Celebrate August

   When working with kids, one of the things I've quickly discovered is that they love a good party. While it would be more chaos than I could cover to celebrate every single day, that doesn't mean that there isn't something worth celebrating everyday so that you can easily find what works best for you and your kiddos.

Monthly Observations

International Pirate Month
Family Fun Month
American Adventures Month
American Art Appreciation Month
National Language Month
Summer Sun Safety Month
Dog Days of Summer (July 3 - August 11)

Weekly Observations

August 1-7
    International Clown Week

August 3-10
    Ottawa County Free Fair

Week 1

    National Simplify Your Life Week
    National Farmer's Market Week

Week 2
    National Smile Week
    National Science Week

Week 3
    National Friendship Week

Week 4
    Be Kind to Humankind Week

Daily Observations

August 1:  Women Astronomers Day, National Planner Day, Lughnasadh

August  2:  National Coloring Book Day, National Water Balloon Day, Find a Four Leaf Clover Day

August 3:  Sandcastle Day, National Campfire Day

August 4:  National Friendship Day, National Sisters' Day, National Hooray for Kids Day

August 5: National Blogger Day, Festival Day (UK)

August 6: National Wiggle Your Toes Day, National Root Beer Float Day

August 7: National Sea Serpent Day, Regatta Day (Canada), Professional Speakers Day

August 8: Happiness Happens Day, International Cat Day, National Perler Day
August 9: Book Lovers' Day, National Kool Aid Day

August 10: National S'mores Day, National Bowling Day, World Lion Day

August 11: Mountain Day, Son & Daughter Day, National Face Mask Day, Summer Olympics Closing

August 12: Perseid Meteor Shower, World Elephant Day, National Vinyl Record Day, Middle Child Day, National Milkman Day

August 13: Left Hander Day

August 14: Navajo Code Talker Day, World Calligraphy Day, World Lizard Day

August 15: Chant at the Moon Day, World Greatness Day

August 16: National Roller Coaster Day, Hawaiian Shirt Day

August 17: National Honeybee Day, Black Cat Appreciation Day, International Geocaching Day, National Nonprofit Day
August 18: Serendipity Day, Green Man Festival

August 19: Aviation Day, World Photography Day, International Orangutang Day, National Potato Day

August 20: National Radio Day, World Mosquito Day

August 21: National Poet's Day, National Spumoni Day

August 22: Folklore Day (Brazil), National Tooth Fairy Day

August 23: Find Your Inner Nerd Day, National Ride the Wind Day

August 24: Vesuvius Day, National Waffle Day, International Bat Night

August 25: National Park Service Day, National Banana Split Day, Burning Man Festival

August 26: National Dog Day, National Spark the World Day

August 27: National Petroleum Day, International Lottery Day

August 28: Power Rangers Day

August 29: National Sports Day, Individual Rights Day

August 30: Frankenstein Day, National Beach Day, National Toasted Marshmallow Day
August 31: National Zoo Awareness Day

With so many great options in August there's sure to be lots of ways you and yours can celebrate the season!

Graphics used in this post have been purchased from EduClips and Thistle Girl Designs (now closed)

Fabulous February - Holiday Celebrations

 

The February sunshine steeps your boughs,
And tints the buds and swells the leaves within.

- from "Twenty Second of February"
by William Cullen Bryant

Monthly Celebrations
African American History Month
American Heart Month
National Children's Dental Health Month
Love the Bus Month
Library Lovers Month
Youth Leadership Month

Weekly Celebrations
First Week: National New Idea Week
Third Week: Random Acts of Kindness Week

Daily Celebrations
February 01: World Read Aloud Day
February 01: Imbolc Begins
February 01: National Serpent Day
February 01: National Dark Chocolate Day
February 02: Groundhog Day
February 02: Candlemas
February 02: National Hedgehog Da
February 03: Elmo's Birthday
February 03: Four Chaplain's Day
February 03: National Carrot Cake Day
February 03: National Missing Persons Day
February 04: Charles Lindberg - 1902
February 04: Homemade Soup Day
February 04: Thank a Mailman Day
February 05: National Girls and Women in Sports Day
February 05: National Weatherperson's Day
February 06: Ronald Reagan - 1911
February 06: Waitangi Day - New Zealand made part of the British Empire 1840
February 06: Take Your Child to the Library Day
February 07: Laura Ingalls Wilder -1867
February 07: Charles Dickens - 1812
February 08: Boy Scout Anniversary
February 08: National Kite Flying Day
February 08: Jules Verne - 1828
February 09: National Weather Bureau Established 1870
February 09: National Pizza Day
February 10: Umbrella Day
February 11: Make a Friend Day
February 11: Inventor's Day
February 11: International Day of Women and Girls in Sports
February 11: Thomas Edison 1847
February 12: Abraham Lincoln 1809
February 13: Library Lover's Day
February 14: Ferris Wheel Day - 1859
February 14: Read to Your Child Day
February 14: Valentine's Day
February 15: Galileo Galilei - 1564
February 15: National Gumdrop Day
February 16: Mardi Gras
February 17: President's Day
February 17: Random Acts of Kindness Day
February 19: Nicolaus Copernicus - 1473
February 20: Love Your Pet Day
February 22: George Washington - 1732
February 22: World Thinking Day
February 24: Wilheim Carl Grimm - 1786
February 25: International Pancake Day
February 25: Pierre Auguste Renior - 1841
February 26: Tell a Fairy Tale Day
February 27: International Polar Bear Day
February 27: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow - 1807
February 28: National Tooth Fairy Day

