Please enjoy this 2026 early learning calendar. You can refer to this list of school holidays, national holidays and funding dates, as well as cultural, social and international awareness days for inspiration in helping expand the horizons of the children at your service. Bookmark this page and check back often for updates.
Instructions:
Click on a month to expand. You can check/uncheck boxes to display or hide the types of holidays/observed days you’d like to see.
2026 Early Learning Calendar
20 Dec—26 Jan/9 Feb): Term 4 Holidays
January: Veganuary
January: Walk Your Dog Month
1 Jan (Thu): New Year’s Day
1 Jan (Thu): Public Domain Day
2 Jan (Fri): Day after New Year’s Day
2 Jan (Fri): National Science Fiction Day
2 Jan (Fri): World Introvert Day
4 Jan (Sun): World Braille Day
4 Jan (Sun): World Spaghetti Day
5 Jan (Mon): Ministry of Education National Office reopens
7 Jan (Wed): Orthodox Christmas Day
10 Jan (Sat): Houseplant Appreciation Day
10 Jan (Sat): World Hindi Day
11 Jan (Sun): Clean Off Your Desk Day
11 Jan (Sun): Girl Hug Boy Day
12 Jan (Mon): Earth Chakra Day
12 Jan (Mon): Teddy Bears Picnic
13 Jan (Tue): Rubber Duckie Day
14 Jan (Wed): International Kite Day
14 Jan (Wed): Makar Sankranti (Hindu)
14 Jan (Wed): Orthodox New Year
15 Jan (Thu): Wikipedia Day
17 Jan (Sat): Kid Inventor’s Day
18 Jan (Sun): Winnie the Pooh Day
19 Jan (Mon): World Religion Day
19 Jan (Mon): Wellington Anniversary
19 Jan (Mon): Martin Luther King Jr Day
20 Jan (Tue): Penguin Awareness Day
21 Jan (Wed): National Hug Day
21 Jan (Wed): Squirrel Appreciation Day
24 Jan (Sat): International Day of Education
26 Jan (Mon): Australia Day
26 Jan (Mon): Auckland Anniversary
27 Jan (Tue): Chocolate Cake Day
27 Jan (Tue): Holocaust Memorial Day
28 Jan (Wed): National Lego Day
29 Jan (Thu): Puzzle Day
Pride Month (Auckland)
Feel Good February
1 Feb (Sun): March 2026 electronic RS7 submission period opens
1 Feb (Sun): Read Aloud Day
1 Feb (Sun): World Hijab Day
2 Feb (Mon): World Tutu Day
2 Feb (Mon): World Wetlands Day
2 Feb (Mon): Nelson Anniversary
2 Feb (Mon): Nelson Anniversary
3 Feb (Tue): Earthquake Memorial Day (Hawke’s Bay)
4 Feb (Wed): World Cancer Day
4 Feb (Wed): Physical Disability Awareness Day
5 Feb (Thu): World Nutella Day
6 Feb (Fri): Waitangi Day
9 Feb (Mon): International Pizza Day
10 Feb (Tue): Paper-based RS7 due date for 1 March payment
10 Feb (Tue): Safer Internet Day
11 Feb (Wed): International Day of Women and Girls in Science
12 Feb (Thu): International Darwin Day
13 Feb (Fri): Last submission day of March 2026 electronic RS7s for 1 March payment
13 Feb (Fri): World Radio Day
14 Feb (Sat): International Book Giving Day
14 Feb (Sat): Library Lovers’ Day
14 Feb (Sat): Valentine’s Day
Mid-Feb: New services to be advised of Equity Index assessment results and services that requested reviews
15 Feb (Sun): Singles Awareness Day
17 Feb (Tue): Lunar New Year (Year of the Horse)
17 Feb (Tue): Random Acts of Kindness Day
17 Feb (Tue): Shrove Tuesday/Pancake Day
18 Feb (Wednesday): Ash Wednesday
19 Feb (Thu): International Tug-of-War Day
20 Feb (Fri): National Love Your Pet Day
20 Feb (Fri): World Day of Social Justice
21 Feb (Sat): International Mother Language Day
21 Feb (Sat): World Harmony Day
