they get to dress up in a host of characters from their favourite stories. This year’s theme is Reading for fun. It is a great opportunity to practice a range of different dressing skills and encourage imagination as the children and staff get the opportunity to be someone else for the day.  Lots of settings use different themes for different rooms which can then be developed throughout your meal and snack opportunities. Try linking your themes back to a Startwell character e.g. make pirate boats out of fruit on the snack table with Fay 5 a Day to a book about pirates.

6th March: Global Day of Unplugging

At Startwell we often talk about technology and how lots of children and adults are moving less due to the amount of time spent on technology. Unplugging days have a focus on interacting with people and stepping away from technology. They encourage you to unplug for an hour or more where possible. Early Years Education state “By the age of five, the average young person has spent 3,500 hours in front of a screen and will have spent around 60 per cent of their time sitting while at nursery or other pre-school settings. It’s clear that change is necessary to help young children develop lifelong habits that will allow them to become healthy, happy adults”. Why not have movement focus days linked to the Startwell Physical Characters and encourage the parents to do so at home as well. The World Health Organisation recommend that children under the age of two have no screen time at all, while children aged two and above should be limited to one hour per day, although less is better.

15th March: Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day is the day that we get the opportunity to say thank you to our mums for all that they do for us. It is traditional to give cards at Mother’s Day, why not check out our Spring Pinterest page for some new craft and card ideas. Remember if you are undertaking baking activities, look at our Startwell recipes and why not send some healthy recipes home for families to try.  Have Fun!

16th – 22nd March: Nutrition and Hydration Week

This Nutrition and Hydration Week why not create a hydration chart in your setting where children can gain a sticker every time they drink some water? This is also a great initiative to do with staff too! You could take the chance to review your menus to see if they are still meeting Startwell’s and the Department for Education’s guidelines in relation to Early Years nutrition – if you need any help please speak to your Startwell conultant. Children learn by watching those around them, so it’s really important that practitioners are good Suzy Startwell role models and regularly drink water in front of the children and encourage the use of open cups as well as eating healthy meals and using the appropriate cutlery. Do you have our characters with a hydration focus up in your setting? Check out our hydration page here.

17th March: St Patrick’s Day

How about making some delicious Irish soda bread with the children in your nursery? Soda bread is really easy to make and as there is no kneading or proving required it can be ready in as a little as an hour. Bread gives us energy to keep playing and learning so remember to eat your lovely homemade soda bread at snack time with 2 Snacks Max alongside your fruit and vegetables and 5 a day Fay. For an easy recipe try this bbc one!

21st March: Eid al-Fitr

This a Muslim celebration that is expected to fall on the 21st March this year. Muslim families celebrate with lavish meals, exchanging gifts and donating to charity. It’s a time for forgiveness, and people wear their best clothes and decorate their homes. Muslims celebrate the end of the fast, but also to thank Allah for guiding them through the previous month and helping them practise self-control. The ‘Eid prayer’ is also performed at special services at Mosques.

20th March: Oral Health Day

This World Oral Health Day has a focus on how a happy mouth contributes to a happy mind. The campaign will explore the connection between oral health and mental well-being using their mascot Toothie. Take a look at their video on their webpage! Promote the following Smiley Shen key messages with your families:
•             Start brushing teeth from 6 months or when the first tooth appears
•             Brush teeth twice a day, last thing at night and on one other occasion
•             Visit the dentist regularly
•             Reduce sugary foods and offer milk or water to drink

26th March: World Maths Day

World Maths Day is the perfect opportunity to look at maths through movement. Why not have different shaped or numbered sandwiches for tea or make patterns with your fruit at snack time. Link in Mickey Me Size by talking about different sized bodies needing different amounts of food. Or go on a number hunt in the garden or use your cube as a colour or number finding activity. Check out Active Azra’s colour finding cube game on our website. To find out more ways to link maths and movement book onto our Movement, Music and Maths training.

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