I love using unit studies and themed activities for holidays and calendar observances. You’ll find all my unit studies and holiday posts in my “Should You Use Unit Studies?” post. You might choose to plan unit studies based on your child’s interests. Many unit studies, such as a dinosaur unit or transportation unit, work well at any time of the year.
Some unit studies naturally fit best into specific seasons or months. And many others can be used at any time but are extra fun when combined with a holiday or calendar observance.
You’ll find more links for calendar observances in my “Enliven Your Homeschool with Some Calendar Fun” post. The post has links to resources for calendar observances for any level. I mainly focus here on May themes for preschoolers through elementary, although you’ll find some calendar observances here for any age.
Monthly Observances for May
Monthly observances can be used for themed activities throughout the month or for one or two weeks during the month.
- National Allergy/Asthma Awareness Month
- Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
- Awareness of Medical Orphans Month
- National Barbecue Month
- Better Hearing and Speech Month – DIY Montessori Sound Cylinders, Montessori-Inspired Easter Egg Sound Shakers for Babies and Toddlers
- National Bike Month
- National Blood Pressure Month
- Global Civility Awareness Month
- National Duckling Month
- National Foster Care Month
- Gardening for Wildlife Month
- Get Caught Reading Month – Montessori-Inspired Dr. Seuss Activities, Montessori-Inspired Eric Carle Activities, How to Help Your Child Treasure Books, Simple Tips for Organizing Your Homeschool Library, Montessori-Inspired Ideas for Enjoying Books with Your Child or Students, Montessori-Inspired Activities for the Tortoise and the Hare, , Montessori-Inspired Activities for Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, Free Mitten Printables and Montessori-Inspired Mitten Activities, Literature-Based Activities Pinterest Board
- Gifts From the Garden Month – Activity of the Week – Friendship Flower Activities, Free Montessori Botany Materials for a Gardening Unit, Montessori-Inspired Gardening Unit, Montessori-Inspired Flower Activities, Free Flower Printables and Montessori-Inspired Flower Math Activities, Gardening/Botany Unit Study Board
- National Good Car-Keeping Month
- Haitian Heritage Month
- Heal the Children Month
- Healthy Vision Month
- National Inventor’s Month
- Jewish American Heritage Month
- Latino Books Month
- National Meditation Month – The Silence Game
- National Mediterranean Diet Month
- Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month
- National Mental Health Month
- National Military Appreciation Month
- National Moving Month
- Older Americans Month
- National Photo Month – Montessori-Inspired Photography for Kids and Go on a Smile Hunt with Your Child
- National Physical Fitness and Sports Month – Montessori-Inspired Physical Fitness for Preschoolers
- Preservation Month, Natl
- REACT Month
- National Salad Month – Montessori-Inspired Vegetable Unit and Montessori-Inspired Fruit Unit
- National Salsa Month
- National Smile Month – Go on a Smile Hunt with Your Child and Montessori-Inspired Dental Health Unit
- National Sweet Vidalia Onion Month – Montessori-Inspired Vegetable Unit
- Teen CEO Month
- Tennis Month
- Ultraviolet Awareness Month
- National Vinegar Month
- Young Achievers/Leaders of Tomorrow Month
Spring Themes and Activities
Montessori-Inspired Spring Themes and Activities has lots of ideas for spring unit studies.
May Dates that Can Be Used for Themed Activities
Calendar observances are great for mini units or even units that might last the whole month.
- May1: May Day –Montessori-Inspired May Day Activities
- May 1: Loyalty Day
- May 1: Mother Goose Day
- May 1: Hawaiian Lei Day
- May 1: Save the Rhino Day – Montessori-Inspired Study of Africa, Montessori-Inspired Continent Activities Using Replicas – Africa, Montessori-Inspired Little Passports Activities – South Africa
- May 2: Debut of Peter and the Wolf, 1936 – Montessori-Inspired Music Appreciation: Peter and the Wolf
- May 2: Baby Day – Montessori Baby Resources
- May 2: Brothers and Sisters Day – How to Help Each of Your Children Feel Special, Top 5 Ways to Reduce Sibling Rivalry, Preventing Choking in Babies and Toddlers with Older Siblings
- May 2: Space Day (1st Friday in May) – Astronaut Unit, Montessori-Inspired Astronomy Activities, Montessori-Inspired Star and Constellation Unit, Montessori-Inspired Moon Unit, Montessori-Inspired Solar System Activities and World Space Week Blog Hop, Montessori-Inspired Astronomy Units, Astronomy Unit Study Pinterest Board
- May 2: International Tuba Day (1st Friday in May)
- May 3: Herb Day (1st Saturday in May) – Free Montessori Botany Materials for a Gardening Unit, Montessori-Inspired Gardening Unit, Gardening/Botany Unit Study Board
- May 3: Lumpy Rug Day
- May 4: International Firefighers’ Day – Community Helpers Activity Trays and Sensory Tubs, Free Fire Safety Printables and Montessori-Inspired Fire Safety Activities, Community Helpers Pinterest Board
- May 4: Bird Day – Montessori-Inspired Bird Unit, Montessori-Inspired Life Cycle Activities, Bird Unit Study Pinterest Board
