Learning Through the Days of the Year

By: Diane Flynn Keith and Fran Wisniewski

There are historic and important events to commemorate nearly every day of the year. You can use some of these dates to boost your young child's knowledge of the world in a fun and playful way. We have compiled information, books, DVDs, and other resources to help you do just that in this on-going, free resource that will be updated monthly.

Note: If your preschool-age child has older siblings at home, you may be interested in our comprehensive DVD Schooling Calendar with learning suggestions for every day of the year.

May Learning Calendar

• 1 — May Day! Celebrate spring! Make May Day Baskets, dance 'round the Maypole, and make daisy or dandelion crowns. Universal Preschool has lots of May Day crafts and activities for you to enjoy with your little ones.

  Here are more fun May Day ideas and activities.

  Watch children dance 'round the maypole on YouTube and on Encarta.

  Read the book, "The Happy Hippotami" by Bill Martin. You'll see pictures of hippos dancing around the maypole while on the beach!

  And you'll find references to May Day and maypole dancing in these fun books for children too:

  • Angelina at the Fair by Helen Craig
  • The Rainbow Tulip by Pat Mora

  May 1st is also Mother Goose Day!

  The term "Mother Goose" dates back to the 1650's. It referred to stories like Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood and Sleeping Beauty. It does not appear to represent a particular person, as many of "Mother Goose" stories were written both before and after this term was first used. And, the stories were written by numerous authors.

  According to the Mother Goose Society: "'Mother Goose Day' was founded in 1987 by Gloria T. Delamar in tandem with the publication of her book, 'Mother Goose; From Nursery to Literature.'" Here are some resources you can use to learn while you celebrate!

  Websites:

  • Family Crafts For Mother Goose Day
  • Mother Goose Society
  • Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes

  Books:

  • The Charles Addams Mother Goose

  DVD:

  • Jim Henson's Mother Goose Stories: Humpty Dumpty/Mother Hubbard and Many More!
  • Jim Henson's Mother Goose Stories: Jack & Jill/Old King Cole and Many More!
  • The Wacky World of Mother Goose!

  CD's:

  • Mother Goose Rocks, Vol. 1
  • Mother Goose Songs and Rhymes
  • Mother Goose Rocks! Volume 5

• 3 — Pete Seeger, American folk singer and composer was born in 1919. Some of his most popular songs include, "If I Had A Hammer," "Where Have All The Flowers Gone," and "Turn, Turn, Turn." Here are some resources to help celebrate Pete Seeger's birthday:

  DVD:

  • "If I Had a Hammer: Songs of Hope & Struggle"
  • "American Favorite Ballads, Vol. 1"

  CD's:

  Here are some wonderful folk songs that are just right for family sing-alongs:

  • Children's Concert at Town Hall
  • Stories and Songs for Little Children
  • Birds, Beasts, Bugs & Fishes Little & Big: Animal Folk Songs

  Websites:

  These sites offer music and lyrics for some of Seeger's most beloved songs:

  • "If I had a Hammer" Music and Lyrics
  • "Where have the Flowers Gone" Music and Lyrics

  Book:

  • Pete Seeger's Storytelling Book

• 4 — No Pants Day! We're not kidding! Visit the official website to find out what it's all about. Then read these books to help set the mood for this silly event:

  • Oh, No! Where Are My Pants? and Other Disasters: Poems
  • No New Pants!

• 5 — Cinco De Mayo, the fifth of May, celebrates the Mexican Army victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla, and represents Mexican independence from foreign intervention. Little kids many not understand the history, but they can definitely understand the concept of a celebration.

  Here are some resources to use that will broaden your child's understanding of other cultures:

  Books:

  • Cinco de Mayo (Rookie Read-About Holidays) by Mary Dodson Wade
  • Celebrate! It's Cinco De Mayo / Celebremos Es El Cinco De Mayo by Janice Levy

  Websites:

  • Cinco De Mayo crafts, activities, and recipes
  • Cinco De Mayo history, songs, fingerplays, coloring pages and games!
  • Mexican songs, crafts, activities and piñatas!



• 7 — Peter Tchaikovsky, musical composer of "The Nutcracker Suite," born in 1840. Share the glorious music Tchaikovsky wrote with your children by renting these DVDs:

  DVD:

  • The Nuttiest Nutcracker
  • The Nutcracker and the Mouse King
  • Sleeping Beauty

  Book:

  • The Nutcracker: A Pop-Up Book
  • The Story of the Nutcracker Ballet
  • The Nutcracker Ballet Theatre
  • Nutcracker Stickers (Dover Little Activity Books)
  • Nutcracker Activity Book (Dover Little Activity Books)
  • The Story of the Nutcracker Coloring Book

  Websites:

  • Get a simply synopsis of The Nutcracker to share with your child.

