Durham Public Schools welcomes you and your child to our schools! The months leading up to the Kindergarten year

are an amazing time. Children are curious about their world, anxious to learn new things, and excited about going to

school. We are excited your children are starting Kindergarten and we hope you are, too!

The calendar we have created provides fun and educational ways for your children to begin to develop and enhance the skills

they will need to succeed in school. On the month page, we have detailed easy and enjoyable activities you can do together that

connect to the month and season. On the date page, we have listed simple things you can do daily to help prepare your child for

Kindergarten and beyond. These activities focus on pre-reading and writing skills, math knowledge, science inquiry, social

awareness, fine and gross motor skills, self-help skills, and social skills. On the next page we have selected a classic

of the month and provided some supplemental activities to support your child’s learning. We hope you enjoy using this calendar to support your child’s learning and we welcome you to DPS! Reading Drawing and Writing

Reading aloud to your child is the single most important For young children, drawing is a stepping stone to writing. If

activity you can do to develop and enhance your child’s a child can put her thoughts down in a picture, soon the

learning. When you read to your child, not only are you words will follow. Just as your child followed predictable

introducing him to quality books, you are modeling being a steps in walking (crawling, pulling herself up, standing on

good reader! The magic of print, language, and knowledge her own, taking a few wobbly steps), she will follow steps in

comes to life through read-alouds. Reading aloud to your drawing. Her first pictures may only show wiggly lines and

child is a win/win situation for both of you. We know the shapes, next you may see heads and legs appear, then

benefits for your child, but there are many for you as well. moving to simple representations of people, places, and

The time you spend together with a good book will remain objects. Praise her efforts and let her share her pictures and with you always. Share your love of books with your child stories. Admire her creativity and ideas. When you’ve and keep reading fun. The rest will come on its own. finished reading the suggested monthly book, draw pictures

together and have fun while you are doing it! January Baby, it’s COLD outside!

January is a cold start to a new year! This is a great time to practice some self-help skills with your child. Take time to discuss the weather outside with your child and decide together what 2013 clothes he/she should wear. Let him practice zipping up his sweatshirt or buttoning up her jacket, putting on his mittens and pulling on boots. Don’t forget to let him practice taking them off, too! When you’re outside, talk about the trees and how they look in winter. How is winter different than other seasons? Make a snowman and talk about the parts he needs. How many eyes or ears does a snowman have? Winter science can be fun as you experiment with trying to freeze water in a plastic bag outside or seeing how quickly a snowball melts when you bring it in. What other science experiments can you think of together? Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 34 5 It’s a new year! Make Read a favorite book Make a journal Practice writing your New Year’s goals for with your child and together for your child’s first name you and your child! discuss her favorite child’s writing. with him/her. part.

New Year?s Day 67 8 9 10 11 12 Go on a house-hunt Let your child draw Practice writing your Sing the ABC Song Go to the local library for pillows. How many a picture of himself or child’s first name with together. and check out a book can you find? herself in their journal. him/her. together.

13 14 15 16 17 18 19 See how many words Go to you local dollar Go on a house-hunt Let your child glue Let your child sort your child can rhyme store and purchase for red objects in beans on paper to word and picture with “cat.” magnet letters for your house. spell her name. cards. future activities.

20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Practice writing your Sing your child a Count how many Try using scissors to Talk about and child’s first name with favorite song from people are in your cut out shapes. practice writing the him/her. your childhood. family. number 1.

Martin Luther King, Jr. 27 28 29 30 31 Practice writing your Talk with your child Talk with your child Go on a house-hunt January is child’s first name about things that about his name and for yellow objects in National Breakfast Month! together. happen during winter. why it is special! your house. Make sure your child eats a nutritious meal each morning! January Pick of the Month

Goodnight Moon Special January Books By: Margaret Wise Brown Illustrated By: Clement Hurd The Mitten By: Jan Brett

Goodnight Moon is the story of a little rabbit The Snowy Day By: Ezra Jack Keats that is getting ready for bed. When he goes to bed he likes to say goodnight to everything in Frosty the Snowman By: Steve Nelson and Jack Rollins his room. When you read this book with your child, talk about what your child does before The Hat By: Jan Brett he goes to bed. Then look through the book The Jacket I Wear in the Snow and predict what the little rabbit will say goodnight to in his room. After reading the story, go back By: Shirley Neitzel and look for the mouse in each picture. When you read the story another day, start by asking what Tacky the Peguin your child remembers from the book. After reading, see how many rhyming words you can find. By: Helen Lester

The Snowman By: Raymond Briggs Goodnight .

