Looking for some printable New Years activities for kids, then check out this free new years resolution printable worksheet. Children will reflect and think back on their year, while also setting new goals for the year ahead.
These printables have been updated for 2025!

As the calendar turns the page to a new year, it’s not just adults who can benefit from the tradition of setting resolutions. Children, too, can gain valuable life skills and experiences by actively participating in this reflective and goal-setting process.
Setting New Years Resolution for Kids is a great way to help them make a plan and work daily to achieve that goal! The great thing about setting resolutions is that they’re composed of personal goals and ideas that are hoping to be met. Below, you’ll find some fun ideas for kids New Years Resolutions that are great for varying ages.
I also include some choices of free new years resolution worksheets that will encourage them to think about their past year and the year ahead.
The resolutions worksheets are great for home use or even classroom use too.
Try out this fun fireworks in a jar science experiment. All you need is three simple ingredients, oil, water, and food coloring.
After being inspired by my favorite Atomic Habits quotes, I wanted to take these ideas and teach my kids a bit more about setting goals and working on habits.
How To Set A New Years Resolution For Kids
Making Resolutions Together
Resolutions can be hard – or fun, depending on what you want to set. And for kids, why not make them fun? The more resolutions that they can make, the more fun that they will have. When parents actively involve their children in setting resolutions, it not only strengthens the parent-child bond but also empowers the child to take ownership of their goals and create long-lasting habits. Just be sure to talk to them about the point of a resolution and the importance of sticking to it once it’s set. Setting goals is important and puts you into a growth mindset.
The activity includes a free New Years craft too! The pages include color, black and white and different boys and girls. The crafts encourage creativity by including a black and white copy that children can color in with crayons or markers then they can use scissors to cut it out, as well as some decoration pieces too. They also include two different prompts. One is labeled goals while the other is labeled resolutions. The craft also encourages working on those writing skills.
Explaining New Year’s Resolution to a Child
Begin by explaining that the new year is a fresh start, like turning the page of a book or starting a new chapter. Break it down in a way that is easy to understand. You can make a comparison to a goal that they set for a video game or for their grades in school. Basically, try and explain to them that resolutions are like promises we make to ourselves to do something good, make improvements, and achieve something in the coming year.
Connect the idea of resolutions to experiences they can understand e.g. You might say, “Just like how you decided to start tying your shoes by yourself, people make resolutions to learn new things or do things better.”
Can you start over with trying to stay on track with resolutions?
Be ready – this might be a question that the kids ask! The answer? YES! If they have a goal about getting out of bed every day by 7 AM and miss it one day, that doesn’t mean that the whole month or year is ruined! Just have that conversation that tomorrow is a new day and a new way to start over.
Guidelines for Parents
There might not be any hard set boundaries or rules for kids for a New Year resolution, but there are a few tips that I think are important to keep in mind.
- Involve your child in the decision-making process. Ask open-ended questions about their interests, aspirations, and things they’d like to improve.
- Choose achievable goals – if the goal is too hard it may discourage them to set goals in the future.
- Let your child make the resolution (I know – we want to help and guide, but have them think about and create their own because then they’ll be invested in it more!)
- Start with just one resolution and add more later
- Make sure that it’s something attainable and age-appropriate (We understand that kids love outer space, but making their resolution to travel to the moon isn’t realistic.)
- Kids are visual learners, and creating a visual representation of their resolutions can make the process more engaging. Consider making a vision board together, using pictures and words to represent their goals.
- Give them a few ideas to get started – or talk to them about what your resolution for the year is and why
Use these guidelines to help – or branch off and do what works for you and your family.
New Year’s Resolutions For Kids
Below are some fun New Year’s resolution ideas for varying ages of kids. Maybe one of these will be perfect, or maybe it will spark an idea for something else! Setting New Year’s goals for kids is a fun experience that they’ll actually look forward to.
Toddler New Year’s Resolutions
These New Year’s resolution activities for preschoolers are a great way to teach them about responsibility and develop healthy habits as well as goal-setting skills.
