Lessons & Classroom Games for Teachers
Preschool is an excellent time to introduce children to the concepts of the calendar, days of the week and months of the year, and what better way to learn about these concepts than through games and activities! The most common and simple of these preschool calendar activities is to chart the month's progress on a large paper calendar posted on the wall.
At the beginning of every month, gather everyone around the large paper calendar on the wall to label it with the important days of the month, such as any special holidays or birthdays occurring within the month. At the end of the day, one special child gets the important job of crossing the day off to get ready for the next day. This can be a reward for cleaning up fastest after a craft, winning a game, or anything else that seems fit.
"Just another Manic Monday..."
Other preschool calendar activities can focus on learning the days of the week. For example, designate one special activity, game, or song for each day of the week. This will help children get accustomed to a routine, which in turn helps them to learn about the weekly routines that will prevail throughout the remainder of their lives. These activities can change monthly so that children don't get too bored with them.
Lesser-Known Celebrations
The calendar can also serve as a skeletal structure for the preschool curriculum, since it's easiest to teach concepts to children when they are happening all around them. After all, it wouldn't really make much sense to teach kids about Christmas in the middle of spring, would it? Sometimes it can be fun to partake in preschool calendar activities to learn about some of the lesser-known celebrations of each month. This way, children are exposed to more than just the usual "Christmas, Valentine's Day and Easter" triumvirate of holiday celebrations.
For example, more preschools are learning about February as Black History Month. However, February is also Library Lovers Month, Children's Dental Month, and National Hobby Month. All three of these themes can provide a wealth of fun activities and games for preschoolers.
For example, Library Lovers Month can be celebrated with a special field trip to the school or local public library to meet the children's librarian and for a storytelling afternoon. In Children's Dental Month, the focus can be on proper oral hygiene by learning the proper ways to brush and floss. This could include a visit from a dentist, if possible. National Hobby Month gives children the chance to bring in an item that showcases one of their hobbies and present it to the class in a show-and-tell format.
When looking for celebrations or holidays from the calendar to bring into the classroom for preschool calendar activities, the emphasis should be on fun and enrichment to the curriculum in general. Though some holidays may seem downright silly, they're still a great opportunity to learn new things about the calendar.
Did you know that the 4th Thursday of January is known as "Clashing Clothes Day"? Challenge the kids to come to class in their most clashing outfits as a way of learning about opposites and things that just don't match.
Mary Robinson has been teaching preschool for well over a decade. You can get instant access to her preschool activities, crafts, and lesson plans by visiting her website:
For a limited time, all visitors to Mary's site will also get a free copy of her special report: "The 7 Biggest Mistakes Preschool Teachers and Parents Make". Go get your free copy today!