Draw a picture above of your room. Show the things you like to say goodnight to before you go to bed. Pick one and write it at the bottom. February Love is in the Air!

February is a time for love! Share some special time with your child to remind her how much she is loved. Make some Valentines together out of construc- tion paper, watercolors, lace, and ribbon2013 for family and friends. He’ll be excited about sharing his love and be getting some great practice with scissors and glue at the same time! Let your child create a special message for each Valentine and practice signing her name. When you’re at the grocery story, look for the Conversation Hearts candies. Before enjoying these treats together, try sorting them by color. Count how many of each color. Read the messages on each heart before you eat them. Tell your child what is special about him and why you love him. We all want to know we are loved! Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 Attend story time at February is Black History Month! your local library. Talk to you child about leaders like Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, Barack Obama, Malcolm X, and Jackie Robinson.

Groundhog Day 34 5 6 78 9 Go on a letter hunt Go on a house-hunt Sing the ABC Song Draw a picture of Practice using for a’s in a favorite for orange objects in together. your house together buttons on clothes. book. your house. in her journal.

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Talk about and Make a Valentine for Read a favorite book Practice writing your Make homemade practice writing the someone you love. with your child and child’s first name with instruments and put number 2. discuss his favorite him/her. on a show! part.

Valentine?s Day 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Go to the local Work on completing Sort your letters by Take a winter walk Let your child help library and check out a puzzle together. “in my name/not in outside together. you make your a book together my name.” shopping list.

President?s Day 24 25 26 27 28 Go to you local dollar Go on a house-hunt Let your child glue Count how many store and purchase for red objects in beans on paper to spoons you have. magnet letters for your house. spell her name. future activities. February Pick of the Month

Caps for Sale Special February Books Written and Illustrated By: Esphyr Slobodkina Guess How Much I Love You By: Sam McBratney

Caps for Sale is the story of a Peddler, some monkeys and Knuffle Bunny By: Mo Willem their monkey business. While you are reading Caps for Sale, talk about the colors and types of caps the Peddler has. I Lost My Kisses By: Trudie Trewin and Nick Bland When you get to the part where the Peddler pulls off his own cap and throws it to the ground, see if your child can How Do I Love You By: Lisa Kimmelman predict what will happen next in the story. When you’re Time for Bed done reading, play a game of Simon Says with her. When you reread Caps for Sale, let your child By: Mem Fox join in on the repetitive parts. You can also act out the book with you as the Peddler and your I Love You As Much… child as a monkey! By: Laura Krauss Melmed Draw a picture below of your favorite part from Caps for Sale. Share with your child your favorite part of Caps for Sale. March Do you like ?

I do I like them, Sam-I-Am! The wonderful Dr. Seuss was born on March 2, 1904. Explore some of his classic books like , , and Hop on Pop. Dr. Seuss is famous for his silly rhyming words.2013 Play a rhyming game with your child while you are waiting in line, sitting in the car, or eating lunch together. After read- ing Green Eggs and Ham, make some yummy green eggs by mixing green food coloring into scrambled eggs. If your child seems hesitant to try the new food, remind him/her of the lesson in the story. It is OK to be nervous about new foods, people, or places, but try it and you may find you like it! St. Patrick’s Day is also in March. Look for green things around your home and neighbor- hood. Maybe the Leprechauns may even make a special visit to your house! Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 12 See how many words March is National Nutrition Month! your child can rhyme Talk with your child about healthy eating! with “duck”.

Read Across AmericaDayDr.Seuss? Birthday 34 5 6 78 9 Read a favorite book Go on a house-hunt Cut out a picture Practice using glue in Sing the ABC Song with your child and and see how many from a magazine and simple art projects. together. discuss her favorite circles you can find. write a story about it. part.

