Sure, there’s turkey. But November also brings a pile of leftover Halloween candy and plenty of excuses to have fun with the kids before the holiday rush.
Here are 10 November 2026 holidays and special days worth adding to your family's calendar, plus easy ways to celebrate each one.
Heads up: Daylight Saving Time Ends Sunday, Nov. 1!
Clocks fall back an hour, which means you get an extra hour of sleep. Your kids, however, did not get the memo and will be up at 5 a.m. asking for waffles. Here’s how much sleep they actually need.
1. Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)
Nov. 1 & 2
Families build altars covered in bright orange marigolds and their loved ones’ favorite foods in this Mexican tradition honoring those who have died. Día de los Muertos is a joyful way to remember the people we love.
Explore the tradition: Learn about five Día de los Muertos traditions and what they mean with your kids.
 Rimma Bondarenko | Canva |
2. Election Day
Tuesday, Nov. 3
Kids might not be old enough to vote, but they're never too young to learn how it works! Election Day is a great chance to talk about why voting matters.
Try this: Hold a family election! Let the kids create ballots and vote on what's for dinner Friday night, the next family movie, or a weekend adventure. Count the votes together and announce the winner.
3. National Candy Day
Wednesday, Nov. 4
Still staring at a mountain of leftover Halloween candy? Perfect timing! National Candy Day gives you an excuse to turn those extra treats into something new.
Put that candy to work: We've got 9 creative ways to use leftover Halloween candy, from sweet treats to clever activities.
4. Diwali, the Festival of Lights
Sunday, Nov. 8
Diwali is a Festival of Lights celebrated by millions of people around the world, especially in Hindu communities. Families light oil lamps called diyas and share sweets to celebrate light overcoming darkness.
Read together: Introduce your kids to the celebration with these 7 children's books about Diwali.
5. National STEM/STEAM Day
Sunday, Nov. 8
Science, technology, engineering, art, and math can be seriously fun, especially when kids get to experiment! And you don't need a science lab or a shopping trip to get started.
Try an experiment: Grab a few pennies and try our popular clean-a-penny STEAM experiment. Have a little engineer at home? Try these 10 paper engineering challenges too!
 Kara Murphy | Macaroni KID |
6. Veterans Day
Wednesday, Nov. 11
Veterans Day honors everyone who has served in the U.S. military. It's a great chance to talk about what service means and show some thanks together.
Try this: Make homemade thank-you cards for veterans. Crayons, stickers and a simple “Thank you for your service” are plenty. A drawing from a little one means more than you’d think! Drop cards off at a local VFW or American Legion post. Or just hand one to a veteran you know: a grandparent, neighbor, or coach.
7. World Kindness Day
Friday, Nov. 13
World Kindness Day is the perfect excuse to have the kids write a thank-you note to their bus driver or leave a treat for the mail carrier.
Take the kindness challenge: Choose a few ideas from our list of 40 simple acts of kindness and see how many your family can accomplish.
8. National Game & Puzzle Week
Nov. 22-28
Need something to keep the kids busy over Thanksgiving break? Bring on the puzzles! National Game & Puzzle Week is a great reason to put down the screens and challenge the whole family.
Ready for a challenge? Test your brainpower with 40 rebus puzzles for kids, with easy, medium, and hard levels. Who can solve the most?
9. Thanksgiving
Thursday, Nov. 26
Turkey, pie, family, and maybe a little chaos! Whether you're hosting a crowd or keeping things low-key, Thanksgiving is a chance to spend time together and reflect on what you're grateful for.
Thanksgiving Day Boredom Busters
Let the games begin! Keep everyone laughing with our Thanksgiving Bingo game.
Make gratitude fun. Print our free gratitude cootie catcher for a playful way to share what you're thankful for.
10. Small Business Saturday
Saturday, Nov. 28
Skip the big-box stores for a day and shop local. Small Business Saturday is a great excuse to visit a locally owned bookstore or toy shop, then grab hot chocolate at the bakery next door.
Make it a family outing: Let each child help choose a local business to visit. You might find a new favorite spot.
More Important November Observances
Native American Heritage Month: Celebrate Native American histories, cultures, and contributions.
National Adoption Month: Raise awareness about children and teens waiting for permanent families.
America Recycles Day (Nov. 15): Learn how to reduce waste, reuse, and recycle.
Children's Grief Awareness Day (Nov. 19): Support children grieving the loss of someone they love.
Transgender Day of Remembrance (Nov. 20): Remember transgender people lost to anti-transgender violence.
