Everyone knows that July 4th is American Independence Day, but did you know that the whole month of July is National Blueberry Month? Or that National Ice Cream Day is July 15th?
It’s fun to add a little spice to your curriculum and daily routine by celebrating unusual events and holidays; and thus begins my Monthly Activity Calendar Blog. Peruse through to find interesting facts, unusual holidays to celebrate and even better: ideas, links and activities to go with these special days!
July is National Blueberry Month!!
Surely if blueberries get a whole month just to themselves they are worthy of some celebration in our busy summer schedules. Blueberries were used by Native Americans both as dye and for food.
To make blueberry dye boil the blueberries and strain through a sieve. Once the blueberries have cooled, let your kids make designs using the blueberry dye.
While you have blueberries on hand, try making traditional Sautauhig (Blueberry Cornmeal Mush). While it’s cooking you can talk about what else Native Americans from your area ate.
July 1st–US Postage Stamps went on sale for the first time
Put your postage stamps to use and have your kids write a letter to a friend or relative! Take time to look up the history of the postage stamp. See if you have any interesting stamps in old letters that you may have saved.
July 7th–Father/Daughter Take a Walk Together Day
Improve those map skills by pulling out a map and charting a new course on a father/daughter hike. Bring along some binoculars, a magnifying glass, a field guide and a bag for collecting things. When you’re done, you can turn your walk into an educational lap book. (Click here for directions to make a lap book.)
July 11th–Swimming Pool Day
Take the day off and go swimming! Not only is it a valuable skill, but it is good for you too! Don’t forget the sunscreen!
July 13th–National Puzzle Day
Get your thinking caps on, turn off the T.V. or computer, and do some puzzles. You can use your kids’ artwork to make their own jigsaw puzzle by gluing the art work to heavy paper like cardstock or thin cardboard. On the back, draw a series of lines to resemble a jigsaw puzzle. Cut on the lines and you have a jigsaw puzzle. For extra durability, you can laminate the puzzle after it’s cut. But don’t limit Puzzle Day to only jigsaw puzzles. Try doing brain teasers or making up your own word and number puzzles using this puzzle creator.
July 15th–Shark Awareness Day
Head to your local aquarium to check out the sharks. If you can’t get to an aquarium challenge your kids to a little shark trivia with some fun worksheets or get online and watch sharks on the shark cam at the Monterrey Bay Aquarium.
16th–National Ice Cream Day
Who doesn’t love a day to celebrate ice cream? For some great science fun, shake up some soft serve ice cream in a bag:
2 tbsp. of sugar
1 c. half and half
½ tsp vanilla extract
½ c. salt (The bigger the granules the better.)
Pour the sugar, half and half & vanilla extract into a pint size bag. (I like Ziploc bags so that I can be sure that the bag is closed!!) In the gallon bag, fill it half way with ice cubes and pour in the salt. Put the smaller bag into the larger one and shake. It will take at least 5 minutes so it is better to do in a group so everyone can take turns shaking. While you’re shaking talk about what role the salt plays in making the ice cream.
TIP: I often put the pint size bag into an empty gallon bag and then put those into another gallon bag with ice and salt. That way if the pint size bag breaks–you don’t ruin your ice cream!
Serve your home made ice cream in some edible cookie cups! Or look up the history of an ice cream cone!
July 24th–Pioneer Day
For Pioneer Day, gather some information about what it was like to be a pioneer. Then talk about what it would’ve been like to live as a pioneer. What modern conveniences do we enjoy that pioneers would not have had? Have your child write “home” as if he or she was on the Pioneer trail or better yet, be a pioneer for the evening and pitch a tent in the back yard. You can even cook dinner over the fire (or grill).
July 28th–Soap Box Derby Day
For the serious soap box derby racers you can find the closet regional soap box derby race near you at the All American Soap Box Derby website. If you’re not quite that serious, get together with some friends and build your own go kart racers and host a race down the neighborhood street.
July 29th–NASA Anniversary
In honor of NASA’s birthday, head out side and help your kids make rockets. Or why not let the kids stay up a little later and see what you can find in the sky.
Have fun celebrating July and check back again at the end of July for more activities in August!