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Pull 5 letters out of Go on a house-hunt Talk about and Go on a house-hunt Go to the local a bag and see if your for green objects in practice writing the for yellow objects in library and check child can name them. your house. number 3. your house. out a book together.

17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Teach your child how Act out a favorite Let your child help Go on a letter hunt Help your child begin to skip. story together. you make a nutritious for m’s in a favorite to understand ‘first’ breakfast. book. and ‘last.’

St.Patrick?s Day Spring Begins 24/31 25 26 27 28 29 30 Set aside time to read Practice using zippers Help your child begin Recite a favorite Work on completing together as a family. on clothes. to identify their body nursery rhyme a puzzle together. parts. together.

Easter March Pick of the Month

Brown Bear, Special March Books

Brown Bear Green Eggs and Ham What Do You See? By: Dr. Seuss By: Bill Martin, Jr. Hop on Pop Illustrated By: Eric Carle By: Dr. Seuss

Fox in Socks In Brown Bear, Brown Bear, a green frog, a yellow duck, a purple By: Dr. Seuss cat, and a blue horse all share what they “see” with the reader. Wacky Wednesday When you read this book with your child, keep the rhythm and By: Dr. Seuss rhyme moving throughout the book. Go back later and see if he can find the rhyming words on the pages. Befo re you reread Brown Bear, see what animals he can By: Dr. Seuss remember from the last time. Pretty soon your child will be reading this book along with you! The Luckiest St. Patrick’s Day Ever By: Teddy Slater I drew a .

What animal would you have drawn in Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? April April Showers. . .

April is a wonderful month to talk about weather with your child. Find a thermometer and look at the temperature each morning. What clothes should we wear when it starts to get warm outside? Make a weather calendar2013 with your child and keep track of the weather each day by placing suns or clouds or rain pictures in each box. You may want to begin to talk about calendar skills such as the days of the week or months of the year. On a warm, rainy day, take a walk outside. Look at what happens outside when it rains. During your walk, talk about why rain is important and how it will help the trees and flowers that are starting to grow. Make a rain- bow treat by “painting” a cookie with milk that is colored red, yellow, green, and blue. Use a new paintbrush to paint the rainbow and add some whipped cream as a cloud. Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3 45 6 Have your child repeat Start learning to tie Sort your letters by Read a favorite book Play a NICE trick on your clapping patterns. shoelaces. straight and curved with your child and someone! lines. discuss his favorite part.

April Fool?s Day 78 9 10 11 12 13 Write a letter to a Practice counting See how many words See how long your Find a local playground family member. from 1-30. your child can rhyme child can hop on one and play together! with “fan.” foot.

14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Play dress up with Sing the ABC Song Let your child help Talk about and Practice writing your child. together. you make a yummy practice writing the known ABC letters. lunch. number 4.

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 Go to the local Teach your children Let your child help Count how many Go on a house-hunt library and check about recycling to you count out items steps it takes from for yellow objects in out a book together. save the Earth. at the grocery store. the front door to your house. the car.

Earth Day 28 29 30 Go on a letter hunt Count how many for r’s in a favorite stuffed animals you April is Keep America Beautiful Month! book. have. Think about ways you can make your neighborhood beautiful! April Pick of the Month

Curious George Special April Books By: H.A. Rey Little Cloud By: Eric Carle Curious George is the story of a curious monkey and the The Storm Book adventures he gets into. Before you read Curious George, talk By: Charlotte Zolotow about what it means to be curious. Since we know George is Come on Rain a curious monkey, see if your child can predict what she might By: Karen Hesse be curious about. What problems might it cause if a monkey Hide & Seek Fog was too curious? After you’ve finished reading, talk about the By: Alvin Tresselt characters and events in the story. How would this story have been different if George had not Thunder Cake been so curious? By: Patricia Polacco Draw a picture below of your favorite part from Curious George. Share with your child your favorite part of Curious George. May . . .Bring May Flowers!

