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“May Days and My Blog’s 2nd Birthday” 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.
Blow the horns, sing the verses, it’s time for “A Writer’s Playground” to celebrate its second birthday. But before the candles could be blown out or a slice of cake could be cut, my internal critic said, “Beware the Terrible Twos.” I am choosing to ignore that warning. Instead of fearing growing pains, I’ve decided to embrace the number “two” in a special way…
For my blog’s second birthday, I’m giving away a book about twin girls who share many things. It’s an easy reader by Grace Lin called Ling and Ting Share a Birthday. ![cover_ltbirthday[1]](https://lindamartinandersen.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/cover_ltbirthday1.jpg?w=160&h=236)
Register for the giveaway by posting the name of a book with twin characters or a book written or illustrated by a twin. The birthday blog drawing will be May 22 (two twos) and the winner will be announced on or before the June 1 post. Thanks for celebrating A Writer’s Playground’s second birthday with me.
Other Things May bring…
ALS Awareness Month (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis or Lou Gehrig’s Disease) Who was Lou Gehrig? Have you ever known someone with this disease? What are some of the symptoms? What is the treatment? Research to learn more.
American Wetlands Month Where are wetlands in your area? If none, research to learn about this ecosystem. What wildlife lives there?
Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month Do you know a child or young person with this disease? What are some of the symptoms? What is the treatment? What is the life expectancy? Research to learn more.
Fibromyalgia Education and Awareness Month Do you know anyone with this disease? What are some of the symptoms? What is the treatment? Research and tell someone what you learned.
Get Caught Reading Month What are you reading at this time? Read something for pleasure. Read a different genre. Tell someone about a favorite.
Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection & Prevention Month Have you ever known someone with this disease? What are some of the symptoms? What is the treatment? Research to learn more.
Allergy/Asthma Awareness Month Have you ever known someone with these diseases? What is the difference between them? Which is more serious? Why? What are the symptoms? What is the treatment?
National Inventors Month What does it mean to invent something? What would you like to invent? Research to learn inventions kids have made.
(World) Lyme Disease Awareness Month How do you contact Lyme disease? Where might you get it? What can you do to prevent it, if anything? What are the symptoms of the disease? What is the treatment?
National Smile Month How many different ways can you smile? Big smile, slight smile, showing teeth, showing no teeth, etc. Try each one. Ask someone to play along.
National Stroke Awareness Month 6/16) What is a stroke? Do you know anyone who had one? Did it cause any permanent damage? Describe the damage. What other damage can a stroke cause? What are the signs that a person is having a stroke? Research for more information.
Special Weeks in May..
Be Kind To Animals Week: 4-10 Do you have pets? Brainstorm ways to be kind to them. Place a check beside all the kind things you do.
National Family Week: 4-10 How many are in your family? Brainstorm things your family likes to do together. What is one thing you could do from your list without spending any money?
National Post Card Week: 4-10 Have you ever sent someone a postcard? Were you on vacation, at camp, or somewhere else? Did the postcard arrive before or after you returned home? Share a postcard memory with someone.
Teacher Appreciation Week: 4-10 Brainstorm a list of things students give teachers. Write a poem naming at least three of these. Write a note to your favorite teacher or share your poem.
National Transportation Week: 11-17 Name your most unusual mode of transportation. Where were you going? How did you get there?
National Etiquette Week: 12-16 Brainstorm etiquette rules used by families today. What are some Victorian etiquette rules? Which are more strict? Tell why.
National Tourism Week: 12-17 What tourist locations would you suggest to someone visiting your town? Have you been to them? Which was your favorite and why?
National Stuttering Awareness Week: 13-19 Do you know someone who stutters? Is this a child or an adult? Research this disease, its symptoms, and how to treat it.
National New Friends, Old Friends Week: 18-24 Name old friends you have and name new friends made this year. Where did you make new friends? What did you do together?
National Backyard Games Week: 19-26 Do you and your friends play outdoor games? Teach your friends games you know and ask them to teach you games they know. Have a lot of fun playing outdoors.
Hurricane Preparedness Week: 25-31 Do you have hurricanes near where you live? Do you know where you can get a hurricane tracking map? Where can you get a list of emergency supplies to have on hand?
