Calendar Patterns

Daily calendar activities provide a variety of opportunities for reinforcing important number concepts. Here, one KidsSoup member shares how she incorporates patterning into her classroom's calendar routine.

Grade, Age Range or Specialized Learner: Preschool, Kindergarten
Target Learning Skill(s): Patterning, Adding 1

Kindergarten Common Core Standards:

Counting and Cardinality: Count to tell the number of objects:
K.CC.B.4a:When counting objects, say the number names in the standard order, pairing each object with one and only one number name and each number name with one and only one object.

Counting and Cardinality: Count to tell the number of objects
K.CC.B.4c: Understand that each successive number name refers to a quantity that is one larger.

Pumpkin and Leaf Calendar Pattern

We used both the KidsSoup Resource Library's pumpkin and the leaf calendar numbers for our October calendar. Each day during our morning meeting, we choose a child to be our calendar helper. This child has the responsibility of placing the day’s number on the calendar. As a group, we review the name of the month, the day of the week, what the next number will be, and which image we will need. We emphasize that we are adding 1 more day to our calendar by counting the number of cards we have hanging before and after determining the date.

Preschool Activities:

Media Root

Our calendar helper also has the important job of holding the calendar cards while we look for the correct number to hang on the calendar. We write the number on a dry erase board to help our helper know what to look for. We make sure that the numbers are mixed up, and that the number we need is within the first 10 cards to help keep the children’s focus on the activity.

Preschool Activities:

Media Root

Preschool Activities:

Media Root

Throughout the year, these activities can be enhanced by changing the type of pattern, number of images, and the location of the current number within the stack of cards. KidsSoup offers several printable cards. I recommend printing them all at one time and keeping them near your circle time area.

Login to our KidsSoup Resource Library member site to view all our Calendar crafts, activities, games, and printables for preschool and kindergarten.

Calendar Numbers November	Calendar Numbers December	Calendar Numbers January	Calendar Numbers February
Preschool Activities: Media Root	Preschool Activities: Media Root	Preschool Activities: Media Root	Preschool Activities: Media Root
Calendar Numbers March	Calendar Numbers April	Calendar Time	Calendar Holiday Cards
Preschool Activities: Media Root	Preschool Activities: Media Root	Preschool Activities: Media Root	Preschool Activities: Media Root

In addition, these materials can be used in other areas of the classroom. Here are a few ideas:

Give each child a number and challenge them to put themselves in order.
Hide groups of items around the room and assign a number to each child or pair of children. Then, have each child or pair search for the set of items that matches the number on their card.
Use the numbers to identify tables, or other learning areas.

Submitted by KidsSoup member Beth Steward.

View more preschool and kindergarten calendar activities and crafts