January Holidays for Kids 2027: A Fun LA Idea for Every Day
The confetti is swept up, the holiday cookies are (mostly) gone, and the kids are bouncing off the walls with new-toy energy. Welcome to January, the month that feels a little quiet after the big holidays. Or does it?
Look closer and January holidays are everywhere. There is a day for hats, a day for popcorn, a day for penguins, and even a day for doing absolutely nothing. We pulled together a fun idea for every single day of January 2027, mixing quirky national days and real January holidays with easy at-home activities and family outings around Los Angeles.
Some ideas take five minutes before dinner. Others deserve a spot on the family calendar right now. Pick the ones that make your crew smile and skip the rest. Nobody is handing out medals for doing all 31.
January Holidays 2027 at a Glance
Here are the big January holidays and LA dates to know before you start planning. We checked each 2027 date below against official sources.
Friday, Jan. 1: New Year's Day and the 138th Rose Parade in Pasadena (8 to 10 a.m.)
Sunday night, Jan. 3, into Monday, Jan. 4: Peak of the Quadrantid meteor shower
Wednesday, Jan. 6: Three Kings Day (Día de los Reyes)
Sunday, Jan. 10: Last night of L.A. Zoo Lights
Monday, Jan. 11: LAUSD students return from winter break
Monday, Jan. 18: Martin Luther King Jr. Day (LAUSD schools are closed)
Friday, Jan. 22: Full Wolf Moon, and Tu BiShvat begins at sundown
Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 23 and 24: Monterey Park Lunar New Year Festival
LAUSD's winter recess runs Dec. 21, 2026, through Jan. 8, 2027, so the first full week of January is still break time for many families. Other LA-area districts set their own calendars, so check our LAUSD 2026-2027 calendar guide and your own school's schedule before you book anything.
Week 1: January 1 to 7
January 1 (Friday): New Year's Day + the Rose Parade
Happy New Year. Start 2027 the classic LA way with the Rose Parade, which rolls down Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena from 8 to 10 a.m. The 2027 theme is "Welcome," which feels just right for a fresh start.
Event: 138th Rose Parade
Where: Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena
Date: Friday, Jan. 1, 2027
Time: 8 to 10 a.m.
Watching from home in pajamas counts, too. For seating, curb camping rules, and float viewing after the parade, read our Rose Parade 2027 family guide. It is also Public Domain Day, when a fresh batch of old books, songs, and films becomes free for everyone to share, so ask the kids which classic story they would remake.
January 2 (Saturday): National Science Fiction Day
Science Fiction Day is a perfect excuse to build a cardboard spaceship in the living room. Grab boxes, foil, paper plates, and markers, and let the kids design a control panel with buttons that definitely launch rockets.
Then pick a family-friendly space movie for the evening and serve "astronaut food" like freeze-dried fruit.
January 3 (Sunday): Festival of Sleep Day + Meteor Shower Night
After all the holiday late nights, Festival of Sleep Day is a gift. Sleep in, nap without guilt, and wear pajamas until noon. Honestly, this may be our favorite day on the list.
You will want that extra rest, because the Quadrantid meteor shower peaks overnight. EarthSky predicts the peak at 05:47 UTC on Jan. 4, which is 9:47 p.m. Sunday night in Los Angeles, and the best viewing is in the dark hours before dawn Monday. Learn more from NASA's Quadrantids page, then head somewhere away from city lights if you can.
Parent tip: Little kids rarely last until 4 a.m. Let them see a few meteors early in the night, then tuck them in and enjoy the rest with a thermos of cocoa.
January 4 (Monday): Trivia Day + World Braille Day
Host a family trivia night with categories everyone can win: Disney movies, animals, LA landmarks, and "Things Mom Says Every Morning." Let the kids write a few questions about the grown-ups. It gets funny fast.
World Braille Day honors Louis Braille, born Jan. 4, 1809, who invented the reading system used by people who are blind or have low vision. Make a simple braille alphabet card with glue dots or puffy paint, and see if the kids can spell their names by touch.
January 5 (Tuesday): National Bird Day
Winter is a great season for birdwatching in Southern California, when migrating birds join our year-round locals. Make an easy pinecone feeder with peanut butter (or sunflower butter) and birdseed, hang it outside a window, and keep a tally of visitors.
Give each kid a notebook to sketch the birds they see.
