If your child is older, you could even allow them to make the calendar. Help them label the spaces correctly using another calendar as a model. Try placing the calendar somewhere that your child will see it many times during the day, such as on the refrigerator or in your family room. You could also put a customizable pocket chart in the front of your classroom. Each day, you and your students can change the day of the week. [2] X Expert Source Courtney CoprivizaElementary School Teacher Expert Interview. 18 June 2021.
For example, you can point to the date and then use the pointing stick to trace upwards to where the day of the week is written. Once your child has seen you use the pointing stick a few times, you can let them use it to point out the days of the week.
Repetition is important for teaching your child new concepts. [5] X Expert Source Courtney CoprivizaElementary School Teacher Expert Interview. 18 June 2021. Having a routine will also be comforting to your child and help them know what to expect each day.
Once your child gets used to the routine and starts to learn how to identify the days themselves, you could hand your child the pointer and ask them to show you what day it is. Ask them questions to prompt them to identify other days, such as by saying, “What day will tomorrow be?” or “What day of the week is the 10th?”
For example, you could say, “Look! Your birthday is on a Wednesday, which is the middle of the week!” or “Halloween is on a Saturday, so we can celebrate all day long!”
Explaining the difference between the weekdays and weekend days and may help your child to identify the days of the week.
For example, you could teach your child to sing, “Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday. Today is Monday, tomorrow’s Tuesday, and yesterday was Sunday. ” You can pair the lyrics with any simple tune that your child knows well, such as “Clementine,” “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,” or “Old MacDonald. ”
Another simple way to incorporate hand gestures is to clap or snap your fingers each time you say a day of the week. You could also teach your students the days of the week with special dance moves. [13] X Expert Source Courtney CoprivizaElementary School Teacher Expert Interview. 18 June 2021.
For example, if the weather is nice, you could sing, “Where is the sun? It’s shining so bright. It’s a sunny Friday, so let’s all go outside. ” Or, on a rainy day, you could sing, “Rain rain, go away. Come again another day. It’s a very rainy Saturday. ”
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle Today is Monday by Eric Carle Cookie’s Week by Cindy Ward Monday is One Day by Arthur A. Levine
This is a great rainy day game for children who can read.
This is a good way to help a child who is learning to read recognize the days of the week.
There are lots of free worksheets available online. Choose one or more than your child might enjoy and print them out.
For example, you could say something like, “Today is Thursday, so we will go to the grocery store and get our groceries for the week. ” Or you could say, “Tomorrow is Friday, so we will have pizza for dinner! We have pizza for dinner every Friday. ”
