by Nan Keltie

Created on: January 07, 2010

Preschoolers aren't tied down to schedules, clocks and calendars - they live one blissful moment at a time.  As their teacher, you can help them understand larger blocks of time called "days, weeks and months."   The following songs and activities that teach calendar skills will help make your job a little bit easier.

Step #1 - Focusing on “Days”

One of the first things children must understand is that each month on the calendar has lots of days on it.  To help children understand the concept of a day, use a graphic that shows children playing or going to school in the day time (use a sun) and sleeping at night (use a moon). 

Ask children which shines brightest in the day time - the sun or the moon?  Which one shines brightest at night?   Remind children that most days, they can see the sun, but on rainy days, it is shining behind the clouds.  It may be covered up, but it is still there.  Explain that this is true for the moon, too.  

Song -  (Tune: Farmer in the Dell)
The sun shines in the day,
The sun shines in the day,
The sun shines while we work and play,
The sun shines in the day!

The moon shines in the night,
The moon shines in the night,
When we close our eyes to sleep,
The moon shines in the night!
 
Step #2 - Focusing on “Weeks”

To visualize what makes up a week, write the names of each day on a separate square made of cardstock.  These should be large enough to see from a distance, at least 8 inches square.  If each day is written on a different color, it helps children learn quicker using color association.    

Call on seven children to each hold one card.  Help them line up across the front of the room in the proper weekday order.   Next, sing the song about days of the week (seen below) as you walk along and point to each card.

After the song, have children take turns placing their cards on the chalkboard ledge when you call out the name of their day, “Sunday, Monday, Tuesday,” etc.  Another way to display the cards is to punch holes in the top of each one and hang them on pegs or hooks.  As you call for each card in order, you are reinforcing the proper sequence of weekdays in the minds of your students.

Song - (Tune: London Bridge)
Weeks are made of seven days,
Seven days, seven days
Weeks are made of seven days
Each one has a name!

Sunday, Monday, Tuesday,
Wednesday, Thursday,
Friday and then Saturday
Each one has a

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