By May, spring is in full swing. Trees are green, flowers are blooming, and the weath- er is warm and beautiful! Now that you and your child have talked about winter, take a walk around your neighborhood and2013 see what changes spring has brought. Encourage your child to use senses of sight, smell, touch, and hearing on your walk. If she hears baby birds chirping, see if she can make that sound. Have her point out the new and vibrant colors we see in spring. Find a place that you can plant a garden with your child. Select what flowers or vegetables she’d like to grow. Talk about what seeds need and let her water the seeds everyday and make sure they are getting plenty of sunlight. As the plants begin to grow visit your garden to look at the different sizes, leaf shapes, and blossom colors of each plant. Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 23 4 May is National “Better Sleep” Month! Read a favorite book Visit the Museum of Go on a house-hunt with your child and Life and Science in and see how many Make sure your child is getting 12 hours of sleep each night. discuss her favorite Durham. squares you can find. part.

56 7 8 910 11 Go on a house-hunt Set aside time to read Sort your letters by Go on a letter hunt Put your letters in for blue objects in together as a family. color. for t’s in a favorite ABC order as you your house. book. sing the ABC Song.

12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Practice counting At lunch, let your Talk about and Go to the local Help your child begin from 1-30. child choose what practice writing the library and check to identify their body food she likes. number 5. out a book together. parts.

Mother?s Day 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Attend story time at Pull 10 letters out of Help your child See how many words Take a spring walk your local library. a bag and see if your understand “over” your child can rhyme outside together. child can name them. and “under.” with “ring.”

26 27 28 29 30 31 Cut out a picture Look in the mirror Practice counting See how many words Go on a house-hunt from a magazine and with your child. What from 1-30. your child can rhyme for orange objects in write a story about it. is the same? Different? with “fan.” your house.

Memorial Day May Pick of the Month

The Very Hungry Special May Books

Caterpillar The Tiny Seed By: Eric Carle By: Eric Carle

The Grouchy Ladybug The Very Hungry Caterpillar is the story of a By: Eric Carle caterpillar that was born in the light of the Becoming Butterflies moon, on a little leaf. This is a great story to By: Anne Rockwell read in the spring, as caterpillars are changing The Crunching, Munching Caterpillar into butterflies all around us. After reading and discussing this story, go out into your yard and By: Sheridan Cain look for caterpillar eggs on leaves. They look like little white dots. Cut off the leaf and put it in a Diary of a Fly By: Doreen Cronin container with small holes in it for the caterpillar to breath. When the caterpillar hatches, it will eat the leaf, eventually spin a chrysalis, and turn into a butterfly. After your child has learned about The Plant Sitter By: Gene Zion the butterfly life cycle, you may want to learn more about other insects. What did the caterpillar look like when he came out of the chrysalis? Tell your child about your favorite insect. June America the Beautiful

June and July have two special holidays to celebrate our country. In June, we honor the American Flag. Help your child learn about the flag by baking a flag cake with strawberries and blueberries for2013 the stars and stripes or making a red, white, and blue star wreath. While the cake is baking or your project is drying, share some important facts about our country. Talk about important people in our history, like George Washington or Abraham Lincoln. Don’t have a picture of these presidents? Find a penny, quarter, $1 or $5 bill. Find a map of our country and point out North Carolina and Durham. Let your child color the states he/she has visited and begin to learn their names. Help your child begin to read maps by identifying map features like the key, land, and water. Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1

June is National Safety Month! Children under 8 must use a booster seat in the car.

23 4 5 67 8 Let your child share Sort fruit candies by Go on a house-hunt Visit a local zoo and Fold your laundry what’s special about color. Count how for pink objects in talk about the animals together. Count how her. many of each kind. your house. you see together. many shirts you have.

9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Play the color game in Keep learning to tie See how many words Attend a program at Let your child help the car. See who can shoelaces. your child can rhyme your local library. you make a delicious find colors first. with “hot”. dinner!

Flag Day 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Look through family Put your letters in While waiting at the Read a favorite book Go to the local photos and identify ABC order as you bank, talk about the with your child and library and check special family sing the ABC Song. different shapes of discuss his favorite out a book together. members. money. part.

