October 2012 Activities

“October 2012 Activities” by Linda Martin Andersen

“A Writer’s Playground”

A place to find wordplay, writing, and monthly calendar activities for kids and those young at heart.

 

Think:  What does the word “October” bring to mind?

Halloween, hayrides, pumpkins, jack-o-lanterns, Fall leaves, haunted houses, Fall Festivals, cool nights, bonfires, jackets, ghost stories, homecoming games, football, trick-or-treat, and costumes.

What else happens in October?  Choose one of the conversation starters below and leave a comment.

Special Days in October:

• National Custodial Workers Day:  2  Thank a custodian for his/her hard work.

• Balloons Around the World Day:  3 (First Wednesday) Buy a bag of balloons (notice the alliteration).  What color did you choose?  Research a country with this as the dominant color of their flag.  Learn 3 facts about this country.

• Blessing of the Animals Day (aka Blessing of the Pets Day, World Pet Day):  4  Does your church recognize this day?  Do you have a friend who attends a church that does?  Consider attending a service.

• Ten-Four Day:  4  When is “Ten-Four” spoken?  What does it mean?  What jobs might use this signal?  Use the term in conversation with someone today.

• National Diversity Day:  5 (First Friday) Brainstorm ways to celebrate this day.  Which way will you celebrate?  Ask a friend to join you.

• World Smile Day:  5 (First Friday) Create smile posters or leave a Post-It Note with a smile.  Take them everywhere you go today.  Don’t forget to smile.

• 

  Laura Reeves’ artwork used by permission. Copyright protected. To purchase see http://www.reevesartwork.com

  World Communication Day:  7 (First Sunday) Think of ways to start a conversation with someone who is not one of your best friends.  Communicate with that person today.

• You Matter to Me Day:  7  Tell someone special, “You matter to me.”  Tell them why.

• Native American Day:  8 (2nd Monday)  Research Native Americans.  Share facts you learned.

• National Face Your Fears Day:  9 (2nd Tuesday) Book characters often face fears.  Name one book character, his/her fear, and how it was overcome.  Would you recommend this book?

• Stop Bullying Day:  10  At lunch or on the playground, ask friends what they think helps stop bullying.  What action will you take next?

• Day of the Six Billion:  12 What does this mean?  Ask friends, teachers, parents, Google it, etc. until you learn the answer if you do not already know.  Why is it important?

• Universal Music Day:  13 (2nd Saturday)  Pick a musical instrument you don’t hear often.  Listen to instrumental music with this instrument.  What emotion do you feel as you listen? 

• Clergy Appreciation Day (or Pastor Appreciation Day or Ministry Appreciation Day):  14  Find a way to give thanks for your pastor, your church, and its ministry.

•  I Love Lucy Day:  15 Watch a rerun, read about Lucille Ball, share your memories of favorite shows.

• National Grouch Day:  15 Read a book with a grouchy character.  Sesame Street has one, so does The Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, and Christopher Robin and the Hundred Acre Wood.  What are these characters names?  Name others. 

• Dictionary Day:  16  Name places where you can locate a dictionary.  Race a friend to find a word using different resources.

• Mulligan Day:  17  What is a mulligan?  What sport uses this term?  When would you like to have a mulligan and why?

• Reptile Awareness Day:  21  Check out a nonfiction book about reptiles.  Quiz your parents about different ones.

• United Nations Day:  24 What is the United Nations?  How is the day celebrated?  What other ways could it be recognized?

• Frankenstein Friday:  26  Who is Frankenstein?  How was he created?  Is he real or fiction?  If you were a scientist working on a cure for a disease, what would be your mission? Why?

• Make a Difference Day:  27 How can you make a difference today?  Do it.

• National Forgiveness Day:  27 (Last Saturday) What would our world be like if everyone forgave everybody?  Who will you forgive today?

• National Chocolates Day:  28 What’s your favorite kind of chocolate with ice cream?  Swirls in ice cream, chocolate chunks in ice cream, crunchy thin coat on a fudge bar, soft chocolate on an ice cream sandwich?  Something else?  Have you ever persuaded someone to try something new?  How did you convince them?

• National Knock-Knock Jokes Day:  31  Check out books from the library with knock-knock jokes.  Ask your friend(s) to check out copies too.  Take turns telling jokes.  Take a break and play outside and come back and ask more jokes.  Count the jokes as you go.  See how many you tell in a day.