January 6 (Wednesday): Three Kings Day
Día de los Reyes, or Three Kings Day, marks the Epiphany and is a joyful tradition for many LA families. Kids often leave shoes out the night before for small gifts, and families share a Rosca de Reyes, a sweet ring-shaped bread with a tiny baby figurine hidden inside.
Whoever finds the figurine traditionally hosts a tamale party on Feb. 2. Olvera Street hosts an annual Three Kings celebration with a procession and Rosca, though 2027 details have not been announced yet, so check the Olvera Street Merchants Association Foundation for updates. It is also the last day of Holidays at the Disneyland Resort, so see our Holidays at Disneyland guide if you want one more festive visit.
January 7 (Thursday): Old Rock Day
Yes, rocks get a holiday. Go on a backyard or park rock hunt, then sort your finds by color, size, and texture.
Turn the best rocks into painted kindness rocks with bright acrylic paint and short messages like "You rock." Leave a few along a neighborhood walk for strangers to find. For bigger rock fans, the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County has gem and mineral treasures worth a visit.
Week 2: January 8 to 14
January 8 (Friday): Bubble Bath Day
It is the last weekday of winter break for LAUSD families, so end it with the bubbliest bath in history. Add bath crayons, plastic cups, and a few toy boats, and let the kids run a bubble beard contest.
Grown-ups deserve a turn, too. After bedtime, claim the tub for yourself. You survived three weeks of winter break, and that deserves bubbles.
January 9 (Saturday): L.A. Zoo Lights Final Weekend
If you have not seen L.A. Zoo Lights yet, this is your last weekend. The glowing lantern displays turn the zoo into a wonderland after dark, and the walk-through usually takes about 60 to 90 minutes.
Event: L.A. Zoo Lights
Where: Los Angeles Zoo, 5333 Zoo Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90027
Dates: Through Sunday, Jan. 10, 2027 (closed Jan. 4 to 7)
Cost: Tickets start at $19, with free parking
Final weekends get busy, so buy timed tickets online and bring warm layers. LA nights can surprise you in January.
January 10 (Sunday): Houseplant Appreciation Day
Give your houseplants some love. Kids can dust leaves, check soil with a finger, and give each plant a name. (Every family needs a fern named Fernando.)
Then start a windowsill garden together. Plant herbs like basil or green onions from grocery store scraps in a cup of water, and measure their growth each week. It is a cheap, easy science project that lasts all month.
January 11 (Monday): Step in a Puddle Day + Back to School
LAUSD students head back to class today, so keep the evening easy. If it happens to be rainy, celebrate Step in a Puddle and Splash Your Friends Day with rain boots and full permission to jump.
No rain? Fill a few puddles with the hose on the driveway. Then talk about the best part of the first day back over a cozy dinner.
January 12 (Tuesday): Feast of Fabulous Wild Men Day
This wonderfully odd holiday is a perfect excuse for a wild rumpus. Read "Where the Wild Things Are" together, then crank up the music and let everyone stomp, roar, and roll their terrible eyes.
Make paper bag monster masks with yarn hair and googly eyes.
January 13 (Wednesday): Make Your Dream Come True Day
Help kids make a simple dream board for 2027. Cut pictures from old magazines or draw what they want to learn, try, or visit this year, then glue it all onto poster board.
Keep goals tiny and doable, like "learn to ride a bike" or "read 20 books." Need more inspiration? Our list of New Year's resolution ideas for every member of your family has fun ones for kids and grown-ups.
January 14 (Thursday): Dress Up Your Pet Day + Harvest Festivals
Bring out the tiny hats. Dress Up Your Pet Day is pure joy if your dog or cat is a good sport. Keep it short, keep it comfortable, and take lots of photos before Mr. Whiskers files a complaint.
Mid-January also brings harvest festivals celebrated by many South Asian families in LA, including Lohri, Makar Sankranti, and Pongal. Kite flying is a big Makar Sankranti tradition, so make a simple paper kite together and test it at the park this weekend.
Week 3: January 15 to 21
January 15 (Friday): National Hat Day
Everyone wears a hat to dinner. Baseball caps, Halloween witch hats, a colander with style, it all counts. Award prizes for silliest, fanciest, and most likely to fall into the soup.
It is also Wikipedia Day, marking the website's launch in 2001. Older kids can pick one random topic, read about it together, and teach the family three surprising facts at dessert.