Father?s Day Summer Begins 23/30 24 25 26 27 28 29 Practice writing Play catch outside Use play dough to Write a letter to a Work on completing known ABC letters. with a large ball. make letters and friend. a puzzle together. numbers. June Pick of the Month

The Little Engine That Special June Books

Could Mr. Lincoln’s Whiskers By: Watty Piper By: Karen B. Winnick

Abe Lincoln’s Hat The Little Engine That Could is the story of the Little, By: Martha Brenner Blue Engine who tries to pull a stranded train full of toys A Picture Book of Abraham Lincoln over the mountain, even when all the other engines By: David A. Adler refuse. Before you begin the story, think with your child A Picture Book of George Washington about a time she wasn’t sure she could do something. Read the story and then talk about the By: David A. Adler train’s experiences. Was it similar to your child’s? Was she able to do something that people George Washington’s Breakfast By: Jean Fritz thought she couldn’t do? Talk about what encouraged the train to keep going, even when he wasn’t sure he could make it over the mountain. America the Beautiful By: Elizabeth Kennedy When have you done something no one else thought you could do? Share a time you showed persistence with your child. July Summer’s Here!

July is a hot summer month! When you’re looking for ways to cool off, this is a great time to experiment with water. Set up a simple float/sink activity in a bowl, bucket, bathtub or child’s pool. Find different objects from2013 around your house and make predic- tions about what will happen when we put them in water. Try rocks, plastic spoons, sponges, bread, balls, paper clips, and paper bags. When you’re watering your garden, put your finger over the end to make a water fan. Let your child see the rainbow that appears. Use food coloring to dye one cup of water yellow and one cup blue. Find out what happens when you mix them together. Give your child sponges and different measuring containers in the bath tub. Let him/her explore what happens when you try to pour different sized containers into each other. Try to find two that hold the same amount. Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1234 56 Talk about and Count how many Make a paper bag kite Set aside time to read Write a letter to a practice writing the forks you have. together and fly it! together as a family. family member. number 7.

Independence Day

78 9 10 11 12 13 Use your child’s socks Read a favorite book Go on a house-hunt See how many words Help your child learn and shoes to make with your child and and see how many your child can rhyme his/her birth date. and AB pattern. discuss her favorite rectangles you can with “cut.” part. find.

14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Sort upper and Write a letter to Begin learning your See how high your Go on a letter hunt lowercase letters. your child and send it phone number. child can count for n’s in a favorite in the mail. without your help. book.

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 Visit your child’s Time your child to Go to the local Put your letters in Go on a house-hunt school playground. see how fast she can library and check ABC order as you for purple objects in run down the street. out a book together. sing the ABC Song. your house.

28 29 30 31 Take a picnic lunch Let your child read a Recite a favorite to a local park. favorite book to you. nursery rhyme July is National Ice Cream Month! together. Make your own sundaes with your child for a yummy treat! July Pick of the Month

The Little Mouse,The Red Special July Books

Ripe Strawberry, and The The Relatives Came Big Hungry Bear By: Cynthia Rylant By: Don and Audrey Wood Sally Goes to the Beach Illustrated By: Don Wood By: Stephen Huneck

How Will We Get to the Beach? Who likes strawberries? The mouse does, but so does a big, By: Bridgitte Luciani hungry bear. This story is unique in that as the reader of the A Day at the Beach story, you are engaging in a conversation with the mouse as By: Mircea Vasiliu he tries to hide his prize from the bear. Before you read, Herman the Helper look through the pictures of this book. Have your child guess how the mouse is feeling. By: Robert Kraus Afterwards, talk about the wonderful vocabulary words the author chose. If your child likes straw- berries, have him use his senses to describe how strawberries look, feel, taste and smell. What was your favorite part from The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and The Big Hungry Bear? Share with your child what fruit you would hide from a bear. August Off to School!

School is just around the corner, but take some time to enjoy summer! Take a neighborhood walk and see what has changed since the spring. The plants and animals have grown,2013 the trees are in full bloom, and the weather is warm! Try to visit your child’s new school before the first day. Find a Kindergarten classroom, the cafeteria, the library or gym, and the main office. Set up some playdates with neighborhood friends and find out where your child’s bus stop will be. Practice walking to and from the bus so it becomes a familiar route. If your child will be bringing his/her lunch this year, find a special, new lunchbox for her. Pack a picnic and go to a local park. Let him practice opening his lunchbox, thermos, or food containers so it is not a worry on the first day. Set up a bedtime routine and practice it early so your child is rested and refreshed for the school year! Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 12 3 Go on a house-hunt Find a local August is National Vaccine Month! for white objects in playground and play Make sure your child is caught up on immunizations. your house. together!

