A Writer's Playground

Monthly Activities for Kids by Linda Martin Andersen

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July 2015 and You

Posted by lindamartinandersen on June 30, 2015


A Writer's Playground Fotosearch_u17996074  “July 2015 and You” by Linda Martin Andersen

 

Here are This Month’s Top Four Recipients: July 2015 and You Awards (selected by me for this site only)

I chose “July 2015 and You” as this month’s theme to remind us that we are individuals, as well as a part of the whole.  Days bearing the words “global and international” were spotlighted.  I encourage you to check the award list and celebrate one or more of these in a special way.  Be connected to the world, as well as to your little corner of it.

Special Days to Celebrate in July..

  • U.S. Postage Stamp Day: 1  What did postage stamps cost the year you were born?   Check here for answers to many questions about the postal service:

http://about.usps.com/

  • I  Forgot Day: 2  Name three important things you forgot.  For example, a homework assignment, a friend’s birthday, etc.  Did you apologize?  Did you try to make it up somehow?  List ways to help you remember key things.
  • Fourth of July or Independence Day: 4  Even if I don’t see fireworks on this day, I celebrate in my imagination.  If you live in the USA, what ways do you celebrate this holiday?
  • Father-Daughter Take A Walk Together Day: 7  Share about a special time  one-on-one with a parent.
  • Global Forgiveness Day: 7  What does this mean to you?  How can you experience this?
  • Simplicity Day: 12  Name a simple, kind act you can do for someone today.   Who will receive this?
  • International Town Criers Day: 13  I am writing a story which includes a child pretending to be a town crier.  What words might a town crier say?  How does his message usually begin?  What prop might he carry?  Research to learn more about town criers and their importance in history.  Do you see town criers today?  Why or why not?
  • Take Your Poet To Work Day: 15  If you don’t know any poets personally, how could you take one to work today?  Check here for ideas toohttp://makesyoumom.com/take-your-poet-to-work-day-is-coming-july-15/
  • Celebration of The Horse Day: 18-19  Do you read horse stories?  Read one to celebrate.  Visit horse stables in your area, a rodeo, or other events with horses.  Research horses. 
  • Toss Away the “Could Haves” and “Should Haves” Day: 18  What positive statements could you make instead?  For example:  I made a wise decision when I… I am proud that I….I made a positive difference when I…
  • Global Hug Your Kid Day: 20  Kids, I hope you receive lots of hugs today.  Adults, I hope you receive some also.
  • Moon Day: 20  What would you like to learn about the moon today?  Check  websites, books,  the night sky, visit a planetarium, study through a telescope.  Read picture book about the moon.  Share one with a child.    Carol Baldwin, a writer friend, shared a link to School Tube on her blog.  Kevin Costner and Jullian Estell read Catching the Moon:  The Story of a Young Girl’s Baseball Dream (Marcenia Lyle)by Crystal Hubbard and Randy DuBurke.  Enjoy.

http://www.schooltube.com/video/e57d1a4b476441ec8c02/Catching%20the%20Moon%20read%20by%20Kevin%20Costner%20and%20Jillian%20Estell

Did you know there are moon flowers? See here:  http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/vines/moonflower/growing-moonflowers.htm

  • Space Exploration Day: 20  Brainstorm space words.  Choose one as your space word of the day.   Draw, write, read about the word you selected.  Who can you share your experiences with? 
  • National Lollipop Day: 20 Would you like to see how Dum-Dums are made?  How many do you think are made a day?  See here:

http://www.dumdumpops.com/games-videos/videos/how-dum-dums-are-made

  • International Cake Day: 20  What if everyone in the world ate cake today or at least some bread?  We’d all have that much in common.  What else do you think you might have in common with everyone else?  What type cake would you nominate for this day?  If you know people in other countries, invite them to celebrate with cake on this day. 
  • Tell An Old Joke Day: 24  What’s the oldest joke you know?  One about a chicken and a road?  A knock-knock joke?  Want to know some more old jokes?  See here:  http://lajollamom.com/kid-friendly-knock-knock-jokes/
  • Carousel Day or Merry-Go-Round Day: 25–How old were you when you rode your first Merry-G0-Round?  Where were you?  Did you pick your seat or was it assigned?  Can you describe the animal you rode?  Did you ride alone or with an adult by your side?  Have you ridden a Merry-Go-Round since that day? 
  • National Dance Day: 25  Name your favorite dance.  Have you ever taken dance lessons?  Have you attended a dance recital? Whose?  Have you participated in a dance recital?  Teach someone a dance step or two or earn a dance step or two yourself. 
  • National Day of the Cowboy : 25  Brainstorm cowboy words.  Name an actor who plays a cowboy.  What movie or TV show was he in?  Do you have a favorite Western movie or TV program?  Ask your parents to name theirs. 
  • Video Games Day: 25  What games do you play?  Tell about a day when you played video games with a friend?  What happened? 
  • Walk on Stilts Day: 27  Have you ever seen anyone walk on stilts?  Where were you? Have you ever read a book about performers?  Check the library for books about circus performers.  Check for information about stilts.   
  • International Day of Friendship: 30  Do you have any friends in other countries?  How do you know them?  How do you keep in touch?  Have you been to your friend’s country?  What keeps your friendship going? 
  •  Paperback Book Day: 30  How many paperback books do you own?  Do you prefer hardback books or paperbacks and why?  Pull out one of your favorite  paperback books and read it today. 

