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Organization by the Calendar Year – Holidays and Celebrations

Celebrations are a great way to organize and cover all Learning Areas and all educational strengths. If the holidays covered are part of the culture of your children and their families, this is a good way to create relevancy, and if the holidays covered are new to the children it’s a way to introduce new concepts and see differences in a positive light. Adding the birthdays or personal milestones of the children, teachers, and staffers in the program makes an interesting and personalized system of presenting learning experiences.

Theme Titles & Celebrations fireworks

Awesome August – Back to School, National Watermelon Day, National S’mores Day, Left Hander’s Day, National Marshmallow Toasting Day
Super September – Labor Day, Rosh Hashanah, Grandparent’s Day, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, International Peace Day, Autumnal Equinox, Native American Day
OH! It’s October – International Day for the Elderly, Columbus Day, Eid-Ul-Adha, Sweetest Day, Make a Difference Day, Halloween
Nifty November – All Saint’s Day, Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah
Days of December – Advent, Poinsettia Day, Winter Solstice, Christmas, Boxing Day, Kwanzaa
Jumpin’ January – New Year’s Day, Epiphany-Three Kings’ Day, Civil Rights Day, Martin Luther King Day, Opposite Day
Fine February – Groundhog Day, Mardi Gras, Ash Wednesday, Valentine’s Day, President’s Day, Hoodie-Hoo Day
March into March – International Women’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, First Day of Spring, Purim, Palm Sunday, Passover, Good Friday, Easter
April Antics – April Fool’s Day, Patriot’s Day, Walk to Work Day, Earth Day, Daughter to Work Day, Arbor Day
Magical May – May Day, Cinco de Mayo, National Teacher’s Day, Mother’s Day, Memorial Day

Use NON-STEREOTYPICAL PROPS & MATERIALS, PLEASE!

Organization by Project, Problem, Question, or Challenge – Some of the best learning experiences are created when the community of learners works together on a relevant and purposeful project. Even if you don’t organize your year this way, please give your little learners practice in problem-solving community projects and challenges every day or every week. This works best with children three and older.

August – Creating Our Community – children are involved in room design, class nickname, or mascot, rules, artwork for walls, signs for bathroom, ideas for furniture arrangement, etc.
September – What Can We Do for Seniors? – talk about growth and growing up, our bodies, creation of art and music for seniors, talk about past, present, future, visit senior centers or invite seniors to visit the community, and celebrate Grandparents Day
October – What Will You Be for Halloween? – create costumes and masks, talk about fear, talk about nutrition and dental health and safety
November – What Are We Thankful For? – family, friends, food (a canned food drive), people who keep us safe – community helpers
December – My Family Winter Holidays! – celebration of Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah by learning and sharing each others’ celebrations – talk about same and different, do calendar work, many art projects
January – It’s a New Year! How Can We Get Healthy? – emphasis on gross motor skills, nutrition, self help and hygiene
February – How Do People and Animals Stay Warm? – weather, hot/cold, seasons, homes, shelters, habitats, talk about winter clothes, play listening games, make cold weather food, hibernation, make up games to play indoors (also celebrate Valentine’s Day with cards for family and friends, talk about love and the mail system) and celebrate Hoodie Hoo Day
March – What Makes Wind and How Can We Use It? – kites, air, bubbles, storms, clothes dryers, fans
April – How Can We Save Our Plants and Trees? – gardening, tree planting, farming, botany, Earth Day, Arbor Day, mud and water
May – What Kind of Machine Would You Invent? – buildings, machines, inventions, constructions, vehicles, etc.