September 2014 Calendar Observances and Activities

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 September themes for preschoolers through elementary, although you’ll find some calendar observances here for any age.

Back-to-School and Fall Themes

Montessori-Inspired Kindergarten Readiness Activities

Starting a Montessori Playgroup or Montessori Homeschool Co-op

Start the School Year with a Celebration

30+ Free Printables for First Day of School Photos

Grace and Courtesy for a New School Year

How to Manage Interruptions in Your Montessori Classroom or Homeschool

Montessori-Inspired Name Recognition Activities for Preschoolers

100+ Back-to-School Celebration Ideas

Back-to-School Songs and Rhymes for Circle Time,

Back to School Pinterest Board

Montessori-Inspired Fall Activities

Kids’ Fall Activities Pinterest Board

Monthly Observances for September

Monthly observances can be used for themed activities throughout the month or for one or two weeks during the month.

• AKC Responsible Dog Ownership Month
• World Animal Remembrace Month – Talking with Children about Death: Creating an “I Remember” Book
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Month
• Baby Safety Month – Montessori Baby Resources
• Backpack Safety America Month
• Be Kind To Editors and Writers Month
• Better Breakfast Month – Kids’ Food Fun Pinterest Board
• Chicken Month
• Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
• Childhood Obesity Awareness Month – Montessori-Inspired Physical Fitness for Preschoolers
• Classical Music Month –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, and 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, Montessori-Inspired Music Appreciation: My Name is Handel, Montessori-Inspired Music Unit Studies, Kids’ Music Activities Pinterest Board
• College Savings Month
• National Coupon Month
• National Courtesy Month – How to Teach Your Child Manners Using Montessori Principles, Grace and Courtesy Games at Home or School, How to Manage Interruptions in Your Montessori Classroom or Homeschool, Montessori at Home or School: How to Teach Grace and Courtesy Is Out!
• DNA, Genomics and Stem Cell Education and Awareness Month, Natl
• Fall Hat Month – Cat in the Hat Practical Life Activities
• Happy Cat Month
• National Head Lice Prevention Month
• Hispanic Heritage Month – Montessori-Inspired Spanish Activities, Montessori-Inspired Snowman Spanish Color Activity, 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
• National Honey Month
• Hunger Action Month – Are You Going Orange for No Kid Hungry?
• Library Card Sign-Up Month
• Little League Month – Montessori-Inspired Activities for Casey at the Bat
• Mold Awareness Month
• National Mushroom Month
• One-on-One Month
• National Organic Harvest Month – Montessori-Inspired Vegetable Unit
• International People Skills Month
• National Piano Month
• National Preparedness Month
• National Rice Month
• National School Success Month
• Sea Cadet Month
• Self Improvement Month
• National Service Dog Month
• National Sewing Month
• National Skin Care Awareness Month
• Sports Eye Safety Month
• International Square Dancing Month
• International Strategic Thinking Month
• Subliminal Communications Month
• Whole Grains Month – Creating Healthy Family Recipes
• Women of Achievement Month

September-October

• National Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept 15-Oct 15) – Montessori-Inspired Spanish Activities, Montessori-Inspired Snowman Spanish Color Activity, 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

September 2014 Calendar from iMom

September Dates that Can Be Used for Themed Activities

Calendar observances are great for mini units or even units that might last the whole month.