- Sharing a toy once a day
- Reading a picture book daily
- Picking up toys and putting them in the toybox
- Going outside and running around the yard
- Eat more vegetables and try new foods
- Helping mommy take care of the animals
- Waking up and brushing their teeth each morning
- Remembering to say “please” and “thank you” every day
- Start a sport like gymnastics, soccer, or basketball
- “Working Out” with mommy or daddy each day
- Spending less time on screens, video games, and devices
For this age group, it would be helpful to add some rewards for accomplishing their goals. For e.g. after eating their vegetables for a month, the kids get to go to the ice cream store.
New Year’s Resolutions for Preschoolers
These will work for kids who are in school and are used to some sort of daily structure. Encourage them to create their own goals. Furthermore, make sure to use them as a basis and alter them for what works best.
- Make their bed daily
- Develop a kids schedule morning routine and bedtime routine. Get our free sequencing cards to simplify the process.
- Help to make breakfast on weekends
- Have their bookbags packed and ready for school each morning
- Complete their chore chart daily
- Read at least 30 minutes per day
- Book goals – maybe they want to read 1 book a month or 3 non-fiction books a year.
- Drinking a certain amount of water each day
- Watch more documentaries
- Get 8 hours of sleep a day
- Creating a device shut-off period each day/having less screen time.
- Get outside and explore daily
- Keeping their room and space clean
- Start a new hobby
- Learn a new skill e.g. drawing. Check out these awesome and free drawing guides to make it easier for kids.
- Become more organized
- Take care of getting their homework done before dinner each night
Family New Year Resolutions
It’s also super fun to create a resolution or family goal for the new year as well. This is something that tends to be quite popular because everyone works together to obtain and achieve. Moreover, it is also a wonderful way to foster a sense of unity, shared goals, and mutual support.
- Sit down and have a family dinner every night
- Start off the mornings with a family breakfast
- Pick one game weekly to have a family game night
- Go out for a family walk daily
- Everyone will help clean up after dinner each night.
- Doing weekly family meetings
- Create a time during the day for everyone to sit and read together
As you can see, making resolutions can be a whole family effort that everyone will have fun with, grow from, and look forward to!
Tips for Parents
Supporting your child in their resolution-setting journey is crucial for success. Here are some tips for parents to create a positive and encouraging environment:
- Be a Role Model: You know how kids pick up stuff just by watching? Well, show them you’re all in for personal growth by setting your own resolutions. Share the ups and downs, the wins and the oopsies – let them see that we’re all constantly learning and getting better at this life thing.
- Provide Guidance, Not Pressure: Ever tried pushing a door that clearly says ‘pull’? It doesn’t work. Same goes for guiding kids. Instead of telling them what to do, help them figure out what they’re into. Letting them set goals that actually matter to them helps foster a sense of autonomy and self-motivation.
- Celebrate Progress, Not Just Results: High-fives all around! Remember, it’s not just about hitting the bullseye; it’s about getting better with each shot (which is a lesson many of us adults are still learning). Celebrate small victories along the way by acknowledging the effort your child puts into achieving their resolutions, even if the end result isn’t immediately apparent. This positive reinforcement encourages perseverance. You could use sticker charts to keep track of your kids efforts.
- Create a Supportive Environment: Oops, a stumble! But guess what? Mistakes are valuable lessons and opportunities for learning and trying again. Emphasize that setbacks are a natural part of the journey and provide encouragement to help your child navigate challenges.
- Check-in Regularly: Regular check-ins are like taking a breather during a race. Sit down, talk about the journey so far, the bumps in the road, and the smooth stretches. You could also make adjustments where needed and set reminders. This ongoing dialogue allows you to offer support, celebrate achievements, and address any challenges that may arise.
GET THE FREE NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION PRINTABLES FOR KIDS
Whether you are setting new habits, fine-tuning old habits, creating big goals, or even small goals… I hope that this is the best year ahead for your entire family.
More Fun Activities for Families & Kids
- Check out my New Year’s Eve Sensory Bin for a fun family activity!
- Get my FREE New Year-themed coloring pages for a relaxing, winding down activity.
- Grab my FREE New Year’s Color by Number printable. It’s a great festive activity that improves color recognition and fine motor skills.
- Family Vacation Ideas
- Family Gift Ideas That Encourage Family Time
- 99+ Indoor activities for kids
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