Stop UP!
UPstate Blog
BlogLearning Through the Days of the Year
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.
March Learning Calendar
Check back soon, this calendar is being updated.
1 — Peanut Butter Lover's Day!
Peanut Butter has long been an all-time favorite of preschoolers and their mom's. March is also National Peanut Month - first celebrated in 1941.Did you know that one acre of peanuts will make 30,000 peanut butter sandwiches?
Learn About Peanut Butter
Peanut Butter Recipes
- Homemade Peanut Butter Recipe
- Easy Peanut Butter & Banana Waffles
- Peanut Butter Maple Syrup
- Peanut Butter Soup
Sing a Song
- Peanut Butter and Jelly: A Play Rhyme by Nadine Bernard Westcott
- Peanut Butter and Jelly Prayers by Julie B. Sevig
- Peanut Butter And Jellyfishes: A Very Silly Alphabet Book by Brian P. Cleary
- From Peanuts to Peanut Butter (From Farm to Table) by Kristin Thoennes Keller
- George Washington Carver: The Peanut Wizard by Laura Driscoll
- The Life and Times of the Peanut by Charles Micucci
2 — Dr. Seuss' Birthday!
Theodor Geisel aka Dr. Seuss, the author of children's classics such as The Cat In The Hat, was born on this day in 1904. Celebrate with UniversalPreschool.com's "A Dr. Seuss Curriculum." Do the book-themed activities, such as making "Green Eggs and Ham," try a "Cat In The Hat" balancing act, count "One Fish, Two Fish," and much more!3 — Star-Spangled Banner Day!
Also known as "National Anthem Day," March 3rd commemorates the date that Francis Scott Key's song, "The Star-Spangled Banner." officially became the national anthem of the United States of America. Key wrote the song on September 14, 1814 (during the "War of 1812"), after watching the bombardment of Fort McHenry from a British ship, and being thrilled to see the American flag with its stars and stripes still waving the next day. Enjoy these activities with your chidlren:Read a Book
- The Story of "the Star-Spangled Banner" by Patricia Pingry
- The Star-Spangled Banner (Reading Rainbow Book) by Peter Spier
Print out and color the American flag.
Listen to "The Star-Spangled Banner" and sing along so your child can hear the words. They may not understand them all, but even young children can begin to recognize and learn to sing portions of the song.
4 — Maple Syrup Day!
Vermont, the 14th state and top producer of maple syrup, was admitted to the Union in 1791. North America is the only place where Maple Syrup is produced. It was originally made by Native Americans. Read "The Legend of Maple Syrup." Paraphrase the legend and tell your child the story while they eat pancakes with maple syrup for breakfast. Then try these activities:Read:
- Maple Syrup Season by Ann Purmell
- Sugaring by Jessie Haas
Watch This Video:
Make:
- Make Maple Syrup and Snow Candy
(This recipe was inspired by a delicious description of sugar-on-snow in the book, "Little House in the Big Woods" by Laura Ingalls Wilder.) - Print and color this Maple Syrup coloring page.
5 — King Arthur & The Knights of the Round Table Day!
Howard Payle, the author of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, was born on this day in 1835.Read:
- King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table by Emma Gelders Sterne and Barbara Lindsay — a beautiful retelling of kings, queens, knights, wizards, and quests for ages 4-8.
Play Dress Up:
- Make and Wear Your Own Crown!
- Make and Wear Your Own Knight's Helmet!
- Get free Knights & Royalty Coloring Pages!
Watch a Video:
6 — Learn What Your Name Means Day!
Everyone's name has a meaning. Find the origin, etymology, history, and meaning of your name and your child's name at Behind The Name.8 — Celebrate Kenneth Grahame's Birthday!
Grahame, author of the children's classic, The Wind In The Willows, was born in 1859. Read the book and then enjoy the DVD, The Wind in the Willows & The Willows in Winter. Based on Grahame's literary classic and William Horwood's critically praised sequel, the book's characters come to magical life in these beautifully animated feature-length films.10 — Money Day!