45 6 7 89 10 Bake a cake together. Put your letters in Visit the Natural Practice school Read a favorite book Talk about the ABC order as you Science Museum in manners. Don’t forget with your child and measuring tools sing the ABC Song. Downtown Raleigh. your “pleases” and discuss his favorite you need. “thank you’s”. part.

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Talk about basic word Guess how many Go to the local Take a summer walk Pick out a special problems with your bites it takes to finish library and check outside together. first day outfit! child. a sandwich. out a book together.

18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Have your child Use finger-paints to See how many words Go on a house-hunt Begin learning your write a letter to draw familiar shapes. your child can rhyme and see how many address. his/her teacher! with “bed.” rectangles you can find.

25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Talk about your own Visit your child’s Use your child’s socks Read a favorite book See how many words school experiences school to take a tour. and shoes to make with your child and your child can rhyme with your child. and AB pattern. discuss her favorite with “cut.” part. August Pick of the Month

Chicka, Chicka, Boom, Special August Books

Boom Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready By: Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault for Kindergarten Illustrated By: Lois Ehlert By: Joseph Slate

Look Out Kindergarten, Chicka, Chicka, Boom, Boom tells the story of the low- Here I Come! ercase letters as they travel up the coconut tree. After By: Nancy Carlson you’ve read the book, go back and see if your child can The Kissing Hand By: Audrey Penn hear the rhyming words on each page. When you reread Chicka, Chicka, Boom, Boom another day, have The Berenstain Bears Go to School her point out the letters as they make their way up the By: Stan and Jan Berenstain tree. As an extension to this book, have your child draw the coconut tree on the drawing page. Annabelle Swift: Kindergartner Then have her take magnetic letters and move them up and down the coconut tree as she says By: Amy Schwartz their names. Names and familiar words can also move up and down the coconut tree! Take this time to talk about your child’s name and why you picked that name. Draw the coconut tree from Chicka, Chicka, Boom, Boom. Practice writing your name on the coconut tree! September Apples and Pumpkins!

In September, apples ripen in orchards and pumpkins grow fat and orange on vines. Take an apple taste test with red, yellow, and green apples. What color is your favorite? Make apple patterns by cutting apples2013 in half and using them as a stamp in paint. Visit an apple orchard and practice picking apples from trees. Use your apples to bake an apple pie, make apple sauce, or peanut butter apples. Explore the inside of an apple by counting the seeds inside and plant them in your garden. Find a local farm and go pumpkin-picking with your family. Compare how apples and pumpkins grow. When you get home weigh your pumpkin and find items that are heavier and lighter. Count the ridges on the pumpkin and how many seeds are inside. Pumpkin seeds are a yummy snack when they’re baked in the oven! Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3 4 56 7 Talk about and Go camping in your Go on a letter hunt Talk with your child Let your child read practice writing the backyard. Sing camping for d’s in a favorite about daytime and the numbers on the number 6. songs! book. nighttime activities. gas station pump.

Labor Day 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Go on a house-hunt Help your child begin Cut out a picture Talk about and Practice writing and see how many to identify their body from a magazine and practice writing the known ABC letters. triangles you can find. parts. write a story about it. number 9.

Grandparents?Day 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Find things that are See how many words See how many words Go on a house-hunt Put your letters in bigger/smaller than an your child can rhyme your child can name for brown objects in ABC order as you apple. with “sit.” that start with “d.” your house. sing the ABC Song.

22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Make and ABC Go to the local Pull 15 letters out of Talk with your child Read a favorite book pattern with spoons, library and check a bag and see if your about what he/she with your child and knives, and forks. out a book together. child can name them did yesterday. discuss her favorite all. part.