December Doings

December really is the most wonderful time of the year, it seems there is magic surrounding us from the first snowfall to the twinkling lights. December also brings with it so many reasons to celebrate. Each year we try to celebrate at least one lesser known holiday and try out a new cultural experience. I hope this list encourages you to try something new as well.

Monthly Celebrations

• Advent - November 29-December 24
• Art & Architecture Month
• Handwashing Awareness Month
• Learn a Foreign Language Month
• Read a New Book Month
• Universal Human Rights Month
• National Fruitcake Month
• Eggnog Month

Weekly Celebrations

National Cookie Cutter Week - 1st week
National Handwashing Awareness Week - 1st Week
Tolerance Week - 1st Full Week
Human Rights Week - 2nd Full Week
Hanukkah - December 10-18
Las Posadas - December 16-24
Yule - December 21-January 1
Kwanzaa - December 26-January 1

Daily Celebrations

December 01 - National Christmas Lights Day
December 02 - National Mutt Day
December 03 - Make a Gift Day
December 04 - Santa's List Day
December 04 - National Cookie Day
December 05 - Krampusnacht
December 05 - Christmas Parade Day
December 06 - Saint Nicholas Day
December 07 - Walt Disney Day
December 08 - National Christmas Tree Day
December 09 - Christmas Card Day
December 10 - Hanukkah Begins
December 12 - National Poinsettia Day
December 12 - Gingerbread House Day
December 13 - National Cocoa Day
December 13 - Saint Lucia Day
December 14 - Roast Chestnuts Day
December 15 - National Cupcake Day
December 16 - Chocolate Covered Anything Day
December 16 - Las Posadas Begins
December 17 - National Maple Syrup Day
December 18 - Bake Cookies Day
December 18 - National Ugly Sweater Day
December 18 - National Twin Day
December 19 - Holly Day
December 19 - National Hard Candy Day
December 19 - Look for an Evergreen Day
December 20 - Go Caroling Day
December 20 - Games Day
December 21 - Winter Solstice
December 21 - Yule Begins
December 22 - National Cookie Exchange Day
December 23 - Christmas Eve Eve
December 23 - Pfeffernüsse Day
December 24 - Christmas Eve
December 25 - Christmas
December 26 - Kwanzaa Begins
December 26 - Boxing Day
December 26 - National Candy Cane Day
December 27 - National Fruitcake Day
December 27 - Make Cut-Out Snowflakes Day
December 28 - National Chocolate Candy Day
December 29 - Pepper Pot Day
December 30 - National Bicarbonate of Soda Day
December 30 - Bacon Day
December 31 - New Year's Eve

The information gathered in my monthly doings posts comes from a variety of sources. Some of my favorite celebration sources are Punch Bowl, The Spruce, and Apples 4 the Teacher.

All graphics used on this post are from Ashley at Thistle Girl Designs.

Celebrate September

Monthly Celebrations

National Piano Month
National Organic Harvest Month
Friendship Month
Read a New Book Month