- May 4: Star Wars Day
- May 4: Renewal Day
- May 4: National Weather Observers Day – Montessori-Inspired Cloud Unit, Montessori-Inspired Weather Unit, Montessori-Inspired April Showers Activities, Weather Unit Study Pinterest Board
- May 5-9: Teacher Appreciation Week (1st full week in May) – Mother’s Day- and Teacher Appreciation Gifts for Kids to Give, Teacher Appreciation Pinterest Board
- May 5-11: Screen-Free Week and Screen-Free Week Pledge (varies each year) – Montessori-Inspired Screen-Free Activities
- May 5: Cinco de Mayo – Montessori-Inspired Spanish Activities, Montessori-Inspired Little Passports Activities – Mexico, Montessori-Inspired Color Tablets, Yarn Balls, and Spanish Colors, Free Spanish Printables and Montessori-Inspired Spanish Color Activities, Foreign Language for Kids Pinterest Board, Kids’ Cinco de Mayo Activities Pinterest Board
- May 5: Leo Lionni Born, 1910 (For a thorough children’s author birthday calendar, see the right sidebar of Happy Birthday Author)
- May 5: Children’s Day in Japan – Montessori-Inspired Little Passports Activities – Japan, Free Kite Printables and Montessori-Inspired Kite Activities
- May 6: National Teacher’s Day (Tuesday of the 1st Full Week of May) – Mother’s Day- and Teacher Appreciation Gifts for Kids to Give, Teacher Appreciation Pinterest Board
- May 6: Eiffel Tower opened to the public in 1889 – Montessori-Inspired Little Passports Activities – France
- May 6: Beverage Day
- May 6: National Tourist Appreciation Day – Traveling with Kids – Montessori-Inspired Activities, Traveling with Kids Pinterest Board
- May 6: National Nurses Day – Community Helpers Pinterest Board
- May 7: Johannes Brahms Born, 1833 – Montessori-Inspired Music Appreciation, Kids’ Music Activities Pinterest Board
- May 7: 1st Stamp Collection Started
- May 7: Pulitzer Prize Established, 1917
- May 7: National Tourism Day – Traveling with Kids – Montessori-Inspired Activities, Traveling with Kids Pinterest Board
- May 8: V-E Day
- May 8: Iris Day – Activity of the Week – Friendship Flower Activities, Free Montessori Botany Materials for a Gardening Unit, Montessori-Inspired Gardening Unit, Montessori-Inspired Flower Activities, Free Flower Printables and Montessori-Inspired Flower Math Activities, Gardening/Botany Unit Study Board
- May 8: No Socks Day
- May 8: World Red Cross Day
- May 8: U.S. Post Office Established, 1794
- May 9: First Newspaper Cartoon In the US, 1754
- May 9: Lost Sock Memorial Day
- May 10: Clean Up Your Room Day
- May 10: National Train Day (Saturday Closest to May 10) – Montessori-Inspired Transportation Unit, Transportation Unit Study Pinterest Board
- May 10: International Migratory Bird Day (2nd Saturday in May) – Montessori-Inspired Bird Unit, Bird Unit Study Pinterest Board
- May 11: Mother’s Day {United States} (2nd Sunday in May) – Montessori-Inspired Mother’s Day, Montessori-Inspired Mother’s Day (2012), Mother’s Day- and Teacher’s Appreciation Gifts for Kids to Give, Kids’ Mother’s Day Activities Pinterest Board
- May 11: Salvador Dali Born, 1904 – Montessori-Inspired Art Appreciation, Art Appreciation and Creation for Kids, Kids’ Art Appreciation Pinterest Board
- May 12-18: Children’s Book Week – Montessori-Inspired Dr. Seuss Activities, Montessori-Inspired Eric Carle Activities, How to Help Your Child Treasure Books, Simple Tips for Organizing Your Homeschool Library, Montessori-Inspired Ideas for Enjoying Books with Your Child or Students, Montessori-Inspired Activities for the Tortoise and the Hare, , Montessori-Inspired Activities for Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, Free Mitten Printables and Montessori-Inspired Mitten Activities, Literature-Based Activities Pinterest Board
- May 12: International Nurses Day – Community Helpers Pinterest Board
- May 12: Limerick Day – Montessori-Inspired Poetry Activities, Kids’ Poetry Activities Pinterest Board
- May 13: Frog Jumping Day – Montessori-Inspired Frog Activities, Kids’ Frog and Leap Year Activities Pinterest Board
- May 13: Leprechaun Day – Montessori-Inspired St. Patrick’s Day Activities, Montessori-Inspired St. Patrick’s Day Activities (2012), Montessori-Inspired St. Patrick’s Day Math Activities at PreK + K Sharing, Kids’ St. Patrick’s Day Activities Pinterest Board
- May 14: Beginning of Lewis and Clark Expedition, 1804
- May 14: National Dance Like a Chicken Day
- May 15: Peace Officers Memorial Day – Talking with Children about 9/11 – Ideas and Activities, Free Police Printables and Montessori-Inspired Police Activities, Community Helpers Activity Trays and Sensory Tubs, Community Helpers Pinterest Board
- May 15: National Straw Hat Day
- May 15: National Chocolate Chip Day
- May 15: Over the Rainbow Day (L. Frank Baum Born, 1856) – Montessori-Inspired Rainbow Activities, Montessori Color Mixing Activities – Rainbows of Color, Rainbow Unit Study Pinterest Board
- May 16: Love a Tree Day – Montessori-Inspired Arbor Day Activities
- May 16: First U.S. Nickel Minted, 1866 – Montessori-Inspired Activities Teaching about Money and Presidents
- May 16: Endangered Species Day (3rd Friday in May)
- May 17: Armed Forces Day (3rd Saturday in May)
- May 17: First Kentucky Derby, 1875
- May 18: International Museum Day
- May 18: Mount St. Helens Erupted, 1980.