The first U.S. paper money was issued in 1862. Show your preschoolers a one dollar bill, a five dollar bill, a ten dollar bill, and a twenty dollar bill. Then try these activities:- Ask, "Are they the same or different?" See what your child notices about each bill and talk about what's on each one.
- What numbers can your child find on the bills?
- Whose picture is on each bill? What scene is on the back of each bill?
- $1.00 - Front: George Washington, the 1st U.S. President.
Back: The Great Seal of the U.S. Government - $5.00 - Front: Abraham Lincoln, the 16th U.S. President.
Back: The Lincoln Memorial. - $10.00 - Front: Alexander Hamilton, first Secretary of the Treasury.
Back: The U.S. Treasury Building. - $20.00 - Front: Andrew Jackson, 7th U.S. President.
Back: The White House
- $1.00 - Front: George Washington, the 1st U.S. President.
Simply tell your child what's on the front and back of each bill. It's not necessary for them to memorize this information - you are simply exposing them to new vocabulary and knowledge about their world.
- Go to the store and let your child purchase something by handing the clerk the paper money to pay for an item. Your child will begin to understand that the money has value and can be traded for goods and services.
- Show your child your wallet and where you put the bills in your wallet.
- Color the pretend money that you can print out on the Crayola website.
Read a Book
- Bunny Money by Rosemary Wells
- Sam and the Lucky Money by Karen Chinn
- The Monster Money Book by Loreen Leedy
- The Berenstain Bears' Trouble with Money by Stan Berenstain
Money Fun
11 — Celebrate Johnny Appleseed Day!
Read The Story of Johnny AppleseedRead a Book
- Johnny Appleseed by Reeve Lindbergh
- Johnny Appleseed by Patricia Brennan Demuth
- Johnny Appleseed by Steven Kellogg
12 — Plant A Flower Day!
Invite your child to plant some flower seeds. Go to the garden store and pick out some flower seeds. (Ask the clerk which flower seeds grow quickly.) If you use pre-packaged potting soil (with fertilizer) whatever flower seeds you choose will grow faster. Take a small flower pot, and place it on an aluminum pie tin. Have your child pack the flower pot with potting soil. Don't pack it all the way to the top - fill it just to about 1/2" from the rim around the top of the pot.Follow the directions on the back of the seed packet for planting the seeds. Place a few on the soil and show your child how to push the seeds into the soil. Make sure the seeds are covered with soil and then lightly water - so the soil is moist - not soaking wet. Show your child how to use a spray bottle filled with water to water the flower seeds daily. (Just spritz the soil lightly.)
The flower should sprout within 10-14 days. Keep watering it until it fully grows and blooms.
Try these activities:
- Read: The Magic School Bus Plants Seeds: A Book About How Living Things Grow by Joanna Cole.
- Do These Flower- Themed Activities for Preschool Age Children.
- Sing Songs About Flowers!
13 — It's Jewel Day!
Sparkly, shiny, colorful gemstones are celebrated on this day. Does your child know that they have a "birthstone"? This is the gem associated with their birth month based on traditions from centuries ago. It was believed the stones brought special power or luck for the person born during that month. Here is a list of birthstones for every month:- January - Garnet
- February - Amethyst
- March - Aquamarine or Bloodstone
- April - Diamond
- May - Emerald
- June - Pearl, Moonstone, or Alexandrite
- July - Ruby
- August - Peridot or Sardonyx
- September - Sapphire
- October - Opal or Tourmaline
- November - Yellow Topaz or Citrine
- December - Blue Topaz, Turquoise, or Lapis Lazuli
Look at pictures of all 12 modern birthstones. Show your child the picture and see if they can name the colors of the stones.
Take a Trip to a Jewelry Store! Ask the clerk to show you the different birthstones. Show your child their own birthstone.