22 Feb (Sun): Walk Your Dog Day
22 Feb (Sun): World Thinking Day
26 Feb (Thu): Tell a Fairy Tale Day
Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month
Epilepsy Awareness Month
Polite Pets Month
Pride Month (Christchurch, Wellington)
Walk for Water
1–7 Mar: Hearing Awareness Week
1–9 Mar: Sea Week (Kaupapa Moana)
1 Mar (Sun): Baby Sleep Day
1 Mar (Sun): International Wheelchair Day
1 Mar (Sun): World Compliment Day
1 Mar (Sun): Zero Discrimination Day
1 Mar (Sun): National Children’s Day
2 Mar (Mon): 01 March 2026 ECE operational funding payment
2 Mar (Mon): Dr Seuss Day
3 Mar (Tue): Lantern Festival
3 Mar (Tue): Magha Puja Day
3 Mar (Tue): World Hearing Day
3 Mar (Tue): World Wildlife Day
4 Mar (Wed): Holi
6 Mar (Fri): Last submission day of March 2026 RS7s for 20 March payment
7 Mar (Sat): Wellington Pride Parade
8 Mar (Sun): International Women’s Day
9 Mar (Mon): Taranaki Anniversary
9 Mar (Mon): Commonwealth Day
14-15 Mar: Auckland Pasifika Festival
14 Mar (Sat): International Day of Mathematics
14 Mar (Sat): Pi Day
17 Mar (Tue): St Patrick’s Day
17–23 Mar Neurodiversity Celebration Week
18 Mar (Wed): Global Recycling Day
19 Mar–18 Apr: A Taste of Harmony
19 Mar (Thurs): International Read to Me Day
20 Mar (Fri): 20 March 2026 ECE operational funding payment
20 Mar (Fri): International Day of Happiness
20 Mar (Fri): Very Hungry Caterpillar Day
20 Mar (Fri): World Storytelling Day
20 Mar (Fri): Eid al-Fitr
21 Mar (Sat): International Day of Forests
21 Mar (Sat): World Down Syndrome Day
21 Mar (Sat): Race Relations Day
21 Mar (Sat): World Poetry Day
21 Mar (Sat): World Harmony Day
22 Mar (Sun): World Water Day
28 Mar (Sat): Earth Hour (8:30–9:30 pm)
23 Mar (Mon): World Meteorological Day
23 Mar (Mon): Otago Anniversary
24 Mar (Tue): World TB Day
25 Mar (Wed): World Maths Day
25 Mar (Wed): International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery
26 Mar (Thur): Purple Day (Epilepsy Awareness Day)
27 Mar (Fri): World Theatre Day
30 Mar–6 Apr: Autism Awareness Week
31 Mar (Tue): International Transgender Day of Visibility
World Autism Month
1 Apr (Wed): April Fool’s Day
1 Apr (Wed): Administrative Professionals Day
2–8 Apr: World Autism Acceptance Week
2–13 Apr: Nature Play Week
2 Apr (Thu): International Children’s Book Day
2 Apr (Thu): World Autism Awareness Day
3 Apr (Fri): Good Friday
3–19 Apr: Term 1 Holidays
4 Apr (Sat): International Carrot Day
4 Apr (Sat): World Stray Animal Day
5 Apr (Sun): Day Savings ends
5 Apr (Sun): Easter Sunday
6 Apr (Mon): Easter Monday
7 Apr (Tue): Easter Tuesday (NZ school holiday)
7 Apr (Tue): Southland Anniversary
7 Apr (Tue): World Health Day
11 Apr (Sat): World Parkinson’s Day
12 Apr (Sun): International Day of Human Space Flight
13 Apr (Mon): Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance)
15 Apr (Wed): World Art Day
16–24 Apr: National Parks Week
18 Apr (Sat): World Heritage Day
21 Apr (Tue): World Creativity and Innovation Day
22 Apr (Wed): Jelly Bean Day
22 Apr (Wed): Earth Day
23 Apr (Thu): World Book and Copyright Day
23 Apr (Thu): International Girls in ICT Day
24–30 Apr: World Immunisation Week
25 Apr (Sat): ANZAC Day
25 Apr (Sat): World Penguin Day
26 Apr (Sun): World Veterinary Day
