February learning games.

Month by Month

This page is designed to assist you with helping your child discover what is so special about each individual month. Use the poems and topics to explore the changing seasons and monthly holidays with your child. The calendar can be used to learn the months of the year, holidays, and special days relating to your family. Encourage your child to draw a picture in the frame of the calendar that represents what they think each month means to them. Discuss all the possibilities and look for things in the environment and around your home that represents the changing months.

February

Things to do this month
1. Go outside and and see if your shadow appears.
2. Watch the news and see if the groundhog saw his shadow.
3. Make paper hearts and decorate.

A Poem for February

Mountain Brook
            Because of the steepness,
            the streamlet runs white,
            narrow and broken
            as lightening by night.

              Because of the rocks
            it leaps this way and that,
            fresh as a flower,
            quick as a cat.
     - Elizabeth Coatsworth

Poem Activities
1. Read the poem aloud with your child. As you say each word point to it, so your child will learn that each word has a sound and a look. Talk about any individual word or phrase your child may not be sure of the meaning. Ask your child, "What does the word brook mean? After discussing the word, have your child draw a picture to help reinforce the meaning of the word. It doesn't need to be elaborate; just a small, quick drawing to help them remember.
2. Make a copy of this poem and give to your child with a pencil. Ask your child to circle the words that begin with "B" in the first line. Repeat with other words throughout the poem.

3. Make a copy of this poem and have your child circle individual letters in the poem. For example, ask your child to circle all the “S” in the second line of the poem. Ask “Can you find the longest word in the seventh line.” Help your child count down the lines if they do not understand ordinal numbers. What is the shortest line in the poem?
4. Talk about what the poem means. Make sure your child knows that brook and streamlet are small bodies of water. Using a dictionary to actually look up the words and read to your child will also help reinforce the words, as well as demonstrate a new skill for your child. Ask your child if this poem may be talking about a waterfall. Point out the last stanza and ask your child what the author is saying. How can water be quick or compared with a cat? If this is a hard concept for your child, skip it. Instead talk about how big rocks can divert the water and make little streams or how the water can run over the rocks to make a waterfall. Draw a picture to illustrate the poem.
5. Talk about the author. Who is the author? What is an author? If you wrote this poem, what words would you add? What words would you change? Did the author make you a waterfall?

Calendar Activity
Click here to print the February calendar.
Click here to print the February calendar markers.

1. Discuss the important dates for March including any special days
    pertaining to your family such as birthdays or anniversaries. Talk about
    the different holidays and the changes that usually occur in the weather
    and the environment. Don't forget to talk about any special traditions your
    family may have for a holiday or special day.
2. Have your child trace the word March with their finger and say each
     letter out loud.
3. Together, count how many days are in the month, while pointing to each
     number.
4. Discuss what the letters at the top of the calendar mean (S M T W T F S).
5. Cut out the icons representing March and any others that relate to
    your family's special days.
6. Talk about what each icon represents and paste it onto the appropriate day.
7. Draw a picture within the border of the calendar that represents an aspect
    of March.
8. Again, count the days of the month and say the special days.
9. Hang the calendar at your child's eye level and try to refer back to it
    during the month, especially around the special occasions.

Spring Reading List

These are just a few books on the subject of spring that you may want to explore with your child. Please feel free to e-mail me the title and author of any books that you enjoy reading with your child.

One More Poem

February
The sun is nervous
   As a kite.
That can't quite keep
   Its own string tight.
Some days are fine
And some are raw.
The timid Earth
Decides to thaw.
Shy budlets peep
From twigs on trees.
And robins join
The chickadees.
Pale crocuses
Poke through the ground.
Like noses come
To sniff around.
The mud smells happy
On our shoes.
We still wear mittens
Which we lose.

John Updike

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