charts and calendars - do you use them in your home?

[busymama77]

We had a PTC at DS1's preschool today and his teacher recommended that we make a calendar for him to use and note important dates coming up w/ stickers and such - like a stay over at G&G's or a birthday party, etc.,
Lately, he gets really worked up if I tell him on Tuesday that on Friday, G&G will be picking him up at school and spending the night. He'll ask everyday what day it is and gets upset if it isn't that particular day when the event will happen..... Sooooo........

If you do something like this at your house, what did you use? Plain old poster board? Or did you create one w/ constrution paper... I need ideas, mamas! I'm going to the craft store on Saturday and would like to get started on this soon.

[jennifercp8]

I keep a few calendars in the house. The one on my computer (and synced with my phone) is the master calendar, and I update the house calendar hanging in the kitchen to reflect what my DH may need to know about my schedule.

DS has a M&D magnet one in his room, and we update it every week. I wish the little tiles with it weren't so... I don't know how to describe it. It's school-geared, and not so little kid based (DS is 4). And I wish there were multiples of some things. But in general, that calendar has been great at getting him to read a calendar. There are some weeks I am bad about updating it, but for the most part we use it pretty often.

[LynnS6]

We used the Melissa and Doug one too, but I agree that it's more geared to school aged kids than to preschoolers. ("Test day" isn't ever going to happen for a 4 year old!)

But we used the dates, and we made a few of our own magnets to meet our needs. You could also go to an office supply store and buy one that uses whiteboard markers and you just redo every month.

You could easily make one out of something felt where you could then add the things that are important. The key features, IMO, are:
Movable dates so you could reset it each month
Some sort of marker to mark which day you're on
Some sort of symbol to mark special events/days/trips, etc.

I have to say having a calendar really helped my kids get a grasp of time and made them calmer about changes in schedule. It also helped them anticipate things. I remember one conversation when ds was 3, and were were looking at the calendar. We were going to the zoo on Saturday, and he was counting the days until we went:

"Is today the fourth day?"
"Yes it is."
"And is tomorrow the threeth day?"
"Yes. "
"Tomorrow is the threeth day. And is the next day the twoth day."
"Yes."
"And after the twoth day, then we go to the zoo!"

[busymama77]

Great ideas! Thank you. It gives me an idea of what to look for this weekend!

[Linda on the move]

We have a calendar in the kitchen that has both kids' stuff on it. I buy a calendar that I think that everyone will like. When they were little I used stickers that I bought separately. (Now I just write).

If you make a calander, you are going to have to keep making calendars, over and over. That wouldn't be fun for me.

[GuildJenn]

We have a big family one on our fridge and everything goes on it. They're pretty inexpensive in the third week of January.

[DaughterOfKali]

We have calendars galore. The family ones are pretty cool.

I also got a couple free blank ones that I'll be using as a sticker chart.

[busymama77]

Originally Posted by Linda on the move

We have a calendar in the kitchen that has both kids' stuff on it. I buy a calendar that I think that everyone will like. When they were little I used stickers that I bought separately. (Now I just write).

If you make a calander, you are going to have to keep making calendars, over and over. That wouldn't be fun for me.

You're right, that's what I don't want to do and I have no time for it, either. But I think for now, since we only have a couple of months left in the year, I may do it with two poster boards but be on the look out for something better for the new year.

[Linda on the move]

Originally Posted by busymama77

You're right, that's what I don't want to do and I have no time for it, either. But I think for now, since we only have a couple of months left in the year, I may do it with two poster boards but be on the look out for something better for the new year.

"school" calendars start with Sept. and run for 18 months.

[pianojazzgirl]

I think it's a great idea to start giving him a better idea of the passage of time, iykwim.

It might be a fun activity for you guys to make calendar pages together. You could do it by hand or use a website (I know starfall.com has a calendar page you can print out). Then draw pictures, stick stickers or whatever to mark special days. Maybe colour the weekdays one colour and the weekend days a different colour.

Dd was introduced to calendars at pre-kindergarten. I plan on doing them at home with her brother earlier.

[busymama77]

Originally Posted by pianojazzgirl

I think it's a great idea to start giving him a better idea of the passage of time, iykwim.

It might be a fun activity for you guys to make calendar pages together. You could do it by hand or use a website (I know starfall.com has a calendar page you can print out). Then draw pictures, stick stickers or whatever to mark special days. Maybe colour the weekdays one colour and the weekend days a different colour.

Dd was introduced to calendars at pre-kindergarten. I plan on doing them at home with her brother earlier.

Those are great ideas and thanks for the website recommendation.

DS has been introduced to calendars at pre-school as well. He knows how to follow them pretty well - gets a couple of days mixed up - so that's why I'd like to keep something at home for him to look at as well and not just at school.

[AllisonR]

We have one on the computer that I now can not live without. Mostly because it emails me notifications if I ask. And it gives a great overview. It's ugly, but DS and DD look at this. If they prefer paper form I just google something like "free calendar 2010 print" and then they pick the one they like the best. DD is now using one to count down days until her birthday.

Thanks for the starfall tip. My kids use that website, but I never noticed the calendar before. I will show it to them tomorrow!

[southernmommie]

I use Flylady's calendar. It has big enough spaces to write what I need and you can get stickers for it too. My kids have learned to look at the calendar. I love it!

[mommariffic]

I have two calenders for myself - one is for my doula stuff/our family stuff [appointments, fun stuff, family plans etc] The other is for homeschooling activities and meal planning.

And I have a huge dry erase board and each morning we do "Today is ___ The weather is ___ Today we will ___ and I am feeling____