April - An Idea for Every Day Calendar - Week 2

With March ending, April planning begins.  We're here to help.  Find activities for the first week of April at this post and activities for the second week below.  For daily reminders, follow us on Instagram or Facebook.  If you're craving even more ideas, check out our Pinterest board.  If you want all the ideas for the entire month, download your April An Idea for Every Day Calendar here.

April 5th - National Go for Broke Day

You know that dream you've been putting on hold?  That wish that you think will just never happen?  The goal you never make time for?  That hobby you want to more deeply pursue but fail to wade in?  Well, friends, today's your day to jump in!   That's right.  Pick one activity, goal, or dream that calls to you and immerse yourself in it today.  Spend all day fully living in it.  Maybe after you do, you'll know whether you want to take it even further.

April 6th - National Student Athlete Day

Looking for a reason to get your learners active?  Today is that day.  We have several ideas of how you might celebrate your athlete today.  The first requires a little research on your part.  Make a list of all the sports offered in your area for your athlete.  Set up stations for each sport that includes information regarding each (fast facts, pictures, etc.) along with a related skill for them to practice (swim strokes, dribbling, etc).  Have your athlete go through each station rating their interest level as they go.  When finished, discuss their sport preferences.  

Or, perhaps your athlete possesses passion for a specific sport already.  If so, spend time in skill-building for that sport today.  Who knows, maybe your athlete has a skill (or two) to teach you too.

Maybe you're looking for a different way to engage your athlete in the world of sports.  How about a book?  I Love to Watch You Play suggests sixteen books for athletes of all ages while What Do We Do All Day offers chapter book options.  Here's to supporting athletes in all the ways we can.

April 7th - National No Housework Day

I know, it might be hard, those dishes are calling to you, but let's make a pact to do no housework today.  Spend time with someone you love.  Engage in self-care.  Make progress on your checklist.  Work toward meeting that goal.  Whatever you do with your extra time, we're certain it will be time well spent.

April 8th - National All is Ours Day

Go on a walk.  But not just any walk, go on a poetry walk.   Reading Rockets guides you through the process of taking learners on a poetry walk including grade level modifications for K-5 with differentiation suggestions for language learners and struggling students.  Also, find a related book list on this same site.  So walk through nature; linger there even.  Take in the full-on sensory experience, then when you return, let the nature-inspired poetry flow. 

April 9th - National Name Yourself Day

Do you like your name?  Have you ever desired a different name?  If so, National Name Yourself Day is the day for you!  It's your opportunity to try out a new name.  Need help choosing a new name?  Check out Behind the Name.  Here you'll learn the meaning behind the name as you browse.  New name now chosen, write it on a name tag.  Wear it with pride and insist others call you by it. Hear how it rings in your ears.  Then, at the end of the day, debrief.  How was it?  Was the change easy?  Do you like your new name, or do you think you'll stick with the original?  

Alternatively, discuss the importance of names.  Brightly offers a list of picture books to teach about names.  After reading one of these books, talk about the personal meaning of names.  For older learners, Read Write Think invites you to explore personal history and cultural traditions through a name investigation.

April 10th - National Encourage a Young Writer Day

Every learner is a writer, each at a different level.  Ask your young writer to share a creation with you.  Engage yourself in it and, when they finish, thoughtfully comment on what you heard.  Then, get out your paper and pencil and ask if you might write alongside them today.  We've found some sites to encourage your writer wherever they might be in their writing journey.  For confident writers, Clif online offers encouragement tips.  For reluctant writers, This Reading Mama offers tips for early reluctant writers and Spencer Author offers tips for older reluctant writers.  Find the link that fits your writer, choose an activity, and get to encouraging.  You got this, leader writer!

April 11th - National Pet Day

Yes, that's our pet.  His name is Waldo.  Yes, he's running on his red bucket treadmill.  Might this be how we celebrate National Pet Day this year?  Perhaps.  What will you do?  How do you show your pet love?

That wraps up the second week of ideas for every day.  See you next week leaders.  Until then, we hope you find a way to celebrate every day.

At Your Service,

Interested in even more educational resources?  Then stop by our Learning Lab.  It's here where we store all the educational resources we've cooked up to date.