Make SEL Awareness Days Fun with Easy March Calendar Ideas
Inside: March calendar ideas with fun activities, SEL lessons, and FREE printables that make it easy for students and teachers to make the most of world observations and awareness days.
If you've ever seen one of those world holiday calendars, you know that each month is full of awareness days. There are all kinds of weird and wonderful special observance days and celebrations like "National Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day" or "National Donut Day." Checking out the March calendar ideas, however, I see some great ones that are great for social emotional learning in elementary classrooms.
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Here are the days I think spark meaningful Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) conversations with students around kindness, inclusion, and anti-bullying:
These themes on the March calendar are universal and encourage everyone to reflect on the impact of their words and actions. If you participated in International Stand Up to Bullying Day in February, the Australian observance offers a great opportunity to check in on your students' progress and reinforce positive change.
1. Good Samaritan Day – March 13
This day honors the idea of selflessness — doing something kind for someone without expecting anything in return. It’s a great time to talk about small but meaningful acts of kindness and how even the simplest gesture can make someone’s day.
Here are some ways for your students to experience the joy of making a difference:
Kind Samaritan Challenge
Encourage students to find ways to be "Kind Samaritans" throughout the day. They can have fun making and distributing compliment cards or hug coupons. They're easy to make and kids can put their own unique spin on them.
Get students to make some for people they know but also consider the writing more generic compliments that can be left in different places for schoolmates to find. These are harder to write but here are some ideas:
Compliment Post-It Blitz
Similar to compliment notes, this is another fun way to spread positivity! Post-its are fun because they're easy to stick just about anywhere. Students can add them on mass to a classroom door or bomb the bathroom with love!
This student from a school in Texas wanted to make her peers feel good about themselves so she wrote positive and uplifting notes and stuck them in the bathroom.
Students can write their own compliments for a random schoolmate or go online and find uplifting quotes. If you're short on time, grab a set of encouragement notes for students to color in. These are also great for teachers to use to boost their student's confidence and self-esteem.
Kindness Tree
Create a Kindness Tree bulletin board in your classroom or community space. Have students add leaves with their acts of kindness written on them or get them to report good deeds they witness or receive. This visual representation helps reinforce the importance of kindness and encourages everyone to contribute. You can even invite teachers and parents to participate to spread kindness even further!
Here are some simple steps for setting up your Kindness Tree but if you want further instructions and lots of gorgeous examples, check out this post.
If you'd rather a done for you tree that you simply print and assemble, grab this kit. It includes multiple layouts and sizes to fit just about any space!
Community Helpers
Discuss how every community has a band of community helpers who make your part of the world a better place. Ask students to share if they know someone who volunteers or makes a difference in some way. You can even invite some volunteers to come talk to your class and explain how their roles enrich their lives.
You can also research and discuss some famous good Samaritans such as:
Books About Being a Good Samaritan
Being a good Samaritan is all about kindness and caring. Here are some wonderful books to read to your grade:
Be Kind - PreK-1st Grade
The Energy Bus for Kids - PreK-3rd Grade
Maddi's Fridge - K-2nd Grade
What Does it Mean to Be Kind - PreK-2nd Grade
The Spiffiest Giant in Town - PreK-2nd Grade
The Invisible Boy - K-2nd Grade
The Jelly Donut Difference - K-2nd Grade
Those Shoes - PreK-2nd Grade
The One and Only Ivan - 2nd-6th Grade
2. National Day of Action Against Bullying and Violence (Australia) – March 15
While this particular bullying day is observed in Australia, prevention is an essential topic in classrooms everywhere. This day focuses on teaching students how to recognize bullying, stand up for others, and create a safer, more respectful school environment.
Here are some meaningful activities and resources you can use to promote friendship and inclusion:
Ditch Zero-Tolerance Policies
Many schools have a zero-tolerance policy toward bullying behavior. Instead of receiving help, the perpetrator is usually expelled, which means they become someone else's problem. This negative outcome can further damage students by sending a message of rejection and lack of support. Allowing students to experience the benefits of kindness and empathy is a far better solution.
I delve deeper into this topic in this post but these are the main points:
Role-Playing Scenarios
Develop a set of role-playing cards with different bullying scenarios. Each card should include a brief description of the situation and the roles for participants (e.g., bully, target, upstander, bystander).