January 16 (Saturday): National Nothing Day
No plans, no errands, no schedule. National Nothing Day gives your family permission to rest.
Let boredom happen and see what they invent. If you need just one tiny something, make it a stack of library books. Our guide to the free perks that come with your LA Public Library card shows how much you can get at no cost.
January 17 (Sunday): Ditch New Year's Resolutions Day + Ben Franklin's Birthday
Two weeks in, how are those resolutions going? Today is officially the day to drop the ones that are not working. Have each family member pick one goal to keep and one to happily toss.
Benjamin Franklin was born on Jan. 17, 1706, and he loved inventing things. Hold a kid inventor challenge with tape, string, cardboard, and recycled bits.
January 18 (Monday): Martin Luther King Jr. Day + Winnie the Pooh Day
Schools are closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a national day of service. Choose a family service project, like packing snack bags for a local shelter, writing thank-you notes to neighbors, or picking up litter at your park.
Read about Dr. King together with our list of children's books that keep the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. alive. Los Angeles traditionally holds its Kingdom Day Parade in South LA around the holiday, but 2027 details had not been announced when we wrote this, so check local listings. Jan. 18 is also Winnie the Pooh Day, honoring author A.A. Milne's birthday, so end the day with a little honey on toast and a chapter of Pooh.
January 19 (Tuesday): National Popcorn Day
Pop a big bowl and set up a topping bar with cinnamon sugar, parmesan, mini marshmallows, or a drizzle of melted chocolate. Let each person invent a signature flavor and give it a name.
Then use the leftovers for a popcorn science experiment. Count how many kernels did not pop and talk about why.
January 20 (Wednesday): Penguin Awareness Day
Waddle into Penguin Awareness Day by learning about the many kinds of penguins, from tiny little blue penguins to towering emperors. Then have a penguin waddle race down the hallway with a ball held between your knees.
Want to see real penguins? The Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach is home to a colony of Magellanic penguins. Our roundup of the best aquariums in Southern California has more ideas for a rainy-day field trip.
January 21 (Thursday): National Hug Day + Squirrel Appreciation Day
Start the morning with a big group hug, then challenge everyone to try a new hug style: the bear hug, the side hug, the sandwich hug.
It is Squirrel Appreciation Day, too. Watch the squirrels at your local park and notice how they gather, hide, and chatter.
Week 4: January 22 to 28
January 22 (Friday): Full Wolf Moon + Tu BiShvat Begins
January's full moon, often called the Wolf Moon, reaches its fullest early this morning, so tonight's moon will still look big and bright. Take a short evening walk, look up, and try a family howl. The neighbors will understand. Probably.
Tu BiShvat, the Jewish New Year for Trees, begins at sundown tonight and ends at nightfall Saturday, according to Hebcal. Many families celebrate with fruits like dates, figs, and pomegranates, which makes a lovely fruit-tasting dinner.
January 23 (Saturday): Lunar New Year Festival + National Pie Day
Lunar New Year is Saturday, Feb. 6, 2027, ushering in the Year of the Goat, but Monterey Park gets the party started early with one of the region's biggest free street festivals. Expect food stalls, performances, and family activities along Garvey Avenue.
Where: Garvey Avenue between Garfield and Alhambra Avenues
Monterey Park, CA 91754
Dates: Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 23 and 24, 2027
Time: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday
Cost: Free admission
The city lists free parking and a weekend shuttle on its festival page. Back home, celebrate National Pie Day and National Handwriting Day by writing a handwritten note to a grandparent while a pie bakes.
January 24 (Sunday): Compliment Day + International Day of Education
Today's challenge: give every family member a specific compliment. Not "you're nice," but "I loved how you shared your snack with your sister." Kids light up when praise is detailed.
For International Day of Education, ask your kids what they would teach if they ran their school for a day. Then let them teach you something, whether it is a math trick, a video game strategy, or a dance move.
January 25 (Monday): Opposite Day
Breakfast for dinner, dessert first, and say "goodbye" when you mean "hello." Opposite Day is pure silliness, and kids adore being the boss of the rules.
Wear your shirt backward, walk backward to the car (carefully), and tell your kids you absolutely do not love them. They will know what you mean.
