Daily Activities - May

Monthly activities' calendar in English:

Los atividades del mes en español:

Monthly Theme

Recommended Reading 

Reading together & incorporating literacy into your daily life & routines is important for bonding, developing language, expanding vocabulary & fostering empathy

Holidays in May

MAY DAY

Celebrated May 1st every year

CINCO DE MAYO

Celebrated May 5th every year. Cinco de mayo literally translates from Spanish to English as "5 of May."  Despite what most people think, Cinco de mayo is not Mexican Independence Day (that happens later in the year).  The holiday  commemorates Mexican victory over France at the Battle of Pueblo. In the USA, Cinco de mayo has become a celebration of Mexican heritage where the holiday is arguably more significant than in Mexico itself. 

STAR WARS DAY

Celebrated May 4th each year;  Capitalizing on a 'play on words' from the famous Star Wars line "May the force be with you," May the 4th has affectionately become a day for Star Wars fans all over the world to celebrate the cultural phenomenon of Star Wars by wishing "May the Fourth be with you"

MOTHERS' DAY

Celebrated this year on May 12th; celebrated on the second Sunday of May every year in the USA

ARMED FORCES DAY

Celebrated this year on May 18th; celebrated on the third Saturday of May every year in the USA

MEMORIAL DAY

Celebrated the last Monday of May each year

Music & Dance

Fostering whole child development involves incorporating kinesthetics, rhythm, musical intelligence, & crea-tive expression through performing arts into daily lives

Arts & Crafts 

The visual arts are important for exploring creative expression as well as developing hand-eye coordination, dexterity, tenacity, & executive functioning skills

Downloadable Packets & Worksheets 

To access the printable activity/packet, click on the image for that packet.  These are downloadable PDF, WORD or PowerPoint files.  

For Kids in Preschool through Kindergarten:

For Kids in Kindergarten through 3rd Grade:

For Kids in 3rd through 8th Grade:

Career Exploration

It is never too early to start talking about your child's interests, strengths, curiosity, & options for the future

Culinary Creations

Cooking & baking together is great for family bonding while providing real life opportunities to explore math concepts such as fractions, measurements, & proportions; practice reading & writing recipes using specialized vocabulary & sequencing words; and developing gastronomical awareness 

S.T.E.A.M. Exploration

Explore key concepts from science, technology, engineering, art, & math using items from around the house. 

Family Fun Night Suggestion 

Explore Japan's National Flower, Sakura, "The Cherry Blossom"

Family Engagement Suggestions:

• Read the board book (for all ages), Tiny Traveler Japan: A Book of Nature (Buy Here)

• Talk about the images in the book. Use the images to reinforce the vocabulary. Discuss how pictures & images can provide hints to what a word means 

• Read Pinkalicious Cherry Blossom (by Victoria Kann) or follow along while watching this  story read aloud - discuss the story details

• Enjoy a story read-aloud of Sakura's Cherry Blossoms(by Robert Paul Weston) 

• Watch this 7 minute video about the annual Cherry Blossom Festival

• Download & print these pages & strips for the Cherry Blossom craft 

• Learn this simple song about Cherry Blossoms then brainstorm ideas of actions to go with the song lyrics & act them out!

• Hear the Japanese language & see Japanese words written in one of the three Japanese alphabets as you sing "Sakura, the Japanese Cherry Blossom Song"

• Virtually visit Osaka, Japan with two children in this video as they enjoy the beautiful sites & cherry blossoms! Would your child or family like to visit one day? Why or why not? Discuss!

• Watch this short video on Cherry Blossoms to learn 5 interesting facts!

•Enjoy a snack made from cherries! Explain how fruits are the seed containing part of a plant & come from the flowering parts of a plant.

Family Movie Night Suggestion

Moana (2016): 

An adventurous teenager sails out on a daring mission to save her people. During her journey, Moana meets the once-mighty demigod Maui, who guides her in her quest to become a master way-finder. Together they sail across the open ocean on an action-packed voyage, encountering enormous monsters and impossible odds. Along the way, Moana fulfills the ancient quest of her ancestors and discovers the one thing she always sought: her own identity.

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Featured Items

Asian Themed Crafts, Learning Resources, & More

Asia is a very large continent made up of over 40 countries and hundreds of ethnic & cultural groups.  Did you know that part of the United States is in Asia? It's true - American Samoa & Guam are both composed of islands and are considered U.S. protectorates.  There are United States of America military personnel located on those islands as well as multiple other amazing locations in East Asian countries including Japan & South Korea; Middle Eastern countries including Qatar; Southeast Asian countries including the Philippines. Each country & the cultural groups found within its borders and across the borders of different countries have special customs, traditions, languages, clothing, foods, and way of life.  May is a wonderful time to explore these different places!  Where would you like to go? Which countries would you like to visit?