 

Special Weeks in July…

National Zoo Keeper Week: 19-25  A big shout out to my favorite zoo keeper:  Melissa Barr.  Learn about her here:  https://lindamartinandersen.wordpress.com/2012/07/14/meet-melissa-barr-a-zookeeper-at-north-carolina-zoological-park/

World Lumberjack Championships: 23-25  Have you ever been to a lumberjack championship?  What events would you expect to see?  Research to learn more.  To see an earlier guest blog post by Tim Livingston featuring some lumberjack events check here:  https://lindamartinandersen.wordpress.com/2013/07/27/timber-sports-lumberjack-skills-in-axetion/

 

July is…

National Grilling Month

National Ice Cream Month

National Hot Dog Month

National Parks & Recreation Month

Sandwich Generation Month

Name your favorites for each of these categories or name an example you’ve never experienced and why you’d like to try it. 

For a broader list of special days to celebrate,  visit:  http://www.brownielocks.com/july.html

I hope you’ll leave a comment.  Thanks for stopping in.  Come again soon and bring a friend.  Please remember that children 13 and under need an adult to comment for them. Thank you!

14 Responses to “July 2015 and You”

  1. Thanks for the shout-out, linda. I think putting together national ice cream, grilling, hot dog, and parks months you come up with one BIG picnic in a park!

  2. Joan Y. Edwards said

    Dear Linda,
    Thanks for compiling this outstanding list of things to celebrate! Wow! It’ll take us more than a month to do all these things! However, it will be fun, fun, fun.

    I didn’t realize there was a Paperback Book Day! I have a good number of paperback books…too numerous and spread out in the house to count. Fun books filled with information, inspiration, and entertainment!

    Celebrate you, Linda.
    You have a wonderful sharing celebrating heart!
    Joan

    • Joan,
      I’m glad you enjoyed the list of July celebrations. I don’t imagine anyone could make time to celebrate them all. Pick favorites. It’s good you learned that paperback books are celebrated too.

      I recommend the video reading of “Catching the Moon” to your grands–the younger ones. It’s about a girl determined to play baseball when girls weren’t allowed.

      Thanks for the compliment about me! Sweet! Special too!

  3. Especially nice post this week, Linda. Of course, my favorite is “horse day.” Hope you give and get lots of hugs on hug day. Sarah.

    • Hi Sarah,
      Thanks for the compliment. I knew you’d like “horse” day. Will you ride on that day? Any other riding days in July? Most? Many? Some? I hope you get lots of hugs every day, but especially hug day. I appreciate your visit and comments! Thank you!

  4. joyacey said

    Great post, Linda. I’m sending my hug to you now and what flavor of ice cream shall we try this month? Perhaps we can have a different flavor each day.
    Yahoo! Thanks once again for LOTS of poem ideas for children.

    • Joy,
      I’m so glad you enjoyed this post so much. Thanks for letting me know. I’d love to have some country-fresh ice cream with seasonal fruit, probably peach. Yummy! SC has some delicious ones. A different flavor every day sounds like a great celebration to me. What flavor would you like to try? So glad my blog post spurs poem ideas. Spurs sounds prickly–maybe it’s time for another desert poem! Thank you for all your poems for children. Love them!

  5. Linda, what a wonderful uplifting list for July! Your photo banner is super! And I forgot the three things I was supposed to remember. LOL 🙂

    • Tracy,
      I’m glad you liked the July list and found it uplifting. That’s a trait that’s desperately needed right now, I think. I liked your joke about forgetting and remembering. Funny! Thanks for all you add to this blog! You make it lively!

  6. Kathleen said

    A month of fireworks, national cake day, and national ice cream month. It’s official July is now my favorite month 🙂

    • Kathy,
      I like the way you think. Let’s grill out, enjoy cake and ice cream for dessert, and then watch the fireworks. I can see why you’d select it as a favorite month. Thanks for celebrating here!

  7. Toss away the Should Haves and Would Haves Day should be every day. Will that laundry keep until tomorrow?Every day is special. The more should haves and would haves I can get rid of allows me time to write, to be with friends and family, to read a good book, to take a walk, to meditate, to watch the yellow finches, the hummingbirds, the wrens and cardinals from my kitchen window. I love to enjoy nature and all of the beauty of this season.

    Taking time to just be,to relax, to enjoy life is possible when I prioritize my must dos and simplify.

    July 4 we were with friends and watched fireworks on the 17th green at a local golf club. We have NEVER been so close to fireworks. It was spectacular.

    Thanks for your newsletter, Linda. I hope all is well.

    • Janis,
      You have a great outlook on life. A very healthy one too. I like the notion of tossing the “should haves” and “would haves” every day. You enjoy life, the simple beauties surrounding you, as well as the spectacular fireworks kinds of day. Thanks for sharing your joy and wisdom here. Always a pleasure to hear from you! I’m glad you enjoyed this post.

      Overall, I’m doing well. Thanks for thinking of me. I appreciate our friendship!

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