Special Days in May…
Mother Goose Day: 1 Who is your favorite Mother Goose character? What is your favorite nursery rhyme?
International Space Day: 3 What space events have you seen? Which ones would you liked to have participated in? What space events do you think will happen in your lifetime?
National Two Different Colored Shoes Day: 3 What color shoes could you match for this day? What do you wish you could wear? Why?
World Laughter Day: 4 Can you recognize someone’s laughter from another room? Whose laughter do you recognize? Can you recognize some actors’ laughter? Whose? How do you spell the sound of laughter in stories? What other ways sound like laughter?
National Babysitters Day: 10 Have you ever had babysitters? Can you name all of them? What is your favorite game to play with a babysitter? Do you have a favorite book you ask to have read?
National Miniature Golf Day: 10 Do you know how to play miniature golf? Do you have a favorite shot? Describe it.
National Train Day: 10 What’s your favorite movie with a train, book with a train, song with a train? Do you have a favorite train photo? See steam trains in pen and ink by Tim Livingston at The Forester Artist blog: http://theforesterartist.com/pen-and-ink/
National Windmill Day: 10 Do you know the name Don Quixote? Why is he mentioned with windmills? http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/donquixote/summary.html“
Do you know the meaning of “tilting at windmills?” http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/tilting-at-windmills.html
Eat What You Want Day: 11 Make a list of what you’d like to eat today, if you could have anything. Predict how you’d feel at the end of the day if you ate as much as you wanted of these foods? Have you ever done something similar to this? Tell about it.
Mother’s Day: 11 Do you buy your mom a card or make one for her? Are there other traditions you do for this day? Tell about one of them.
Limerick Day: 12 What is a limerick? Where can they be found? Read a limerick and then read it to someone else. Can you write a limerick of your own?
Frog Jumping Day: 13 Do you like to watch frogs jump? Where can you do this? Who can you get to join you? Will you and your friend(s) jump too?
National Chocolate Chip Day: 15 Have you ever eaten white chocolate chips? Which type chocolate do you prefer? My son likes to make white chocolate chip pancakes with fresh strawberries. Sweet!
Straw Hat Day: 15 What does a straw hat remind you of? Do you have one? Where have you worn it?
Bats Day: 16-18 How many words can you rhyme with “bats?” How many words can you rhyme with “day.” Research bats. Make statements about bats. Ask friends if they are facts or myths. Be sure you can explain the answers.
NASCAR Day: 16 Have you ever been to a NASCAR race? A NASCAR museum? Have you ever met one of the drivers, someone from the pit crew? Research NASCAR. Pass on trivia you learn.
International Museum Day: 18 Visit a nearby museum. Ask about special events coming up. Subscribe to the museum’s newsletter or mailings. What are three things you learned on your last museum tour? Tell someone else about them.
International Jazz Day: 24 Research famous jazz musicians. Name as many jazz musicians as you can. Listen to jazz. Read picture books about jazz. Research the history of jazz.
International Tiara Day: 24 Do you know anyone who won a tiara? How? Have you ever entered a contest that gave away tiaras? Where might you see someone wear a tiara? Name a book character who has a tiara. How do you think it would feel to wear one in a parade?
Morse Code Day: 24 Research Morse Code. Send a message to someone. Give them the code to translate their message. Have them send you a message so you can translate it too.
Cookie Monster’s Birthday: 25 Research Cookie Monster. How old is he? Why do you think he loves cookies? What food are you crazy about? What would you do for some?
National Tap Dance Day: 25 Name someone who is famous for tap dancing. Watch an old movie, a You Tube video, or other information about tap dancing. Do you know a child who takes lessons? Have him or her share with you.
Memorial Day: 26 When is Memorial Day observed? Why is it observed? Who can you honor on this day? Why?
*Thank you Brownie Locks.com for May celebration information. For more, check out: http://www.brownielocks.com/may.html
Let’s talk: Choose one or more of the conversation starters above and leave a comment. Don’t forget to enter the contest by naming a book by a twin author or illustrator or naming a book with twin characters. Thank you for visiting “A Writer’s Playground.” Please come again soon. Bring a friend.
Children 13 years old or older may leave a comment. Read more about the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. (COPPA) See: http://www.coppa.org/coppa.htm
Copyright © 2014 Linda Martin Andersen
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