  Music CD's:

  • Classical Music for Children: A Toddler's Introduction to Classical Music
  • George Balanchine's The Nutcracker

• 9 — Sir James Matthew Barrie, author of "Peter Pan" born 1860. Buy or Rent these DVDs based on the classic, timeless book.

  DVD:

  • Recent film version titled 'Peter Pan'
  • Disney's 1953 version: Peter Pan
  • Return to Never Land

  Books:

  • Peter Pan
  • Walt Disney's Peter Pan
  • Peter Pan
  • Peter Pan

  Websites:

  • Fun activities themed around the Disney animated film, "Peter Pan."
  • Make a Peter Pan costume!

  CD's:

  • Peter Pan
  • Peter Pan: Original Broadway Cast Recording
  • Peter Pan: Classic Soundtrack Series
  • Peter Pan

• 10 — Transcontinental Railroad completed in 1869 in Utah. Celebrate trains by reading, "The Little Engine That Could!" Or explore some of these resources:

  DVD:

  • Real Wheels - Travel Adventures (There Goes a Train/Plane/Bus)
  • The Alphabet Train
  • Start Smarter Presents: "Firefighter George & Steam Trains with Train Safety!"

  Websites:

  • Extension activities to complement the book, The Little Engine That Could.
  • Reading guides and activiites themed around The Little Engine That Could.
  • Learn all about toy trains!
  • Print out a coloring page of a steam locomotive!
  • Complete instructions for a train craft for preschoolers.

  More Book Variations:

  • The Little Engine That Could: Original Classic Edition
  • The Little Engine That Could (Board Book)
  • The Little Engine That Could Storybook Treasury
  • The Little Engine That Could ABC Time

• 15 — Lyman Frank Baum, author of "Dorothy and The Wizard of OZ," born 1856. Based on L. Frank Baum's treasured book series, the movie, "The Wizard Of Oz" was judged the best family film of all time by the American Film Institute. Get the DVD and embark for the Emerald City on the most famous road in movie history -- the Yellow Brick Road. Here are some fun resources to explore on this day:

  Book:

  • The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: 100th Anniversary Edition
  • The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: A Commemorative Pop-up
  • The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Coloring Book
  • Wizard of Oz Sticker Picture: With 27 Reusable Peel-and-Apply Stickers
  • Wizard of Oz and Friends Stickers
  • Wizard of Oz (Jewel Sticker Stories

  CDs:

  • The Wizard Of Oz: Selections From The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
  • The Wizard Of Oz: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack - The Deluxe Edition
  • The Story & Songs Of The Wizard Of Oz - Special Edition: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
  • Best of the Muppets Featuring the Muppets' Wizard of Oz

  DVD:

  • The Wizard of Oz
  • The Wizard of Oz
  • The Muppets' Wizard of Oz - Who can resist the muppets!

  Websites:

  • Play a Wizard of Oz Match Game
  • Historical pictures about The Wizard of Oz
  • Wizard of Oz themed craft activities

• 20 — Charles Lindbergh flew first nonstop transatlantic solo flight in 1927, and

• 21 — Amelia Earhart completed first solo flight by a woman across the Atlantic in 1932.

Celebrate aviation with these resources:

DVD:

• Jay Jay the Jet Plane - Jay Jay's Big Mystery
• Kidsongs - Cars, Boats, Trains and Planes
• All About: Planes, Trains and More!

Books:

• Plane: Things That Go Board Books
• First Flight: The Story of Tom Tate and the Wright Brothers
• Flight: A Pop-Up Book of Aircraft
• Captain Bob Takes Flight
• Maggie's First Flight

CDs:

• Cars, Boats, Trains & Planes

Websites:

• Magic School Bus Taking Flight Activities
• Instructions for Making Paper Airplanes -- make them for the kids and have paper airplane races!

• 25 — In 1975, the grizzly bear was given federal protection as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. What a great day to go to the zoo and see a bear! Or have a Teddy Bear's Picnic and invite your child's stuffed animals! Learn all about bears with these resources:

  • Watch National Geographic's Grizzly Bear Cam!

  Books:

  • The Teddy Bears' Picnic
  • Teddy Bear's Picnic
  • Teddy Bear Tales

  DVD:

  • The Little Bear Movie
  • Brother Bear
  • Brother Bear 2

  CDs:

  • Teddy Bear's Picnic
  • Bill Shontz - Teddy Bear's Greatest Hits
  • Brother Bear Sound track
  • Disney's Karaoke Series: Brother Bear

  Websites:

  • Lyrics to the "Teddy Bear Picnic" song.
  • Teddy bear crafts and activities.
  • A Variety of Pre-K Bear Songs.
  • Make a Cradle to Hold Your Teddy Bear.
  • Bear puppets, print-outs, and more!

Have Older Children?

• Check out Homefires DVD Schooling Calendar

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