Here are scenario examples to write on your cards:
â–º FREE Kindness Coloring Pages!
Wrinkled Heart Activity
This one's powerful anti-bullying lesson and a must-do for just about any year level. The best thing is to redirect you to my post with instructions and video for this crumpled paper activity. You can also download a free printable heart so you can use it right away.
Teach Kindness and Empathy
I don't often talk about bullying. It feels like a hot topic from a decade ago, and back then, the word was thrown around far too much. The common approach to handling bullying was all about focusing on the negatives, and honestly, I was never comfortable with that ineffective strategy.
Fast forward to today, and there's a much better understanding of the importance of promoting kindness and empathy. It's amazing how a positive shift in focus can make such a difference!
Promoting kindness and empathy are crucial qualities for creating an environment where bullying is less likely to thrive. By encouraging students to understand and share the feelings of others, we can cultivate a culture of compassion and support.
Here are some ideas to get started:
For more ideas and on promoting kindness and empathy, check out my blog post where researcher and expert, Dr Michele Borba explains how "lessons in empathy can be life-altering."
Books to Combat Bullying
The best way to reduce bullying is to teach students to have empathy and be kind to others but also important to explain the results of being unkind. Try reading and discussing these popular books:
Kindness is My Superpower - PreK-1st Grade
Weird! - 1st-3rd Grade
We All Belong - PreK-2nd Grade
The Love Tank - PreK-2nd Grade
The Invisible Boy - K-4th Grade
Empathy is Your Superpower - PreK-2nd Grade
Those Shoes - PreK-1st Grade
Human Kindness (True Stories) - 2nd-6th Grade
3. International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (Harmony Day in Australia) – March 21
Harmony Day, also known as the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate cultural diversity and promote racial equality. Here are some engaging and meaningful activities that can help students form an understanding of different ways of living or family traditions:
Culture Show
Organize a cultural day where participants can present aspects of their culture through music, dance, food, and art. This can be set up as a fair or assembly where everyone can share and learn from each other.
Discussion on Racial Equality
Discuss the importance of racial equality and how everyone can contribute to eliminate racial discrimination. Encourage students to share their experiences and ideas on how to create an inclusive environment.
Cultural Art Projects
Have participants create art projects that reflect their cultural heritage or promote racial equality. This could include painting, drawing, or crafting items that celebrate diversity.
Create a Unity Poster
Start with a discussion about what unity means. Ask students to share their thoughts and experiences related to unity. You can guide the conversation with questions like, "What does unity look like in our classroom or community?" and "Why is unity important?"
Brainstorm ideas of what unity can look like. Write down all the ideas on a whiteboard or large paper and select 5-6 favorites. Some examples might include:
Once all the students have finished their posters, display them in a common area of the classroom or school. This will create a visible reminder of how unity can be achieved through cooperation, respect, and inclusion.
For an extra touch, you can have students sign the posters as a commitment to practicing unity each day.
Writing Activity
Use the writing prompt "What does harmony and unity mean to you?" to help students connect the concept to their own lives and experiences.
Start by discussing the meaning of harmony and unity with guiding questions such as:
After students have completed their writing, invite them to share their work with the class, either by reading it aloud or displaying it on a "unity" bulletin board.
Books About Unity, Diversity, and Inclusion
Reading stories about unity, diversity, and inclusion is a powerful way to engage students and deepen their understanding of these important concepts. Books can spark conversations, inspire empathy, and help children see the world through different perspectives.
Here are some to consider:
The Big Umbrella - PreK-2nd Grade
The Name Jar - PreK-2nd Grade
Henry's Freedom Box - 1st-4th Grade
The Colors of Us - PreK-2nd Grade
This is How We Do It - PreK-2nd Grade
Each Kindness - 1st-4th Grade
What if We Were All the Same! - PreK-2nd Grade
Our Class is a Family - K-2nd Grade
Included - 1st-6th Grade
March is filled with wonderful opportunities to celebrate kindness, diversity, and inclusion and there are plenty of rewarding activities to promote empathy and unity.
Whether you're creating a beautiful Kindness Tree, participating in role-playing scenarios, or organizing a cultural showcase, these March calendar ideas can help foster a positive and supportive environment for everyone.
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