- May 18: Visit Your Relatives Day – How to Help Your Child Feel Comfortable Greeting Relatives
- May 19: Victoria Day (celebrated in Canada on the Monday before May 25)
- May 19: Circus Day – The Ringling Brother’s Circus opened, 1884 – Circus Unit Study Pinterest Board
- May 20: Pick Strawberries Day – Montessori-Inspired Fruit Unit
- May 21: American Red Cross Founded by Clara Barton, 1881
- May 21: Fossil Hunter Marry Anning Born, 1799 – Make Fossils from Montessori at Home
- May 22: Author Arnold Lobel Born, 1933
- May 22: Author Arthur Conan Doyle Born, 1859
- May 22: Buy a Musical Instrument Day – Montessori-Inspired Music Appreciation, Montessori-Inspired Music Appreciation: Peter and the Wolf, Montessori-Inspired Music Appreciation: Swan Lake, Montessori-Inspired Music Appreciation: Carnival of the Animals, Montessori-Inspired Activities for the Tortoise and the Hare, Montessori-Inspired Activities for Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, Montessori-Inspired Music Appreciation: The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, Montessori-Inspired Activities for Casey at the Bat, Kids’ Music Activities Pinterest Board
- May 23: Margaret Wise Brown Born, 1910 – Good Night Moon Resources and Activities
- May 23: Lucky Penny Day – Montessori-Inspired Activities Teaching about Money and Presidents
- May 24: “Mary Had A Little Lamb” Published, 1830
- May 24: First Morse Code Message Sent from Washington DC to Baltimore, 1844
- May 25: National Tap Dance Day
- May 26: Memorial Day (last Monday in May) – Child-Led Patriotism, Montessori-Inspired Fun with Golf Balls and Ping Pong Balls, Montessori-Inspired Patriotic Unit, Montessori-Inspired Memorial Day Activities, Patriotic Practical Life and Math Activities, Kids’ Patriotic Activities (U.S.) Pinterest Board
- May 26: Blueberry Cheesecake Day
- May 27: Sunscreen Protection Day
- May 27: Golden Gate Bridge Opened, 1937
- May 27: Masking Tape Patented, 1930
- May 28: Jim Thorpe Born, 1888
- May 29: Learn About Composting Day – Montessori-Inspired Gardening Unit
- May 29: John F. Kennedy Born, 1917 – Montessori-Inspired Activities Teaching about Money and Presidents, Montessori-Inspired President’s Day Activities, Free Presidents’ Day Printables and Montessori-Inspired Presidents’ Day Activities
- May 30: Water a Flower Day – Montessori-Inspired Gardening Unit, Montessori-Inspired Flower Activities, Free Flower Printables and Montessori-Inspired Flower Math Activities, Gardening/Botany Unit Study Board
- May 30: Ice Cream Freezer Patented by William Young, 1848 – Montessori-Inspired Natural Ice Cream in a Bag
- May 31: World No Tobacco Day
Have a happy May!
Photo at the top of the post by ANKA Nikolova
Free Printable May Calendar from iMom
Learn more about Montessori at Home or School: How to Teach Grace and Courtesy!
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Natalie PlanetSmartyPants says
You know, your list of activities is my “go to” place to learn about new holidays and sometimes to develop themes for the month. Thank you so much for these monthly posts!
Dianna says
What a huge list of resources, Deb!
I have to laugh a little at the ‘allergy and asthma awareness ‘ ….. my city is the top ranked worst for allergies. I’m suffering now, since all the trees and flowers are blooming. Sigh.
Thanks for linking up with The Thoughtful Spot!
Carrie says
I always love to see what the calendar observances are that you find. Thank you for sharing at Sharing Saturday!
stephanie says
So many days to celebrate! Thanks for sharing at After School!
Suchit says
informative and appreciative…..
really a great stuff…
specially that one(spring time and activities)