Kid's Calendar

Here are some ideas for kids and students to practise 'Day' and 'Weather' vocabulary.
It can be a 3D Calendar or flat to stick on the wall ....Or there is a very easy version for younger students/minimal effort. They have spinning sections to change everyday featuring days of the week and the weather.

You can make the easier calendar on a flat piece of card using 1 or 2 moveable sections. Or you could make the 3D version which involves more measuring but stands upright with 2 moveable sections. Also, there is a very easy version included.

Materials (for the easier flat calendar)
-A5 card (fold A4 card in half for 2 kids/students)
-A4 lighter-coloured card for the moveable sections and extra decoration
-Calendar printout (find on 'creative commons' or 'Google Images')
-1 or 2 split pins to attach moveable parts
-Rubber and pencil (to make the holes)
-Glue, scissors, ruler, pen and colours
-CD or DVD to draw around

 Stage 1
-Fold A4 card in half and cut (to use for 2 kids/students)
-Measure the cut-out parts (2 x 3 cm rectangles on one side of card . Allow 5cm between each cut-out part). Cut out the rectangle shapes

Stage 2
-Draw around the CD and cut out
-Make a hole in the centre of the circle/s using a sharp pencil (and rubber underneath the card)
-Make a hole next to the cut-out rectangle/s ...about 1cm to the right

Stage 3

-Insert the pin into the circle and A5 card to attach

-Write the vocabulary in once it has been put together 

*Note: After writing the first word, move the circular card and place it so you can see a little of the previous word ...this should leave 7 spaces for days of the week and/or 7 weather words

 

Stage 4

-Stick on the photocopied dates for the calendar

*Note: You could print it out very small or only use the first few months (to leave space for pictures and decoration) and stick the rest of the months on the back of the calendar

-Add decoration ...Year, weather pictures, etc

 

3D Calendar

This is the same idea as above but the A4 card is folded into a triangle shape and 3D. It's more difficult to measure out (you have to measure the circle shape) but stands upright and looks effective.

Stage 1

-Materials are as before but you'll there's more measuring involved. See the measurements in the picture below. You could draw this out on A4 paper and then photocopy on A4 card if this is for the classroom.

Stage 2

-Fold the A4 card and then re-open (you could use a ruler to make the folds neat)

-Cut out the rectangles and on the A4 card and the circles (around 8cm)

-Make holes (around 1cm to the side of the cut-out part) with a sharp pencil and rubber underneath the card

-Attach the circles with the pins on the middle section (the back) of the folded A4 card

Stage 3

-Write the vocabulary on the circles once the pins have attached it together (unfold the card and write it whilst the A4 card is flat to make it easier)

Stage 4

-Add the calendar photocopy..this could be larger individual months (the remainder of the months could be stuck or blu-tacked on the back of the calendar and updated later)

Stage 5

-Decorate with the year and weather pictures. If you use lighter-coloured card, you can draw straight on the calendar and no need for sticking on pictures

Very Easy Calendar

If you prefer to keep it simple, you could just stick on calendar dates and decorate. Or you could draw a circle shape (I used a saucer but you could use a CD/DVD as a stencil) and attach the moveable part with one pin to the front with an arrow to show the weather that day.

*Note: This can be combined with day, month and weather vocabulary exercises before you make the craft if you are using this in the classroom

 ...And Happy New Year! I hope you enjoy crafting in 2013!