New Year Activities for Students: Growth Mindset Lesson Plans and Ideas

I’ve always found the irony in that I got to experience the back-to-school nightmares and butterflies twice a year since I taught on a block schedule. Just when this introverted teacher got to know and feel comfortable with the fall semester students, it was time to learn 100 new smiling faces in January! My best back-to-school ideas never seemed quite right for the new year or new semester students. So, I’ve come up with New Year activities for students returning in January that will help to break the ice while also starting the year on a positive note. If you are lucky (or one could say unlucky?) enough to teach the same students after Christmas, these ideas can help you reconnect and set the tone for the rest of your year as well!

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It’s no secret that a growth mindset can completely transform the way your students approach learning and life. If you’re not familiar, a growth mindset refers to the belief that talents and abilities can be developed through dedication and effort. It’s an incredible way to encourage students to face challenges, learn from failure, and believe in their ability to grow.

The new year is a natural time to help students set goals and reflect on the possibilities ahead. But instead of typical resolutions, why not frame their goals around developing a growth mindset? This way, they’ll stay focused not only on what they want to achieve but also on how they’re growing as individuals.

Start by introducing the idea of growth mindset with your class. Then, build on that momentum with these creative and practical New Year activities for students to solidify their learning.

Hook Student with a Growth Mindset Personality Quiz 

As we share in our book, Keeping the Wonder: An Educator’s Guide to Magical, Engaging, and Joyful Learning, personality quizzes are a fantastic way to spark curiosity. Students are naturally curious about themselves, so I knew a growth mindset personality quiz would be perfect for hooking them into learning more. Wanting to keep things positive, I developed this quiz to reveal their strongest growth mindset quality (not whether they have a fixed mindset or growth mindset). Plus, I truly believe that we all have some level of growth mindset and can choose the areas we want to improve. With this quiz, students will discover their growth mindset star status. Will they be a “Welcoming Challenges Champion,” “Examining Setbacks Superstar,” “Working Hard Hero,” or an “Embracing Learning Legend”?

Learn the Science of Growth Mindset with a Short Video

Next, start the new year by teaching students why a growth mindset matters and how it works. Lucky for teachers, there are some incredible resources out there to help make the neuroscience of growth mindset relatable to your students.

One great option is the LearnStorm Growth Mindset video called “The Truth About Your Brain.” This short, engaging video explains how the brain is like a muscle, growing and getting stronger with effort. It highlights the magic of neuroplasticity—a concept that sounds ultra-scientific but is totally student-friendly once explained.

Ask your students:

• Have you felt your brain “stretch” or grow when you worked really hard on something?
• What’s one time you stuck with a challenge and surprised yourself by succeeding?
• How might this knowledge change the way you approach your goals this year?
• Watching this will help students see their challenges as opportunities for growth and make them more motivated to tackle tough tasks.

Add Movement with Music Mingle Growth Mindset Prompts

Now it’s time to get out of those chairs! Breaking the ice with some movement-based activities sets a fun, lighthearted tone for the classroom while fostering a growth mindset at the same time. One idea is to pair these growth mindset prompts with a music mingle activity. These make New Year activities for students because they get students talking, moving, and learning about growth mindset!

Here’s how it works:

Play some upbeat music and have students mingle around the room. 

When the music stops, they team up with the closest classmate and answer a growth mindset question or prompt you’ve prepared. 

Examples:

• “What’s a challenge you’re excited to conquer this new year?”
• “What’s one skill you want to improve this new year?”
• “Describe a time last year you learned something important from a mistake.”

Repeat until students have spoken with multiple classmates.

This activity gets them thinking critically while building collaboration and communication skills. Plus, adding music is a guaranteed mood booster!

Spark Creativity with a New Year One-Pager

One-pagers are one of my all-time favorite tools for sparking creative thinking! However, sometimes it’s difficult for students to get started on a blank sheet of paper. That’s why I created this modified New Year one-pager activity. For this New Year activity for students, challenge them to visually represent their growth mindset goals and reflections through a New Year One Pager.

Here’s what the New Year one-pager includes:

• Growth Mindset Star Status: Have students illustrate their personality quiz results.
• Color Connotation: Assign a color that represents their growth mindset and explain why.
• Mentor Representation: Draw or write about someone who inspires their growth mindset.
• Word of the Year: Choose a single word to guide their growth and effort in the new  year (think “persist” or “believe”!).
• Goals Visualization: Include illustrations or symbols of their goals for the year.

This makes perfect New Year activities for students because it combines creative expression with self-reflection while showcasing their unique personalities and goals. Not to mention, you’ll end up with colorful, personal artwork to display on your New Year bulletin board! 

Create a New Year Bulletin Board

Finally, celebrate the new year by decorating your bulletin board. A fun New Year’s theme is “In My Growth Mindset Era.” Display your New Year activities for students (like the one-pager!), add some cute disco ball decorations (like border or balloons) or print a banner, and you are set! 

The start of a new year is a golden opportunity to set the stage for meaningful learning and personal growth in your classroom. With these five engaging new year activities for students, you’ll help them think about their potential in a whole new way—and have fun while doing it!

Want New Year lesson plans for building a growth mindset culture this year? Download your resources now! Here’s to an inspiring, growth-filled new year!

P.S. I recently added a new post exclusively for English teachers! Check the New Year ELA ideas here: Middle & High School ELA New Year Activities