January 26 (Tuesday): International Day of Clean Energy
Sunny Southern California is the perfect place to learn about solar power. Build a pizza-box solar oven with foil and plastic wrap, then try melting chocolate on a graham cracker on a sunny afternoon.
Talk about where your home's electricity comes from and hunt for ways to save energy, like flipping off lights. For more hands-on fun, browse our 101 easy science experiments for kids at home.
January 27 (Wednesday): National Chocolate Cake Day
Bake a chocolate cake together, or make single-serving mug cakes in the microwave for a speedy midweek treat.
Rather leave the baking to the pros? Warm up with a cozy outing from our list of hot chocolate spots in Los Angeles.
January 28 (Thursday): National Kazoo Day + Data Privacy Day
Hand out kazoos and form a family band. Pick a song everyone knows and perform it for the dog. It will be loud, and it will be ridiculous, and that is the point.
Data Privacy Day is a good moment to talk with older kids about staying safe online. Review strong passwords, why we do not share our address or school name, and when to come to a grown-up for help.
Week 5: January 29 to 31
January 29 (Friday): International Puzzle Day
Clear the dining table and start a family jigsaw puzzle that lasts all weekend. Pick a piece count that matches your youngest helper, or split the work so little ones handle edge pieces.
Add word searches, mazes, and riddles to the mix. If you need some giggle-worthy riddles, our funny jokes for kids are a great place to start.
January 30 (Saturday): Answering Message Day + Stargazing at Griffith
National Inane Answering Message Day is a funny reason to record a silly family voicemail greeting. Let the kids write the script.
For a weekend outing, head to Griffith Observatory, where admission to the building and grounds is free and public telescopes are often available on clear evenings. Our complete guide to Griffith Observatory covers parking, shows, and the best times to visit.
January 31 (Sunday): Backward Day + Inspire Your Heart With Art Day
Wrap up the month with a backward dinner, starting with dessert, and an art afternoon. Set out paint, chalk, and clay, and let everyone make something about their favorite January memory.
Then peek ahead to February. Lunar New Year is Saturday, Feb. 6, and Super Bowl LXI comes to SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Feb. 14, which also happens to be Valentine's Day. Start planning with our ideas for celebrating Valentine's Day at home with kids.
Still craving winter fun? Snow is only a short drive from LA in a good year. Our guide to the best places for snow play near Los Angeles covers sledding hills, tubing parks, and what to pack.
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Takeaway
January holidays turn a quiet month into a string of small celebrations, from Rose Parade floats and meteor showers to penguin waddles, popcorn bars, and a free Lunar New Year festival. Mix easy at-home ideas with a few special LA outings, and the post-holiday slump never stands a chance.
Bookmark this page, pick your favorite days, and leave room for rest. Festival of Sleep Day and National Nothing Day are on the list for a reason, and we fully support taking them seriously.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main January holidays in 2027?
The big ones are New Year's Day (Friday, Jan. 1), Three Kings Day (Wednesday, Jan. 6), Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Monday, Jan. 18), and Tu BiShvat, which begins at sundown on Friday, Jan. 22. Fun national days include National Hat Day (Jan. 15), National Popcorn Day (Jan. 19), and Penguin Awareness Day (Jan. 20).
When is the 2027 Rose Parade?
The 138th Rose Parade is on Friday, Jan. 1, 2027, from 8 to 10 a.m. along Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena. The 2027 theme is "Welcome." Our Rose Parade family guide covers seating, parking, and post-parade float viewing.
Is LAUSD closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2027?
Yes. LAUSD schools are closed on Monday, Jan. 18, 2027, for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. LAUSD winter recess runs Dec. 21, 2026, through Jan. 8, 2027, and students return on Monday, Jan. 11.
What fun national days in January are good for kids?
Kid favorites include National Science Fiction Day (Jan. 2), National Bird Day (Jan. 5), Bubble Bath Day (Jan. 8), National Hat Day (Jan. 15), Winnie the Pooh Day (Jan. 18), National Popcorn Day (Jan. 19), Penguin Awareness Day (Jan. 20), Opposite Day (Jan. 25), and International Puzzle Day (Jan. 29).
Where can LA families celebrate Lunar New Year in January 2027?
Lunar New Year falls on Saturday, Feb. 6, 2027, but the free Monterey Park Lunar New Year Festival kicks things off early on Jan. 23 and 24 along Garvey Avenue. It runs 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, with food, performances, and family activities.
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