Daily Celebrations

September 1: Emma M. Nutt Day
September 2: Calendar Adjustment Day
September 3: Skyscraper Day
September 3: Aliki's Birthday (1920)
September 4: National Wildlife Day
September 4: Newspaper Carriers' Day
September 5: National Hummingbird Day
September 5: International Day of Charity
September 5: International Bacon Day
September 6: National Read a Book Day
September 6: Pet Rock Day
September 7: Labor Day
September 7: Grandma Moses' Birthday (1860)
September 8: International Literacy Day
September 8: Actor's Day
September 9: Wonderful Weirdos Day
September 10: Swap Ideas Day
September 11: National Day of Service and Remembrance
September 12: National Day of Encouragement
September 12: Video Games Day
September 12: Programmer's Day
September 13: Grandparent's Day
September 13: Supernatural Day
September 13: Roald Dahl's Birthday (1916)
September 14: Gobstopper Day
September 15: Make a Hat Day
September 15: Greenpeace Day
September 15: Hispanic Heritage Month Begins
September 15: Robert McCloskey's Birthday (1914)
September 15: Tomie dePaola's Birthday (1934)
September 16: Mexican Independence Day
September 16: National Play-Doh Day
September 16: Collect Rocks Day
September 17: Constitution Day
September 17: Citizenship Day
September 18: Rosh Hashanah Begins
September 18: Tradesmen's Day
September 19: Oktoberfest Begins
September 19: International Talk Like a Pirate Day
September 20: Emmy Awards
September 21: World Gratitude Day
September 21: International Day of Peace
September 21: Miniature Golf Day
September 22: Mabon (Autumn Equinox)
September 22: National Voters Registration Day
September 22: Elephant Appreciation Day
September 22: World Rhino Day
September 22: Business Women's Day
September 22: Dear Diary Day
September 22: Doodle Day
September 22: Hobbit Day
September 23: Checkers Day (Nixon's Dog)
September 23: Education Technology Day
September 23: International Day of Sign Languages
September 24: International Punctuation Day
September 24: US Supreme Court Established in 1789
September 25: National Comic Book Day
September 25: National Daughter's Day
September 25: Cooking Day
September 25: 1st Newspaper Published in the US in 1690
September 26: Johnny Appleseed Day
September 26: Human Resource Professional Day
September 27: Yom Kippur Begins
September 27: Tourism Day
September 27: Ancestor Appreciation Day
September 27: Native American Day
September 28: Family Day
September 28: Good Neighbor Day
September 29: National Coffee Day
September 30: International Translation Day

Hello August!

Monthly Celebrations

Family Fun Month
National Picnic Month
National Water Quality Month

Weekly Celebrations

International Clown Week (August 1-7)
Simplify Your Life Week (1st full week)
Perseid's Meteor Shower (August 9-15)
National Aviation Week (3rd Week)
Friendship Week (3rd Week)
Be Kind to Humankind (4th Week)

Daily Celebrations

August 01: Campfire Day (1st Saturday of August)
August 01: Woman Astronomer's Day
August 01: Lughnasadh (first harvest festival)
August 02: Dinosaur Day
August 02: Friendship Day (1st Sunday)
August 03: Watermelon Day
August 04: Coast Guard Day
August 05: Neil Armstrong's Birthday (1930)
August 06: National Root Beer Float Day
August 07: Beach Party Day
August 08: World Cat Day
August 09: Book Lovers Day
August 10: National S'mores Day
August 11: Night of the Shooting Stars (Perseid's Meteor Shower)
August 11: Popcorn Festival
August 12: International Youth Day
August 12: World Elephant Day
August 13: Left Handers' Day
August 13: Alfred Hitchcock's Birthday (1899)
August 14: National Financial Awareness Day
August 15: National Relaxation Day
August 16: National Roller Coaster Day
August 17: National Black Cat Appreciation Day
August 17: National Geocaching Day
August 18: National Fajita Day
August 18: Serendipity Day
August 19: National Aviation Day
August 20: National Lemonade Day
August 21: Poet's Day
August 22: National Tooth Fairy Day
August 23: Cuban Sandwich Day
August 24: Mt. Vesuvius Day
August 25: National Banana Split Day
August 26: Women's Equality Day
August 27: National Burger Day
August 28: MLK Jr's Walk on Washington (1963)
August 29: Chop Suey Day
August 30: National Beach Day
August 30: Mary Shelley's Birthday (1797)
August 31: Eat Outside Day

Hello May!

All roads may meet at the world's end,
But hey, for the heart of May!
Come, choose your road and away, dear lad,
Come and choose your road and away.

