1. Count how many blue jays, robins, and cardinals you see in your yard.

         2. Learn about spring by going to the web site:
           http://www.space.com/spacewatch/050318_equinox.html

      3.  Start a garden.  If you don't have space use a couple of pots.

      4.  Place an ice cube outside and see how long it takes for it to melt.  Write down the number of minutes so 
           you can compare it to next month to see if it melts any faster.

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 fluttering 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 "W" 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 “W” in the third line of the poem.  Ask “Can you find the longest word in the sixth 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.  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 do you think daffodils can really dance?  How many daffodils does it take to make a crowd? Do you think clouds are really lonely?   If this is a hard concept for your child, skip it.  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? 

Click here to print the May calendar.

Click here to print the May calendar markers.

1. Discuss the important dates for May 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 May 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 May 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  May.

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.

              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.

If I Were Your Mother by Margaret Park Bridges
This is a story of a little girl relating to her mother all the special things she would do if their roles were reversed. This book does a wonderful job of depicting the affection between a parent and child.

Spring Sprouts by Judy Delton
Pee Wee scouts plant seeds and learn about vitamins and nutrition.

Spring Song by Barbara Seuling 
This book is in a question/answer format.  The text introduces children to the different woodland, forest, mountain range, meadow, and marshland animals.  Greg Newbold illustrated the beautiful landscapes in this book.

Spring Thaw by Steven Schnur
How do you know spring is almost here?  This book describes the changes in a rural setting of the coming spring.  Starting with a warm wind, dripping icicles and ending with collecting maple syrup.

Mud by Mary Lyn Ray
This book has an unusual point of view- ground level.  The text describes how mud forms in the spring and all the wonderful joys associated with it.

Roots, Shoots, Buckets, and Bowls:  Gardening Together with Children 
by Sharon Lovejoy
This is a fantastic how-to garden book filled with ideas, garden plans, and recipes.  Learn to grow a pizza garden, a sunflower house, and a moon garden.  Make some Moth Broth (not to eat but to attract moths) or a compost sandwich.  This book has it all.

The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krause
"It won't come up,"  everyone warns the young boy.  This is a wonderful story about a child who plants a carrot seed and tends the seed among warning from relatives.  Of course, the carrot does grow and the boy wins first prize.

One Watermelon Seed by Celia Barker Lottridge
Learn to count from 1-10 while reading about Max and Josephine as they plant their seeds.  Learn to count from 10-100 as Max and Josephine pick all the fruits and vegetables from their garden. 

St. Patrick's Day by Gail Gibbons
This book covers the life of St. Patrick.  The author also includes traditional Irish symbols and ways to celebrate the holidays.

St. Patrick's Day in the Morning by Eve Bunting
A story about a young child who is told he is to small to participate in the St. Patrick's Day parade and how he proves them wrong.

Leprechaun Gold by Teresa Bateman
This is a wonderful tale that is a bit different from the usual pot of gold tales.  Donald rescues a leprechaun from drowning.  As a reward the leprechaun gives Donald a pot of gold; which he refuses to take.  The leprechaun tries many times without success to give Donald his reward.  Finally, he is able to reward Donald for rescuing him by helping him to fall in love and marry Maureen who's heart and hair is made of gold.

Kites:  Magic Wishes That Fly Up To The Sky by Demi Hitz
Long ago in China, kites were used to send messages and wishes to the gods.  The author tells a tale of one mother who made a wish.  The book begins as fiction, but flows into facts about the symbols of kites and their meanings and discusses the festival of kites.  The illustrations are beautifully down with brilliant colors.  In the back of the book are directions for making a kite.

The Wind Blew by Pat Hutchins
This is a humorous book about the wind snatching items and their owners having to give chase.  The book is written in rhyming verses, so is a great read aloud book.

Feel the Wind by Arthur Dorro
This is a science book explaining what makes the wind blow.  The  book uses simple terms and fun illustrations in its explanation.  There are also instructions for making a weather vane.

My Spring Robin by Anne Rockwell
A picture book about all the signs of spring.  The story is about a little girl searching for a robin that means spring is really here.

North Country Spring by Reeve Lindbergh
This book depicts what the forest animals do when spring arrives.  The rhyming text describes the changes that occur in nature and the behavior of animals at the first signs of spring.  The notes in the back of the book gives specific behaviors of the animals portrayed in the story.

Hopper Hunts for Spring by Marcus Pfister
Hopper is a bunny on the look out for spring.  While looking for spring he makes a lot of new friends.

 

May        (click for printer friendly poem)

Now children may
   Go out of doors,
Without their coats,
   To candy stores.

The apple branches
  And the pear
May float their blossoms
  Through the air,

And Daddy may
  Get out his hoe
To plant tomatoes
  In a row,

And, afterwards
  May lazily
Look at some baseball
  On TV.
 
 

John Updike