This is a sponsored guest post.
As your kids grow out of their toddler years and into their preschool, kindergarten, and school-aged years, you will want to start teaching them the many things that will help them build a path towards success. These basic life skills and pieces of knowledge can include but are definitely not limited to learning to read, counting money, and learning the days of the week and the months of the year.
Kids learn the best when they are having fun, so you will have to get creative and come up with fun ways to make the months of the year stick. At this age, they love to learn by doing and being involved. Here are seven creative ways to teach your child and will help them remember the months of the year.
Download the Kidobi app
Digital learning is becoming ever more popular, but many parents are concerned about the content that their young children have access to. The Kidobi app is an education based video platform geared for kids ages two to six years old. You can control and review which fun, educational videos your child can watch. Videos include topics like learning the alphabet, days of the week, and months of the year. Not only will the kids be able to play on the tablet, but they will feel a sense of agency and control over what they watch, and you will know it is all age appropriate.
Print out monthly coloring pages
Start by finding coloring pages with the months on them and print a January calendar page. Explain to your child what the months of the year are and then have them color the pages with scenes regarding that particular season. Gather your child’s favorite crayons or markers and help them color snowflakes on January, hearts on February, and flowers in April. This will help them associate the name of the month with the time of the year.
Set the months to song
It sounds a little silly, but people in general, and especially toddlers, learn best by singing a song. Take the names of the months of the year and set them to a favorite nursery rhyme. The melody is already familiar to the kids, and he task of learning the “new words” is just a matter of learning the next verse. This will help commit not only the names of the months to memory but also the order in which they occur.
Explore the Calendar
Children are naturally curious, so once you show them the calendar on the wall, they will want to know more about it. Show them that there are different pages for each month and explain that each box is for a different day. Ask them about days that are important to them, like Christmas or their birthday, and then show them when that day occurs on the calendar. Let them flip through the pages and look at all of the pictures, while helping them read the names of the month.
Make a Calendar
After your child explores the family wall calendar to the extent of their desire, let them make one of their own. You can use the coloring pages from number two in this list if you would like. Encourage them to use bright colors and pictures that relate to the season. Hang the finished product in a prominent place in their room so they can look at it every day and continue learning about the months, even on their own.
Break It Up
Even if your child is still in the toddler years, they have probably noticed that there are different seasons. They may not be able to name them, but they probably are aware that they go outside to play and go swimming when it gets hot, and Santa Claus comes when it gets cold. When they are interested in something, they will do everything they can to learn more about it. Break up the months of the year into seasons, and talk about what happens in those months.
Make It a Game
Learning is easy when it is fun and there is a game involved. When you are teaching your child the months of the year, make it into a game. You can download several different apps or you can create the game yourself. Get the kids active and excited about it, and they will surprise you with how quickly they learn all the names of the months of the year.
Teaching your child the names of the months of the year doesn’t have to be boring or hard. Make it fun and interesting, and your kids will be excited to keep on learning. They may surprise you with how quickly they pick up the months of the year!