 - from "The Call of the Spring" by Alyfred Noyes

Monthly Celebrations
Motorcycle Awareness Month
National Hamburger Month
National Bike Month
National Strawberry Month

Weekly Celebrations
Be Kind to Animals Week (first full week)
Teacher Appreciation Week (first full week)
Postcard Week (second full week)
National Backyard Games Week (last full week)

Daily Celebrations
May 01: May Day
May 01: National Mother Goose Day
May 02: National Astronomy Day
May 03: National Two Different Colored Shoes Day
May 04: International Fire Fighters Day
May 04: National Star Wars Day
May 05: Cinco de Mayo
May 05: Children's Day in Japan
May 05: National Teacher Day
May 06: National Nurses Day
May 08: Have a Coke Day
May 08: National Public Gardens Day
May 09: National Miniature Golf Day
May 09: National Train Day
May 10: Mother's Day
May 11: Twilight Zone Day
May 12: Limerick Day
May 13: National Apple Pie Day
May 14: National Dance Like a Chicken Day
May 14: Hummus Day
May 14: Underground America Day
May 15: International Day of Families
May 15: National Pizza Party Day
May 15: National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day
May 15: Endangered Species Day
May 15: Frank L. Baum's Birthday
May 16: Armed Forces Day
May 16: Love a Tree Day
May 18: Visit Your Relatives Day
May 18: International Museum Day
May 23: World Turtle Day
May 24: Brooklyn Bridge Day
May 25: Memorial Day
May 26: Sally Ride Day
May 26: World Dracula Day
May 27: Sunscreen Day
May 28: National Hamburger Day
May 30: National Creativity Day
May 30: International Jazz Day
May 31: National Meditation Day

Girl Scout Fun Ideas - April Edition

I've worked with Girl Scouts for nearly two decades (it really doesn't feel like that long!) and one of the things I loved most about having a Girl Scout troop was our holiday and seasonal activities. The ideas I share in these monthly posts are from a New Leader Booklet that was shared with me when I started leading Girl Scout troops in the early 2000s. Since our council (and as far as I know any other) no longer shares this information, I want to make it accessible on the internet. Enjoy!

Have a "Silly Party" to celebrate April Fools Day. Call the girls prior to the party and tell them to wear whatever they have on at the moment (a "come as you are" idea). Have everyone bring something "different" to share as the food part of the party. Then, exchange presents - a totally useless/tacky item from around the house, wrapped beautifully. Play goofy games and sign silly songs.

Talk a walk and notice all the spring time changes. Don't forget to take a trash bag with you to pick up any trash you find along the way.

Celebrate Earth Day. Talk about recycling, cutting up six-pack rings, waste from fast food, etc. Bury different waste products (lettuce, apple, plastic, paper, Styrofoam). Plan to dig them up in six weeks and then again in six months.

Make recycled paper. Tear up paper and put in water in a bowl to soften. (You can add a small amount of colored paper to color your finished product). Put softened paper in blend, pour out onto an open section of newspaper. Place a piece of window screen over it and squeeze out excess water with a board. Let dry for several hours. Make invitations to the Court of Awards ceremony on the recycled paper.

Make "food chain" - paper chains starting with one thing and each ring is something that east that thing. Play some nature games. Another activity that would go with the food chain is to watch The Magic School Bus Gets Eaten (it's on Netflix and SchoolTube). 

Make travel sit-upons for bringing to Camporee. Decorate a square of fabric with markers and laminate with clear contact paper. The sit-upon can be folded and carried in a pocket.

Talk about fire safety and practice fire building with edible camp fires. Have the girls tie back hair and check for clothing that might dangle into the fire. Give out paper napkins (fire circle) and clear clear with a fork (rake). Make woodpile by stacking wood according to size (coconut - tinder, pretzels - kindling, and tootsie rolls -fuel). Fill cup with beverage (water bucket) and have a straw (poker). Check for wind direction (back should be to wind). Add two "mini-handfuls" of coconut tinder. Make an "A" with kindling in center of fire circle. Place red-hot (fire starter) under top bar of "A". Put candy corn (match) on fire starter to light. Add more candy corn (flames) and add more kindling and tootsie rolls (fuel). Put flames out by sprinkling from fire bucket (sip). Eat everything so you leave a clean fire circle.

April 6 is North Pole Day - a celebration of Arctic wilderness. Do some activities with magnets, discovering polarity. Learn how to use a compass.

April 7 is World Health Day. Is there a service project your troop could become involved with that promotes good health? Perhaps you could hold a drive to collect hygiene products to send to people in need. Tuck toiletries such as soaps, shampoos, razors, toothbrushes, toothpaste, face cloths, etc into a pair of new socks and tie with a ribbon. Perhaps you could even include gift cards for fast food chains as well. Donate to a homeless shelter.

April 14 is National Dolphin Day, to remember all sea creatures. Take part in a beach clean up or learn about sea creatures. Eat goldfish crackers and do a craft with fish.

Celebrate Spring! Decorate a pot with rubber stamps paint and plant a pretty flower.

Make butterflies with tissue paper twisted in the middle with a pipe cleaner or a clothespin.

