EYFS & KS1 April Special Dates Calendar & Printables | Little Owls Resources
Looking for some age-appropriate & engaging activity ideas or continuous provision enhancements for April? Our free April calendar download includes key events, festivals and celebrations to help inform your nursery school, childminder, preschool or school activities, provision and planning. Have fun! 😊
Quick Links to our April 2026 Special Date Pages | EYFS & KS1 Activity Ideas:
CLICK HERE to visit our ‘SPECIAL DATES CALENDAR PAGE’ for an entire year of key EYFS & KS1 events, festivals & celebrations.
Overarching Themes This April | EYFS & KS1 Adventures 🐣🌍
Welcome to April! This month is a vibrant mix of renewal, focused on the transition to Spring, global awareness, and rich literacy opportunities. The focus on Easter and Earth Day provides a strong foundation for exploring life cycles, growth, and caring for our planet.
Here's a breakdown of the month's key dates and how they link to popular EYFS/KS1 topics.
📌 Spring, Renewal, and Life Cycles 🥚🌱
April naturally centres on Spring, with key dates aligning perfectly with Understanding the World lessons on life cycles, growth, and nature. The break offers a chance for exploration and hands-on activities.
Special Date: National Pet Month (UK)
Themes: Animals, Habitats, Pets
Connections & Learning Focus:
Focus on animal care, responsibility, and the basic needs of pets (food, shelter, love).
Themes: Outdoor Learning, Gardening, Plants
Connections & Learning Focus:
A time for exploring the natural world, looking for signs of Spring, and simple planting activities.
Special Date: Fri 3rd - Mon 6th - Easter
Themes: New Life / Life Cycles, Animals
Connections & Learning Focus:
The central focus on new life (chicks, eggs, lambs) and the religious story/traditions of the Christian festival.
Special Date: Wed 22nd - Earth Day
Themes: The Environment, Recycling, Plants, Ocean
Connections & Learning Focus:
A crucial focus on caring for the planet, linking new life to the need for a healthy environment (recycling, pollution, plants).
Special Date: Sat 25th - World Penguin Day
Themes: Polar Animals, Habitats, Birds, The Environment
Connections & Learning Focus:
A chance to revisit the animal theme, discussing different climates and the importance of conservation.
📌 Diversity, Compassion, and Well-being ❤️🤝
This theme addresses essential aspects of Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED), promoting self-care, empathy, and understanding different perspectives and needs.
Special Date: World Autism Acceptance Month & Thu 2nd - World Autism Awareness Day
Themes: All About Me, Celebrating Differences, Autism
Connections & Learning Focus:
A major focus on inclusion, celebrating neurodiversity, and understanding that all people communicate and experience the world differently.
Special Date: Tue 7th - World Health Day
Themes: Ourselves / All About Me, Stay Healthy, Exercise, Food, The Human Body, Mental Health
Connections & Learning Focus:
Promotes physical and mental well-being, focusing on the importance of exercise, good food, and rest.
Special Date: Fri 10th - Siblings Day
Themes: My Family, Friendship
Connections & Learning Focus:
A simple focus on family relationships, practicing cooperation, sharing, and resolving conflicts.
Special Date: Wed 1st - April Fools’ Day
Themes: PSED, Communication & Language, Jokes & Humour
Connections & Learning Focus:
A playful look at humour, taking turns, and the difference between a joke and being unkind.
📌 Literacy, Imagination, and Culture 📚🏰
April is rich in dates that celebrate language, storytelling, and cultural heritage, perfectly aligning with Communication, Language, and Literacy development.
Special Date: Thu 2nd - International Children’s Book Day
Themes: Traditional Fairy Tales, Books & Storytelling
Connections & Learning Focus:
A global celebration of children's literature, promoting reading for pleasure and inspiring creative response to stories.
Special Date: Thu 9th - National Unicorn Day
Themes: Fantasy, Imagination
Connections & Learning Focus:
A fun, motivating topic to encourage creative writing, drawing, and imaginative play.
