Calendar time in a 4K classroom...

Question

Do you do calendar time with 4 year olds? For instance, doing days of the week, patterning the numbers, talking about yesterday, today, and tomorrow, making a number line of how many days in school.....or are they too young? Works for them or not?

Answer 1

Four year olds are definitely capable of this.  In my classroom (3's and 4's mixed), our curriculum dictated how to do it.  Here's what I have found that works:

* Sing a days of the week song.  There are many variations, but the one I used was to the tune of the Addams Family.  "There's Sunday and there's Monday, there's Tuesday and there's Wednesday, there's Thursday and there's Friday, and then there's Saturday.  Days of the week *snap snap*...

* We used a linear calendar (like you are suggesting a number line) and that worked well.  Around May/June I introduced a traditional calendar and the kids definitely understood the concept of wrapping around from Sat. to Sun. next week.  We marked special days with pictures, such as a camera for picture day, a tree for Christmas etc. and discussed how many more days until those special days, or even how many days had passed since we had that activity.  

* Talk about yesterday, today and tomorrow.  You can even make signs that say Today is... (Wed) Tomorrow will be.... (Thurs) and Yesterday was... (Tues).  

* You can also describe the weather using a weather bar graph (yes, they understand it!) and that just helps reinforce more math skills during Circle Time.

* Lastly remember to keep it short.  If you find they get fidgety, do a short finger play or something in between counting and singing just to keep their interest.