Special Weeks in October:

• Universal Children’s Week: 1-7 How do you think this week should be celebrated?  Learn about children in other countries.  Many public libraries subscribe to databases about other cultures. 

• National Newspaper Week: 1-5 Visit the local library and look at the newspaper displays.  What are local titles?  What are national ones?  Spend time reading. 

• Spinning & Weaving Week:  1-7 Visit a museum with displays about spinning and weaving.  Attend a demonstration, if possible.

• World Space Week: 4-10 Consider visiting a planetarium, read nonfiction books about space travel, or read biographies about astronauts. 

• National Storytelling Weekend: 5-7 (1st Full Week) Do you know a storyteller?  If not, check out some library books and read folktales, fairy tales, fables, ghost stories,etc.

Linda M. Andersen copyright 2012

• Fire Prevention Week: 7-13 Review “stop, drop, and roll.”

• Great Books Week:  7-13 (1st Full Week) Have everyone in your family list one or two books they call great.  Check out the titles from the public library and takes turns reading a favorite section.  Visit here again on October 7 for a chance to meet a Newbery Award Judge. 

• National Metric Week:  7-13 (Week always has 10th in it)  Think metric.  Speak metric.  Measure metric.  GO metric!

• Kids’ Goal Setting Week: 8-12 What goals have you set for yourself?  What are you doing to achieve them?  Ask an adult to help you set goals and monitor your progress.

• World Rainforest Week:  12-18 Can you imagine spending time in the rainforest?  One of my friends did.  Check out Joy Acey’s blog posts with poems she wrote about her adventures.  See her photos below:  

•  http://poetryforkidsjoy.blogspot.com/search?q=rainforest

Macaw in Rainforest of Peru. Copyright 2012 Joy Acey

Monkeys in Rainforest of Peru. Copyright 2012 Joy Acey

 

 

• Teen Read Week:  14-20 Name your favorite authors for teens.  Read something by an author new to you.

• National Character Counts Week: 21-27 Name character traits.  Which are your strengths and which do you need to improve?  How? 

• National Chemistry Week: 21-27 Do you know someone who is taking chemistry?  Ask questions about the subject.

• Red Ribbon Week:  21-27 (Last Week)  Why is Red Ribbon Week celebrated?  How do you celebrate it

• National School Bus Safety Week:  22-26 (4th Week) How do you get to school?  Have you ever ridden a bus?  What rules do you think should be added to keep a bus ride safe?  Who can you discuss this with?

• Peace, Friendship and Good Will Week:  24-30 Name one way to improve each for the week.  Are you willing to continue doing what worked beyond a week?

• International Magic Week:  25-31 What is your favorite magic tricks?  Read and practice a magic trick.  Watch a magician’s act.

October is…

• Apple Month

• Bat Appreciation Month. What do you appreciate about bats?  Learn one more positive thing about them.

• Bullying Prevention Month  See October 10.  Think of other activities.

• Children’s Magazine Month. Read stories or articles from three magazines you don’t subscribe to.  Some magazines may be checked out from the public library.

• National Bake and Decorate Month Check for parent-child cooking programs.  Some craft stores may offer them.  Public libraries may also.

• National Book Month. Write a favorite author.  Buy a favorite author’s book.  Attend a favorite author’s book signing.  Consider doing these same things for a debut author such as the one spotlighted here this month:  Donna Earnhardt.

• National Crime Prevention Month.  Brainstorm terms about crime prevention.  Research careers in this field.

• National Dental Hygiene Month.  Do you need to replace your toothbrush?  Do you floss every day?

• National Go on a Field Trip Month. How many school field trips can you recall taking?  Where else would you like to go?

• National Stamp Collecting Month  Ask about this at your local post office?  Find out what stamps are popular now.

• Positive Attitude Month.  What could you do this entire month that demonstrates a positive attitude?  Would you be willing to try for two months?

*Thank you Brownie Locks.com for October celebration information.  For more October observances check out:  http://www.brownielocks.com/october.html 

Let’s talk:  Choose one or more of the conversation starters above and leave a comment.  Thank you for visiting “A Writer’s Playground.”  Please come again soon.  Bring a friend.

*Resources:  http//vertex42.com (calendar) and http://www.brownielocks.com/october.html(calendar observances)

Coming this week:  Debut Author, Donna

Earnhardt, and Signed Book Giveaway!

Copyright © 2012 Linda Martin Andersen