Fall Begins 29 30 Let your child read a September is favorite book to you. Library Card Month! Find your local library and get a free card! September Pick of the Month

Blueberries for Sal Special September Books By: Robert McClosky The Seasons of Arnold’s Apple Tree By: Gail Gibbons Blueberries for Sal is about Sal and her mom and The Apple Pie Tree a baby bear and his mom, who all go out blueber- By: Zoe Hall ry picking on the same day on the same hill. Before Johnny Appleseed you begin reading, look through the pictures and By: Steven Kellogg talk about what your child sees happening. Ask Apples him if he has any predictions about what might happen in the story. After reading, talk about the By: Gail Gibbons characters and events from the story. Think of some simple, open-ended questions to ask him such It’s Pumpkin Time as “What could have happened to Sal if she was left alone with the Mama Bear?” You may want By: Zoe Hall to enjoy a special blueberry treat when you sit down to read Blueberries for Sal again together. Pumpkin, Pumpkin By: Jeanne Titherington

The Pumpkin Book By: Gail Gibbons Draw your favorite part from Blueberries for Sal. Share your favorite part from Blueberries for Sal with your child. October Fall is Here!

The colors of fall are a beautiful sight. As you walk around your neighborhood, notice the changes this season has brought. The trees have turned vibrant colors, some leaves may be falling to the2013 ground, squirrels are storing food for the winter, the temperature may be dropping, and birds may be beginning their trip south for the winter. Collect some leaves from different trees. When you are home, place the leaf under a piece of white paper, and then rub the side of a crayon across the paper to make a leaf rubbing. Using different fall colors for different types of leaves makes a beautiful collage. After rubbing the leaves, sort them by size or color. Which leaf was the biggest or the smallest? What color did he have the most or least of? Introducing math vocabulary early will help your child throughout the year. Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 34 5 Talk about and Take a fall walk See how many words Talk with your child practice writing the outside together. your child can name about what he/she number 3. that start with “m.” will do tomorrow.

67 8 9 10 11 12 Read a favorite book Have you and your Let your child teach Give your child a taste Put letters in a bag. with your child and child trace your you something he/she test. Is the food sweet, Pull one out – can discuss his favorite hands. What is the learned at school. salty, sour or bitter? you name the sound? part. same/different?

13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Sort upper and Visit a farm and go Act out a favorite Write a letter to a Set aside time to read lowercase letters. pumpkin picking! story together. friend. together as a family.

Columbus Day 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Make a leaf rubbing Put your letters in See how many words Talk about and Go to the local library with your child. ABC order as you your child can rhyme practice writing the and check out a book sing the ABC Song. with “book.” number 10. together.

27 28 29 30 31 Go for a walk and Sing your child a Let your child help Cut out a picture see how many animals favorite song from you set the table for from a magazine and October is Dental Health Month! you can find. your childhood. dinner. write a story about it. Make sure your child is brushing his/her teeth everyday!

Halloween October Pick of the Month

Where the Wild Special October Books

Things Are Fall Written and Illustrated By: By: Gail Gibbons Maurice Sendak Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf By: Lois Ehlert Where the Wild Things Are is a story about the imaginary voyage of a boy named Max to the Why Do Leaves Change Color By: Betsy Maestro land of the Wild Things. After reading the The Little Scarecrow Boy book, talk about how Max was a wild thing in By: Margare t Wise Brown his home, why he decided to leave, why he It’s Fall finally decided to go back, and how the wild things felt about him leaving. Start a discussion with By: Linda Glaser your child about times she may have acted a little “wild” or done something nice. When you Autumn Leaves reread the book, invite her to create her own story on the pages without words. You will be By: Ken Robbins amazed at what she can create! Draw a time you were a “WILD THING”! Share a time your child was nice! November For Giving Thanks

November is a wonderful time to think about family, friends, and the things you are thankful for in your life. Children are thankful for many things, too. Each day find a time for you and 2013your child to share something for which you are thankful. Talk about what makes your family special. Make a family flag or collage that shows things you like to do and what is important to you. Have your child write notes or draw pictures to friends, grandparents, aunts, uncles, teachers or pets to tell them why they are thankful for them in their life. Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to begin family traditions. Let your child make place cards for your dinner guests. When it’s time for dinner, your child can practice their counting skills by counting out the plates, knives, forks, and spoons for the meal. Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 12 Play Go Fish with November is National Family Month! ABC cards. Tell your family members how much you love them!

34 5 6 78 9 Pull 25 letters out of Let your child teach Bake alphabet cookies Cut out a picture Practice writing a bag and see if you you a song they’ve with your child & say from a magazine and known ABC letters. can name them. learning in school. the letters as you eat write a story about it. them.