Special Date: Thu 23rd - St. George’s Day & Thu 23rd - Shakespeare Day
Themes: Nations of the UK, History, Traditional Tales
Connections & Learning Focus:
Learning about the patron saint, the legend of the dragon (Traditional Tales), and exploring language/stories through simplified Shakespearean drama.
Special Date: Wed 1st - Thu 9th April - Passover
Themes: Festivals and Celebrations, Religions
Connections & Learning Focus:
Learning about the Jewish festival, focusing on themes of freedom, journeys, and family traditions.
Special Date: Wed 29th - International Dance Day
Themes: Physical Development, Expressive Movement
Connections & Learning Focus:
A celebration of movement and expression, linking to music, cultural dances, and physical co-ordination.
Browse ALL of our April Special Date Activity Ideas Pages for EYFS & KS1:
Read our new Educational & Informative Event Blog Posts. Browse awareness dates below using the arrows and click through to our dedicated blog post pages to read more.
Let's waddle and learn all about our amazing feathered friends, penguins on 🐧❄️ World Penguin Day! For early years settings, nurseries, preschools, childminders, and Year 1 and Year 2 classrooms…
Let's imagine, play with words, and discover the magic of stories on 🎭🖋️ Shakespeare Day! For early years settings, nurseries, preschools, childminders, and Year 1 and Year 2 classrooms…
Let's celebrate our wonderful planet Earth and learn how to look after it! 🌍💚 Earth Day is a special day celebrated every year on April 22nd. It was started by a man named Senator…
Let's celebrate our brothers, sisters, and special family friends! 💖👫 Siblings Day is a special day celebrated every year on April 10th in many places. This day was first thought of by a lady named…
Let's sparkle with magic and gallop into the world of unicorns! ✨🦄 National Unicorn Day is a special day celebrated every year on April 9th. This day is all about celebrating the amazing…
Let's learn all about keeping our bodies and minds healthy and strong! 🍎🧠💪 World Health Day is a special day celebrated every year on April 7th. It's organised by the World Health…
Let's open a book and dive into amazing stories and adventures! 📖✨ International Children’s Book Day (ICBD) is celebrated every year on April 2nd. This special day is chosen because it's the…
Let's have some giggles and harmless fun with jokes for April Fools’ Day! 😂🗓️ April Fools’ Day is observed annually on April 1st. Its origins are uncertain, with various theories suggesting…
Let's celebrate how wonderfully diverse we all are and learn about Autism Acceptance! ❤️ World Autism Acceptance Month is celebrated every year in April, with a special focus on World…
Let's celebrate our wonderful animal friends and learn how to be super pet owners! 🐾❤️ National Pet Month is a special time celebrated every year in the UK from the 1st of April to the 1st of…
April Festivals & Celebrations | Printable Resources and Activity Ideas for EYFS & KS1:
Explore our dedicated festival and celebration pages. Learn more about each event and find a wealth of resources and activity inspiration for your setting or school by clicking on the page buttons below.
Popular April Themes | Activity Inspiration & Resources for EYFS & KS1:
Whether you’re a nursery, preschool, school, childminder or parent looking for some fresh ideas, please feel free to browse our topics using the arrows on the right to scroll through the buttons below. We’ve selected some of the most popular themes for April.
Popular EVERGREEN Themes | EYFS & KS1 Inspirational Activities & Resources:
Are you looking for themes that are adored by children all-year-round? Use the arrows on the right to browse and select key themes for childminders, nurseries, preschools, reception, year 1 and year 2.
Additional Special Date Events Calendars | EYFS & KS1 Planning Support for the Whole Year
Looking to plan further ahead? Why not check out the rest of our Monthly Special Date Events Calendars?
Let's put on our dancing shoes and move our bodies to the music! 💃🕺 International Dance Day is a special day celebrated every year on April 29th. It was started in 1982 by a group called the…