There is nothing quite like the anticipation of a child waiting for a holiday to begin or a significant celebration date (who am I kidding, it can be pretty exciting for adults too – especially the vacation option!)
In our house such anticipation manifests itself as lots of discussion and research about the destination or event, enthusiastic list making and preparations, and probably the most exciting of all – counting down the sleeps!
One fabulous way to harness this enthusiasm for the power of good is to make a simple countdown calendar which involves children in a range of learning activities related to the event.
To make this version of a countdown calendar I used colourful envelopes, marking them with the number of remaining ‘sleeps’ on the front, tucking in the envelope flap and putting inside one activity or discussion prompt in each envelope. Depending upon the age and patience of your child, you could of course start at 10 or even 20!
Here are some ideas of what to include in each of your envelopes;
- A map showing the distance from your current location to your destination
- A list of interesting facts about your destination or the origin of the celebration
- Information about the sights you will see or your accommodation
- A schedule of activities or plan for the day
- Postcards or photographs from previous visits or celebrations
- A packing list
- Details of a chore that your child can complete in preparation for the journey or special day
- Tickets for a tourist attraction you will be visiting on your vacation
- Activity sheets related to the event or destination
- A list of websites for finding more information about the destination
- Spending money
Depending upon which activities you choose your children will be involved in purposeful reading, writing and geography, and through the process of helping to prepare for the event will be learning fabulous life skills about planning and preparation.
Have you ever created a countdown calendar for a special journey or event?
Christie Burnett is a teacher, presenter, writer and the mother of two. She created Childhood 101 as a place for teachers and parents to access engaging, high quality learning ideas.
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