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 See how many words Go on a house-hunt Count your plates Read a favorite book Go to the local your child can name and see how many and glasses. Which do with your child and library and check that start with “p.” ovals you can find. you have more of? discuss her favorite out a book together. part.

Veterans? Day 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Go on a house-hunt Let your child read a Talk about and See how many words See how many times for gray objects in favorite book to you. practice writing the your child can rhyme your child can bounce your house. number 11. with “bike.” a ball.

24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Create your own Take a fall walk Act out a favorite Recite a favorite bedtime story outside together. story together. nursery rhyme together. together.

Thanksgiving Day November Pick of the Month

If You Give a Mouse a Special November Books

Cookie Thanksgiving is for Giving By: Laura Numeroff Thanks! Illustrated By: Felicia Bond By: Margaret Sutherland

Clifford’s Thanksgiving Visit If you give a mouse a cookie, he’s going to want a By: Norman Bridwell glass of milk. Look at the pictures in the book with The Most Thankful Thing your child before reading. See what he can predict By: Lisa McCourt from the pictures. After reading the book together, The First Thanksgiving talk about cause and effect. Recall events from the By: Garnet N. Jackson book and see if he can remember the effect and Squanto’s Journey what came next. Think about events in your child’s life, and decide on the effects of those events. By: Joseph Bruchac What happens when he is hungry? What happens if he gets dirty playing outside? What happens if he falls and cuts his hand? All these events will start your child thinking about cause and effect in his own life. Draw your favorite event from If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. Share a cause and effect in your life with your child. December Run, Run, As Fast As You Can!

The magic of the Gingerbread Man’s escape and adventure is something all children adore. Visit your library and check out several versions of this classic tale. After reading them, discuss the similarities2013 and differences between each story. Make some gingerbread men together and put them in the oven to bake. Set up a scavenger hunt for you and your child, following clues the gingerbread man left behind as he ran through the house. (We know he’ll escape from your oven!) Make a large gingerbread man from a brown grocery bag, lace, ribbon, buttons, and yarn. Talk about the characters and events in the story. Change the ending of the story together. What would have happened if the gingerbread man had gotten away? What do you think he would be doing now? What would you do if you caught him? You may even come up with some questions on your own! Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 12 3 4 56 7 Find things that are See how many words See how many words Let your child help Talk about and bigger/smaller than an your child can rhyme your child can name sort the silverware. practice writing the orange. with “sit.” that start with “d.” number 12.

89 10 11 12 13 14 Cut snowflakes out Guess how many licks Perform float/ sink Learn to play dreidel Let your child read a of white coffee filters. to finish a lollipop! experiments in the together. favorite book to you. tub.

15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Read a favorite book Go on a house-hunt Go to the local Let your child teach Set aside time to read with your child and and see how many library and check you something he/she together as a family. discuss his favorite diamond shapes you out a book together. learned at school. part. can find.

Winter Begins 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 See how many words Write a story about Make a snow flake cut Talk together about Play Go Fish with your child can rhyme what is happening in out from white paper. everything your child ABC cards. with “tree.” winter. has learned this year.

Christmas Kwanzaa 29 30 31 Sort upper and Make a New Year's lowercase letters. Resolution for 2013 December is Cultural Month! Teach your child about a new culture. December Pick of the Month

The Little Red Hen Special December Books By: Paul Galdone Illustrated By: Clement Hurd The Three Pigs By: James Marshall

In the story, The Little Red Hen, the Hen learns the The Three Bears By: Paul Galdone value and reward of hard work, while the other animals learn what happens when you are lazy. The Gingerbread Man By: Karen Schmidt Before you start reading, have your child think of a time she worked hard for something, even if no The Gingerbread Baby By: Jan Brett one helped her. After reading the story, practice Little Red Riding Hood retelling the events fro m the book with each By: James Marshall other. When you readThe Little Red Hen another day, ask your child what she remembers from the The True Story of the Three book. You can act out the events from the story, by making bread together – but unlike the book, Little Pigs you’ll probably both want to help! By: Jon Scieszka Goodnight .

Draw your favorite event from The Little Red Hen. Share a slice of warm bread with your child!