• September 1: Labor Day (first Monday in September) – Free Police Printables and Montessori-Inspired Police Activities, Community Helpers Activity Trays and Sensory Tubs, Free Fire Safety Printables and Montessori-Inspired Fire Safety Activities, Community Helpers Pinterest Board
• September 1: World War II began, Hitler invaded Poland, 1939
• September 1: Emma M. Nutt Day (first woman telephone operator in America)
• September 2: U.S. Treasury Dept. Established, 1789
• September 2: VJ Day, World War II (September 2, 1945)
• September 3: Children’s Author and Illustrator Aliki Brandenberg born, 1929 (For a thorough children’s author birthday calendar, see the right sidebar of Happy Birthday Author)
• September 3: Skyscraper Day
• September 3: Treaty of Paris Signed, 1783
• September 3: Uncle Sam’s Birthday (Uncle Sam’s image was first used on this day in 1813.)
• September 4: Syd Hoff born, 1912
• September 4: Newspaper Carrier Day
• September 4: Google First Incorporated, 1998 – Anne Frank and Google Founders Share Montessori Link
• September 5: First Continental Congress Convened, 1774
• September 5: National Cheese Pizza Day
• September 6: Read a Book Day – 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
• September 6: Pilgrims set sail from Plymouth, England, 1620
• September 6: Fight Procrastination Day – Stop Procrastinating and Start Living Your Life
• September 7: National Grandparents Day (First Sunday of September after Labor Day) – Celebrating Grandmotherhood, the World’s Best Job, Grandparents Day Ideas Pinterest Board
• September 7: Father’s Day in Australia (First Sunday of September) – Montessori-Inspired Father’s Day, Talking with Children about Death: Creating an “I Remember” Book (with free printables for children who’ve had a special male relative die and for children from military families and other families separated by distance), Montessori-Inspired Father’s Day (2012), Handprint Keepsake for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, or Grandparents Day, Father’s Day Ideas Pinterest Board
• September 7: Painter Grandma Moses born, 1860 – Montessori-Inspired Art Appreciation and Art Appreciation and Creation for Kids
• September 8: International Literacy Day – Learning to Read Can Be Just a Fun Game, Inexpensive and DIY Sandpaper Letters, DIY Alphabet Box,Inexpensive and DIY Movable Alphabets, 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
• September 8: Pardon Day – How to Teach Your Child Manners Using Montessori Principles, Grace and Courtesy Games at Home or School, How to Manage Interruptions in Your Montessori Classroom or Homeschool, Montessori at Home or School: How to Teach Grace and Courtesy Is Out!
• September 8: King Richard the Lion-Hearted born, 1157
• September 9: Teddy Bear Day – Montessori-Inspired Teddy Bear Activities
• September 10: Swap Ideas Day
• September 10: Sewing Machine Day (also observed June 13) – Elias Howe patented the sewing machine, 1846 – Montessori-Inspired Sewing Activities
• September 11: September 11th National Day of Service and Remembrance (World Trade Center attack in 2001 – 9/11) – Talking with Children about 9/11 – Ideas and Activities, Talking with Children about Tragedy, Free Police Printables and Montessori-Inspired Police Activities  Helping Kids Cope Pinterest Board
• September 11: No News Is Good News Day
• September 11: Make Your Bed Day
• September 12: Chocolate Milkshake Day
• September 12: Olympian Jesse Owens born, 1913
• September 13: Defy Superstition Day
• September 13: Positive Thinking Day – Bits of Positivity Facebook Page
• September 13: Fortune Cookie Day
• September 13: Author Roald Dahl born, 1916
• September 13: National Peanut Day
• September 13: Kids Take Over the Kitchen Day – Montessori-Inspired Food Preparation for Preschoolers, Kids’ Food Fun Pinterest Board
• September 13: Positive Thinking Day – Bits of Positivity Facebook page
• September 13: Uncle Sam Day – Kids’ Patriotic Activities (U.S.) Pinterest Board
• September 13: Milton Hershey born, 1857
• September 14: Francis Scott Key wrote the ‘Star Spangled Banner’ in 1814
• September 14: National Pet Memorial Day – Talking with Children about Death: Creating an “I Remember” Book, Montessori Care of Pets, Montessori-Inspired Pet Activities, Pets Unit Study Pinterest Board
• September 15: International Dot Day
• September 15: Children’s Author and Illustrator Robert McCloskey born, 1914
• September 15: Children’s Author and Illustrator Tomie dePaola born, 1934
