Student New Year’s resolutions are fun ways to get kids back in the groove after the holiday break. Whether your kids make individual resolutions or your class creates collective resolutions, making these goals will keep your kids motivated and engaged for the rest of the year. Here are 5 student New Year’s resolution ideas you can try with your students:
1) Read More
Turning reading into a student New Year’s resolution is a great way to get your kids to read more. Create a reading area in your classroom and fill it with books. Set aside time during each day for silent and/or out-loud reading. Be sure to chart students’ progress with reading logs and reward them with things like bookmarks or stickers when they reach their goals.
2) Learn More
Learning happens every day, but that doesn’t mean your kids can’t make a New Year’s resolution to learn more. Whether they want to learn about another culture, learn a new sport or activity, make the honor roll, or improve in a subject, your kids will love choosing their own learning goals. At the end of the year, be sure to give your kids certificates or award pins in honor of their achievements.
3) Make New Friends (Stand up to Bullies) 
This elementary student New Year’s resolution can be done classroom-wide or school-wide. Promote friendship by encouraging your kids to stand up to bullies and help their fellow students. Post pledge murals in each classroom for kids to sign, and give everyone buttons with an anti-bully message.
4) Be a Good Citizen
This is a great New Year’s resolution for students of elementary age. Talk with your kids about the meanings of national holidays, being helpful, being polite, and other ways they can be good citizens. Create a school-wide goal like recycling or picking up trash, and get students, teachers, staff and parents in on the action. Hand out citizenship award pins, ribbons, buttons, certificates, or medallions to inspire good citizenship in your students.
5) Show School Spirit
Showing more school spirit can be a great New Year’s resolution for your school—and it’s easy to achieve! Purchase custom T-shirts in your school colors or imprinted with your logo. Declare every Friday “School Spirit Day” and encourage students and staff to wear their shirts and show school pride.