Read Eye Wonder Rocks & Minerals for ages 4-8. Your child may enjoy the illustrations, pictures, and some of the information about rocks and minerals for budding geologists.
14 — Learn About Butterflies Day!
Go for a walk and see if you can find any butterflies. Here are some ideas and activities your child may enjoy:Read a Book
- My, Oh My - A Butterfly: All About Butterflies by Tish Rabe
- Where Butterflies Grow by Joanne Ryder
- The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carl
Raise A Butterfly - The Live Butterfly Garden is a kit that comes with a habitat, food, and mail-in voucher to receive live butterfly larvae that you can raise watching the metamorphosis from caterpillar to cocoon to butterfly.
Plant a Butterfly Garden - Learn how to plant flowers that attract butterflies to your garden.
Butterfly Arts, and Crafts - Check out these ideas for making butterflies and caterpillars.
Be A Butterfly! - Make a Butterfly Costume with these easy directions.
17 — St. Patrick's Day!
Learn about St. Patrick's DayRead a Book
- Jack and the Leprechaun by Ivan Robertson
- Lucky O'Leprechaun by Jana Dillon
- St. Patrick's Day Countdown by Salina Yoon
20 — Big Bird's Birthday!
Watch the Sesame Street DVD, "Big Bird's Storytime." Then, make a cake and sing Happy Birthday to the beloved children's character.21 — Children's Poetry Day!
A day to read and listen to poetry written just for children. Here are some suggestions:- Read A Child's Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson - A delightful romp through childhood by the master poet and storyteller is enhanced by the watercolor illustrations of Tasha Tudor
- Enjoy Preschool Action Poems - These poems encourage children to act out what the poem says. Some of them are designed to help kids remember how to do things like tie shoes.
23 — Easter Sunday!
24 — National Chocolate Covered Raisins Day!
25 — International Waffle Day!
A day to enjoy eating waffles! Teach your child life skills by showing him or her how to make this delicious and nutritious pumpkin waffle recipe. In a hurry? Check out these nutritious toppings for packaged waffles such as Van's Waffles or Kellogs' Nutri-Grain Waffles.26 — Make Up Your Own Holiday Day!
28 — Something On A Stick Day!
We're not sure of the origin of this day, but here are some ideas for celebrations:- Make Stick Puppets - Here are easy instructions for making a variety of stick puppets with just Styrofoam and drinking straws.
- Eat Your Meals On A Stick - Serve meals and snacks on a stick. Corn dogs and popsicles come to mind - but you can also cut your food into bite-size pieces and let the kids eat their meals with toothpicks today! (Adult supervision required.)
30 — Take A Walk In The Park Day!
A walk in the park is a good way to get some exercise and enjoy nature. Be sure to point out all of the seasonal changes occurring on trees - like leaf and flower buds and blossoms (if you live in the Northern hemisphere) and changing leaf colors (if you live in the Southern hemisphere).31 — Tater Day!
This small festival started in Benton, Kentucky in the late 1800s as a celebration of the arrival of Spring. The townsfolk enjoyed a parade and traded sweet potatoes - a crop that grows well there. Sweet potatoes have beautiful heart-shaped leaves and are easy to sprout. Here's how:- Grow a Sweet Potato - Take a sweet potato and stick three toothpicks in it so that it will hang suspended in a container. Fill the container with water, covering half of the Sweet Potato with water. Set the Sweet Potato near a source of light - such as near the kitchen window. The potato will start to develop roots and then sprouts. In about 4-weeks, the sprouts will grow 8-10 inches and develop leaves.
- Print Out and Color Sweet Potato Coloring Pages
Read a Book
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.
 |  |  |
| ||
 | |  |
| ||
| Copyright 2004-2008, Diane Flynn Keith, All Rights Reserved. | Contact Universal Preschool.com |
Hosted & Designed by: | |