28 Apr (Tue): Pay It Forward Day
28 Apr (Tue): World Day for Safety and Health at Work
29 Apr (Wed): International Dance Day
29 Apr (Wed): International Guide Dog Day
30 Apr (Thu): International Jazz Day
NZ Music Month
1 May (Fri): International Workers Day
1 May (Fri): Mother Goose Day
3 May (Sun): World Press Freedom Day
3 May (Sun): World Laughter Day
4 May (Mon): International Firefighters Day
4 May (Mon): International Respect for Chickens Day
4 May (Mon): Star Wars Day
4–10 May: NZ Sign Language Week
5 May (Tue): World Asthma Day
5 May (Tue): World Hand Hygiene Day
7 May (Thu): Dinosaur Day
9 May (Sat): World Fair Trade Day
10 May (Sun): Mother’s Day
12 May (Tue): Buddha’s Birthday
12 May (Tue): International Nurses Day
15 May (Fri): International Day of Families
16 May (Sat): Endangered Species Day
16 May (Sat): International Day of the Boy Child
17 May (Sun): International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia
17 May (Sun): IDAHOBIT (International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Transphobia)
18 May (Mon): International Museum Day
18–26 May: World Orienteering Week
20 May (Wed): World Bee Day
21 May (Thu): International Tea Day
21 May (Thu): World Day for Cultural Diversity
21 May (Thu): Global Accessibility Awareness Day
22 May (Fri): International Day for Biological Diversity
23 May (Sat): World Turtle Day
24 May (Sun): UNICEF Day for Change
25 May (Mon): International Missing Children’s Day
29 May (Fri): International Day of UN Peacekeepers
30 May (Sat): World Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Day
31 May–6 Jun: Samoan Language Week
Pride Month (Global)
1 Jun (Mon): July 2026 electronic RS7 submission period opens
1 Jun (Mon): King’s Birthday
1 Jun (Mon): Butterfly Education and Awareness Day (BEAD)
1 Jun (Mon): Parents Day
1 Jun (Mon): World Milk Day
1 Jun (Mon): Samoa Independence Day
4 Jun (Thu): International Hug Your Cat Day
5 Jun (Fri): World Environment Day
6 Jun (Sat): National Gardening Exercise Day
7 Jun (Sun): Doughnut Day
8 Jun (Mon): National Best Friends Day
8 Jun (Mon): World Oceans Day
9–15 Jun: Infant Mental Health Awareness Week (IMHAW)
9–15 Jun: Men’s Mental Health Week
11 Jun (Thu): Paper-based RS7 due date for 1 July payment
11 Jun (Thu): United Nations (UN) International Day of Play
12 Jun (Fri): World Day Against Child Labour
13 Jun (Sat): National Weed Your Garden Day
14 Jun (Sun): International Bath Day
14 Jun (Sun): World Blood Donor Day
15 Jun (Mon): Global Wind Day
15–21 Jun: Learning Disability Week
Mid-Jun: New services to be advised of Equity Index assessments
16 Jun (Tue): Last submission day of July 2026 electronic RS7s for 1 July payment
16 Jun (Tue): National Vegemite Day
16 Jun (Tue): International Day of the African Child
17 Jun (Wed): World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought
18 Jun (Thu): International Picnic Day
18 Jun (Thu): International Sushi Day
18 Jun (Thu): Autistic Pride Day
20 Jun (Sat): World Refugee Day
21 Jun (Sun): International Yoga Day
21 Jun (Sun): World Humanist Day
21 Jun (Sun): World Music Day
22–28 Jun: Annual ECE Return dates
26 Jun (Fri): Take Your Dog to Work Day
27 Jun (Sat): National Sunglasses Day
27 Jun (Sat): Parents Day