Have a She and Me game day at a local park. You could have teams of girls and their adults taking part in different activities like three-legged races, egg toss, etc.

Initiate a book swap. 

Learn some simple facts about women scientists, Then put the name of one scientist on the back of each girl and let her go ask yes/no questions to figure out who she is. Only one question asked of each person!

Plant trees for Arbor Day!

Make a collection of tree leaves. Arrange the leaves carefully between sheets of newspaper or blotting paper and press them under bricks or books for several days. Mount the leaves neatly on sheets of poster board or drawing paper. Label each leaf with the name of the tree. Make sets to show which are deciduous and which are conifers or make plaster casts of leaves.

Hello April!

I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host of golden daffodils...
 - from 'Daffodils' by William Wadsworth

Monthly Celebrations
International Guitar Month
Mathematics Education Month
National Garden Month
Keep America Beautiful Month
Month of the Young Child
National Humor Month
Autism Awareness Month
National Poetry Month
Month of the Military Child
National Child Abuse Prevention Month
Kite Month

Weekly Celebrations
National Library Week (third full week)
National Bike Safety Week (third full week)
National Volunteer Week (third full week)
National Week of the Ocean (third full week)

Daily Celebrations
April 01: April Fool's Day
April 01: Jump in a Mud Puddle Day
April 02: International Children's Book Day
April 02: World Autism Day
April 03: Washington Irving (1783)
April 04: Martin Luther King Jr Assassination Day
April 05: National Dandelion Day
April 06: National Tartan Day
April 06: First Modern Olympics held in Greece (1896)
April 07: World Health Day
April 08: Passover Begins
April 08: Buddha's Birthday
April 09: National Library Day
April 09: National Unicorn Day
April 10: National Sibling Day
April 10: Good Friday
April 11: National Pet Day
April 12: Beverly Cleary's Birthday (1916)
April 12: Easter
April 13: National Scrabble Day
April 14: National Dolphin Day
April 14: Sinking of the Titanic
April 15: Leonardo DaVinci's Birthday (1452)
April 16: Wilbur Wright's Birthday (1867)
April 16: Charlie Chaplin's Birthday (1889)
April 17: Ellis Island Family History Day
April 17: National Haiku Poetry Day
April 18: World Heritage Day
April 20: Volunteer Recognition Day
April 21: World Creativity and Innovation Day
April 22: Earth Day
April 22: Girl Scout Volunteer Appreciation Day
April 23: William Shakespeare Day
April 23: Ramadan Begins
April 24: Arbor Day
April 25: World Penguin Day
April 26: Audubon Day
April 27: Morse Code Day
April 28: Great Poetry Day
April 29: Zipper Day
April 30: Adopt a Shelter Pet Day

Peanut Day

March is National Peanut Month, a time to honor the peanut and it's most popular product, peanut butter. Choose any day during March to celebrate. Besides doing the activities listed below, you might wish to plan a few peanut games. For example, have a Peanut Toss, a Peanut Hunt, or have a Peanut Race and let the kids push peanuts across the floor with their noses. Follow up by providing handfuls of peanuts for counting, shelling, and tasting.

Peanut Shell Collages

Use this activity to recycle peanut shells saved from the other activities in this unit. Cut peanut shapes from heavy brown paper bags or brown construction paper. Pour glue into shallow containers and set out bowls of peanut shells. Then let the kids dip the shells (rounded side up) into the glue and then place them all over their peanut shapes.

The Peanut Plant

Explain that although we think of peanuts as nuts they really belong to the same family as peas and beans. Then use the following poem to help children understand how peanuts grow.

Up through the ground the peanut plant grows,
(Crouch down near floor)
Peeking out its little green nose.
(Slowly start to rise)

Reaching, reaching for the sky,

(Raise arms above head)
Growing, growing, growing high,
(Stand on tiptoe)

Then the flower starts to grow,

(Make a circle with arms)
Bur it doesn't grow up! Not it! Oh, no!
(Shake head)
Down it goes, sending shoots underground,
(Bend over and touch floor with fingers)
And there grow the peanuts, plump and round!
(Kneel and pretend to dig up peanuts)

Children can also color and label the parts of peanut plant on this printable resource.

Homemade Peanut Butter

Let the children help shell a package of unsalted roasted peanuts. Then have them grind the peanuts in a food grinder. Mix the ground nuts with 1/4 softened margarine and add salt to taste. Serve on crackers, apple slices, or celery sticks. Or, for a special treat, spread on slices of whole-wheat toast and top with warm applesauce.

Variation: Make peanut butter in a blender, using 1 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil for each cup of peanuts.

 Printable Activities