• September 15: National Hispanic Heritage Month begins – Montessori-Inspired Spanish Activities, Montessori-Inspired Snowman Spanish Color Activity, 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
• September 15: Make a Hat Day – Cat in the Hat Practical Life Activities, Dr. Seuss Unit Study Board
• September 16: National Play-Doh Day – Montessori-Inspired Playdough Activities 101, Montessori-Inspired Fall Playdough Activities, Playdough and Craft Recipes Pinterest Board
• September 16: Collect Rocks Day – Simple Excavation Sensory Tubs, Rocks and Minerals Unit Study, Rocks and Minerals/Geology Unit Study Pinterest Board
• September 16: International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer – Montessori Helper Parts of the Atmosphere Materials on Sale for a Dime
• September 16: Mayflower Day
• September 16: Mexican Independence Day – Montessori-Inspired Spanish Activities, Montessori-Inspired Snowman Spanish Color Activity, 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
• September 16: National Step Family Day
• September 16: Working Parents Day
• September 17: Citizenship Day – Kids’ Patriotic Activities (U.S.) Pinterest Board
• September 17: Constitution Day (In 1787, the U.S. Constitution was signed.)
• September 17: National Apple Dumpling Day – Montessori-Inspired Apple Unit
• September 19: International Talk Like a Pirate Day – Pirate Unit Study Pinterest Board
• September 20: Magellan started his search for the Spice Islands, 1519
• September 21: World Gratitude Day – Activities for Kids and Adults on International Day of Peace and World Gratitude Day
• September 21: International Day of Peace – Activities for Kids and Adults on International Day of Peace and World Gratitude Day
• September 21: Miniature Golf Day (Some celebrate on the second Saturday in May.)
• September 22-26, 2014: International Homeschool Spirit Week (Fourth Week in September) – Montessori Preschool and Elementary Homeschool Resources, Homeschool Resources
• September 22: Band-Aid Invented, 1920
• September 22: Business Women’s Day
• September 22: Dear Diary Day
• September 22: Elephant Appreciation Day – Montessori-Inspired Zoo Animal Unit, Montessori-Inspired Zoo Animal Unit (2012), Montessori-Inspired Continent Activities with Animal Figures and Landmarks – Asia, Montessori-Inspired Continent Activities Using Replicas – Africa, Zoo Animal Unit Study Pinterest Board
• September 22: Ice Cream Cone Invented, 1903
• September 22: U.S. Post Office Opened, 1789
• September 23: First Day of Autumn (September 22 or 23) – Montessori-Inspired Autumn Leaf Unit Montessori-Inspired Fall Activities, Montessori-Inspired Fall Playdough Activities, Fall Activities with Water Beads, Kids’ Fall Activities Pinterest Board
• September 23: Checkers Day
• September 24: Supreme Court established, 1789
• September 24: Rosh Hashanah
• September 25: Math Storytelling Day
• September 25: Balboa discovered the Pacific Ocean, 1513
• September 26: Native American Day (4th Friday in September) – Montessori-Inspired Native American Unit
• September 26: Johnny Appleseed Day (Johnny Appleseed born John Chapman, 1774) – Montessori-Inspired Apple Unit, 30+ Apple Sensory Tubs, Apple Unit Study Pinterest Board
• September 27: Children’s Book Author Bernard Waber born, 1924
• September 27: First Steam Locomotive Run, 1825 – Montessori-Inspired Transportation Unit, Transportation Unit Study Pinterest Board
• September 27: Crush a Can Day – Free 3-Part Recycle Cards
• September 27: International Rabbit Day – Montessori Care of Pets, Montessori-Inspired Pet Activities, Talking with Children about Death: Creating an “I Remember” Book, Pets Unit Study Pinterest Board
• September 28: First Airport Opened, 1909 – Montessori-Inspired Transportation Unit, Transportation Unit Study Pinterest Board
• September 28: William the Conqueror Invaded England, 1066
• September 28: Ask a Stupid Question Day (or the last school day in September)
• September 28: National Good Neighbor Day – Kindness Projects for Children and Adults of All Ages, Kindness Projects Pinterest Board
• September 29: Children’s Book Author and Illustrator Stan Berenstain born, 1923
• September 29: U.S. Army was established, 1789
• September 30: Safety Pin Invented, 1849

Have a happy September!

Free Printable September Calendar from iMom

Photo at Top of Post by Olga Volodina.

Learn more about Montessori at Home or School: How to Teach Grace and Courtesy!

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