Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
New Years Resolutions
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
New Years Resolutions is a free printable activity for primary age children. Join Jaques of London in saying goodbye to 2021 and welcoming 2022 by making a list of resolutions. Children think about what they want to do, learn or change, and put those ideas into words. It needs only a pencil, and colouring pens are a nice extra.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Black and white printing works well. The ideas suit any new year, so you can use the sheet again later.
What is on the sheet
Children join Jaques of London in looking back at the end of one year and looking ahead to the next. They think about what they would like to do, learn or change, and make their own list of resolutions. The activity gives children a reason to write about themselves in clear sentences. It works well alone, as a family chat or as a class conversation. There are no right or wrong answers.
Ways to build on the sheet
Resolution jar
Cut a strip of paper for each resolution and put them in a jar. Pull one out each week and talk about how it is going.
Family wall
Ask each person at home to share one resolution. Write them on a big sheet of paper and display it where everyone can see.
Letter to next year
Write a short note about what you hope for. Fold it, seal it and keep it safe. Open it together when the next new year arrives.
Check in days
Pick one day a month to look at the list again. Tick what is going well and change anything that feels too big or too small.
Why make resolutions with children?
A New Year's resolution is a promise to yourself to do something better or differently in the coming year. People often make them around 1 January, when the calendar starts again. Resolutions can be about learning, kindness, health, hobbies or helping at home. Children often enjoy them because a new year feels like a fresh page.
Good resolutions are small, clear and kind. "Read for ten minutes before bed" is easier to keep than "be perfect at reading". Writing a resolution as a full sentence is useful literacy practice too. Children choose words carefully, think about what they mean, and read them back. It is fine to change a resolution later. Trying again is part of building a habit.
New Year facts
- New Year's Day is on 1 January.
- A year has 12 months.
- January is named after Janus, a Roman god of doors and beginnings.
- In the UK, people often sing the Scottish song Auld Lang Syne as the new year begins.
- The year 2022 had 365 days.
Skills and curriculum link
- Writing clear sentences
- Goal setting
- Reflection
- Creative thinking
- Speaking and listening
Helping children choose resolutions
- Keep it smallA resolution a child can do every day or every week is easier to keep than a very big promise.
- Make it positiveTry "I will tidy my room on Sundays" rather than "I will not be messy". It tells the child what to do.
- Make it personalChildren care more about ideas they chose themselves. Offer questions, not a ready made list.
- Share your ownWhen adults share a resolution, children see that everyone is still learning and trying.
Key words
- ResolutionA promise to yourself to do something good in the new year.
- GoalSomething you want to reach or achieve.
- HabitSomething you do so often that it becomes normal.
- ReflectTo think carefully about what has happened.
- PlanThe steps you decide to take to reach a goal.
- ProgressMoving forward and getting better at something over time.
How to use it
- Print the sheet and gather a pencil. Colouring pens are optional.
- Talk first. Ask, "What did you enjoy last year, and what would you like to try this year?"
- Let your child choose their own resolutions and say each one aloud before writing it.
- Encourage full sentences. Ask, "Can you make that clearer so someone else could understand it?"
- Read the finished list together. Keep it somewhere easy to see and look at it again in a few weeks.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Start with talk, not writing. Ask, "What would you like to get better at this year?" Say your answer first as a model. Then help your child pick one small idea and say it aloud in a full sentence before they write it down.
To stretch confident children
Choose one resolution and write a short plan for it. Say what you will do, how often, and who can help you. Then write how you will know it is going well. Read your plan aloud to someone at home or in class.
Make it a game
Play Resolution Charades. Take turns to act out a resolution without speaking, such as reading more or tidying up. The others guess it. Then the actor says the resolution as a full sentence starting with "This year I will". Score a point for each correct guess.
Talk about it
- What is one thing you are proud of from last year?
- What is something new you would like to learn?
- How could you be kind to someone this year?
- Which resolution will be easiest to keep, and which will be hardest?
- Who could help you keep your resolution?
- What could you do if you forget or miss a day?
Take it off the page
Memory jar
Write one happy memory on a slip of paper whenever you like. Read them together at the end of the year.
Goal poster
Draw or paint a poster of one resolution. Add words, pictures and a short slogan to remind you.
Walk and talk
Go for a walk and take turns to say one hope for the year ahead. Listen carefully to each other's ideas.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit beside your child and share your own resolution first. Keep the mood light. Let your child lead, and put the finished list somewhere you will both see it.
Teachers
Use it in the first week back after the winter break, as a circle time starter, or as a short writing task. It supports sentence writing, personal reflection and class discussion. Resolutions can make a lovely display.
Home educators
Use it to start the year with a calm, positive activity. Children of different ages can work side by side, with younger ones speaking their ideas and older ones writing a plan. Revisit the list each month.
Where this fits
Before this sheet, children practise talking about their own experiences and writing simple sentences. They learn that writing can share ideas and feelings, and that words can be chosen with care.
After it, children can write longer pieces such as diary entries, letters and plans. They can also practise setting goals in other areas, like reading targets, team challenges or personal projects, and reviewing how they got on.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is this sheet for?
It suits primary age children. Younger children can say their ideas aloud while an adult helps with the writing. Older children can write full sentences and add a plan. You can adjust how much support you give.
- Is the sheet free to print?
Yes. It is free to download and print from the Mini Minds Hub by Jaques of London. You need a printer, a pencil and some paper. Colouring pens are a nice extra but not essential.
- How long does it take?
There is no set time. Let your child work at their own pace. Some children will finish in one sitting, and others may prefer to talk first and write later or on another day.
- Are there right or wrong answers?
No. Resolutions are personal, so every child will have different ideas. What matters is that the ideas are clear, kind and something the child really wants to try. Praise effort and thoughtful choices.
- Which skills does it practise?
It supports writing clear sentences, goal setting, reflection, creative thinking and speaking and listening. It links to the writing strand of the National Curriculum for England, and to personal development at home and in school.
- What if my child cannot think of a resolution?
Ask simple questions. What do you enjoy? What would you like to learn? Who would you like to help? Share one of your own as a model. Even one small idea is a good start.
- What if my child does not keep their resolution?
That is normal. Say that everyone slips sometimes and that you can try again. Look at the resolution together and ask if it needs to be smaller or clearer. Change it if that helps.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.