30 Jun (Tue): Financial declarations due for 2025 financial year
30 Jun (Tue): Social Media Day
Plastic Free July
1 Jul (Wed): 01 July 2026 ECE operational funding payment
1 Jul (Wed): International Joke Day
1 Jul (Wed): International Reggae Day
1 Jul (Wed): Tartan Day
3 Jul (Fri): International Plastic Bag Free Day
4–19 Jul: Term 2 Holidays
5–11 Jul: Kiribati Language Week
7 Jul (Tue): World Chocolate Day
10 Jul (Fri): Teddy Bears Picnic
10 Jul (Fri): Matariki
11 Jul (Sat): World Population Day
12 Jul (Sun): Malala Day
14 Jul (Tue): Bastille Day
14 Jul (Tue): International Nonbinary People’s Day
15 Jul (Wed): World Youth Skills Day
16 Jul (Thu): World Snake Day
17 Jul (Fri): World Emoji Day
18 Jul (Sat): Nelson Mandela Day
18 Jul (Sat): Pyjama Day
21 Jul (Tue): International Lamington Day
25 Jul (Sat): Christmas in July
Jul TBD: Red Nose Day
29 Jul (Wed): International Tiger Day
30 Jul (Thu): International Day of Friendship
31 Jul (Fri): World Ranger Day
Aug: Happiness Happens Month
Aug: Platypus Month
1–7 Aug: World Breastfeeding Week
2–8 Aug: Cook Islands Language Week
4 Aug: Cook Islands Constitutional Day
4–10 Aug: Landcare Week
8 Aug (Sat): International Cat Day
9 Aug (Sun): International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples
10 Aug (Mon): World Lion Day
12 Aug (Wed): International Youth Day
12 Aug (Wed): World Elephant Day
13 Aug (Thu): Left-Handers Day
14 Aug (Fri): World Lizard Day
16–23 Aug: Children’s Book Week
19 Aug (Wed): International Orangutan Day
19 Aug (Wed): National Potato Day
19 Aug (Wed): World Humanitarian Day
26 Aug (Wed): Women’s Equality Day
28 Aug (Fri): Daffodil Day
28 Aug (Fri): International Dog Day
Sep: Biodiversity Month
Sep: International Children’s Cancer Awareness Month
Sep: Save the Koala Month
Sep TBD: Child Safeguarding Week
5 Sep (Sat): International Day of Charity
6 Sep (Sun): Father’s Day
8 Sep (Tue): International Literacy Day
12 Sep (Sat): World Dolphin Day
13 Sep (Sun): Roald Dahl Day
13 Sep (Sun): World First Aid Day
14–20 Sep: Māori Language Week (Te Wiki o te Reo Māori)
14 Sep (Mon): Māori Language Day
15 Sep (Tue): International Day of Democracy
16 Sep (Wed): Ozone Day
19 Sep (Sat): Talk Like a Pirate Day
20 Sep (Sun): Clean up the World Day
20–26 Sep: Deaf Awareness Week
21 Sep (Mon): International Day of Peace
21 Sep (Mon): World Gratitude Day
22 Sep (Tue): World Rhino Day
23 Sep (Wed): International Day Of Sign Languages
25 Sep (Fri): Save the Koala Day
26 Sep–11 Oct: Term 3 Holidays
27 Sep (Sun): Daylight Saving Starts
28 Sep (Mon): South Canterbury Anniversary
29 Sep (Tue): World Heart Day
30 Sep (Wed): International Podcast Day
Oct: ADHD Awareness Month
Oct: Dyslexia Awareness Month
Oct: International School Library Month (ISLM)
Oct: International Walk To School Month
Oct: Mental Health Month
1 Oct (Thu): November 2026 electronic RS7 submission period opens
1 Oct (Thu): Tuvalu Independence Day
1 Oct (Thu): International Day of Older Persons
1 Oct (Thu): International Coffee Day
1 Oct (Thu): World Vegetarian Day
2 Oct (Fri): International Day of Non-Violence
2 Oct (Fri): World Farm Animal Day
4 Oct (Sun): International Taco Day
4 Oct (Sun): World Animal Day
4 Oct (Sun): World Smile Day
4–10 Oct: Space Week
4–10 Oct: Fijian Language Week
6 Oct (Tue): World Teachers Day
6 Oct (Tue): World Cerebral Palsy Day
7 Oct (Wed): World Cotton Day
7 Oct (Wed): World Habitat Day
8 Oct (Thu): World Dyslexia Awareness Day
9 Oct (Fri): International Pronouns Day
9 Oct (Fri): World Post Day
9 Oct (Fri): World Sight Day
10 Oct (Sat): Fiji Independence Day
10 Oct (Sat): World Egg Day
10 Oct (Sat): World Mental Health Day
11 Oct (Sun): International Day of the Girl Child
12 Oct (Mon): Paper-based RS7 due date for 1 November payment
15 Oct (Thu): Last submission day of November 2026 electronic RS7s for 1 November payment
15 Oct (Thu): Global Handwashing Day
16 Oct (Fri): World Bread Day
16 Oct (Fri): World Food Day
17 Oct (Sat): Loud Shirt Day
18–24 Oct: Invisible Disabilities Week
19 Oct (Mon): Niue Independence Day
23 Oct (Fri): Hawke’s Bay Anniversary
24 Oct (Sat): United Nations Day
24 Oct (Sat): World Kangaroo Day
25 Oct (Sun): World Pasta Day
25–31 Oct: Tokelau Language Week
26 Oct (Mon): Labour Day
31 Oct (Sat): National Bandanna Day
31 Oct (Sat): Halloween
Movember (Men’s Health)
Nov: National Adoption Awareness Month
Nov: National Novel Writing Month
Nov: World Vegan Month
1 Nov (Sun): World Vegan Day
2 Nov (Mon): 01 November 2026 ECE operational funding payment
2 Nov (Mon): Marlborough Anniversary
5 Nov (Thu): Guy Fawkes Day
6 Nov (Fri): Diwali begins (Dhanteras)
6 Nov (Fri): Gumboot Day
8 Nov (Sun): Diwali (Main Day)
8 Nov (Sun): World Urbanism Day
10–16 Nov: Recycling Week
11 Nov (Wed): Remembrance Day
13 Nov (Fri): World Kindness Day
13 Nov (Fri): Canterbury Anniversary
14 Nov (Sat): World Diabetes Day
16 Nov (Mon): International Day for Tolerance
17 Nov (Tue): International Students’ Day
18–24 Nov: World Nursery Rhyme Week
19 Nov (Thu): International Men’s Day
19 Nov (Thu): World Toilet Day
20 Nov (Fri): International Transgender Day of Remembrance
20 Nov (Fri): Universal Children’s Day
21 Nov (Sat): World Hello Day
21 Nov (Sat): World Television Day
22–28 Nov: Solomon Islands Language Week
24 Nov (Tue): Fairy Bread Day
25 Nov (Wed): White Ribbon Day
25 Nov (Wed): International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women
30 Nov (Mon): Computer Security Day
30 Nov (Mon): Chatham Islands Anniversary
30 Nov (Mon): Westland Anniversary
1 Dec (Tue): World AIDS Day
3 Dec (Thu): International Day of Persons with Disabilities
4 Dec (Fri): Hanukkah begins (ends 12 Dec)
4 Dec (Fri): World Cookie Day
5 Dec (Sat): Volunteer Day
5 Dec (Sat): World Soil Day
7 Dec (Mon): International Civil Aviation Day
10 Dec (Thu): International Animal Rights Day
10 Dec (Thu): International Human Rights Day
11 Dec (Fri): International Mountain Day
18 Dec (Fri): International Migrants Day
18 Dec–28 Jan/3Feb: Summer Holidays
20 Dec (Sun): International Human Solidarity Day
24 Dec (Thu): Christmas Eve
25 Dec (Fri): Christmas Day
26 Dec (Sat): Boxing Day
31 Dec (Thu): New Year’s Eve
(*Dates are subject to change, and those yet to be confirmed will be updated when information becomes available.)
This is by no means a definitive list, but it is comprehensive enough to represent a wide variety of
interests and observances. If you think we’ve missed anything or have spotted an error, please contact us to
let us know.
