FREE Calendar Journal Printables

We’re keeping things simple with our Calendar routine this year.  This is our 3rd year with our flip chart, and each of the kids is very familiar with how to use it.  We are keeping it as part of our day though, to reinforce basic skills for my Kindergartner.

Last year, I made each of the kids a very simple monthly calendar and calendar journal to fill in each day. They each have their own 3-ring binder that they decorated last year that holds this page along with the journal pages.

This year, I've spiced it up a bit, and have it here to share with you all for FREE!




Elaina is using this Calendar Journal page.  I am still deciding if I want to laminate it so that she can re-use it every day rather than print off and store (or throw away) all of those pages.  If you like that idea but don't have a laminator, you can slip it in a page protector and then write on it with dry-erase markers.




In the inside of each binder is a (color coded) pocket with: a mini dry-eraser, 2 dry erase markers, and a pencil.  These tools stay in with the calendar, and each student is responsible for taking good care of their supplies.

Click to print your own:  Calendar Journal

This is the Monthly Calendar that all the kids use.  They fill in each month and the year at the top, and then every day they add the date. This page is laminated for re-usability and easier correction of mistakes, and 3-hole punched to place into the binders.

Click to print your own:  Monthly Calendar

This is the worksheet that the boys are using to practice writing the days of the week, the date, and the code date.

Click to print your own: Calendar Practice Worksheet

Use this page as a title page and slip it in the front of your 3 ring binder after your child has colored it and written their name on it.

Click to print your own:  My Calendar Journal Title Page

This year we have added a new element to our morning Circle Time/Calendar Time routine: Spanish Circle Time.  The boys are really excited about this!  You can read about what we do and get all of the free printables to go along with it here.

Click to print your own: Spanish Calendar Journal

Our Circle Time/ Calendar Time is only about 15 minutes first thing in the morning. Because of my rambunctious toddler, we have to make the most of our time in the morning, and can't spend a lot of time doing too much extra stuff.  In addition to singing the songs on the flip chart and filling out the journals, we usually read a picture book together, and sometimes do a short devotion.  I use this time as an opportunity to train my kids how to be polite and take turns in a group setting.  I even require them to raise their hands and sit still (enough) so as not to be a distraction to the others.  I am finding that the older kids love to teach the younger two (responsibility), and they also volunteer to read out loud in front of the group (public speaking skills!)  Aside from all of these reasons, there are many others why we incorporate this daily, including learning to follow directions and getting focused before book work begins. 


If you’d like to see how other homeschools do their Calendar Time, check out:
1+1+1=1
Homeschool Creations
Confessions of a Homeschooler
Mama Jenn
Spell Outloud

 They each have wonderful free printables and lots of extra fun ideas to incorporate.


How about you?  How do you do Calendar Time in your homeschool?

I pray that providing these free printables will enrich your homeschool experience and make your planning a little easier! I would love to hear if you have used these printables. Please link back directly to my blog, not the document link provided. Thanks!

Spanish Circle Time Printables {FREE!}

I am soooo excited about adding a new element to our daily “Circle Time” routine:

Spanish Circle Time!

I’ve actually been working on these for a while now, and they are finally ready to share.


(UPDATE: January 2015  This continues to be my most visited post!  So exciting!  I've made a few corrections to the printables, but the photos do not show the updates.  Be sure to click the links to view the documents before printing.)






It’s pretty basic so far.  The kids will learn the days of the week, months of the year, colors, ABC’s, 1-2-3’s, and possibly the weather (if I can get around to creating it!).  We also have space to add various vocabulary words as the school year goes on.


I got the basic idea for our first flip chart from here a few years back.  It is still working well for us, so I’ve kept it pretty similar for the Spanish flip chart.  After printing and laminating the sheets, each piece was cut out.  Then I attached a small piece of Velcro to the backs.









Each element is attached to the foam board.  I used rings for the song pages, but glued the other parts down for durability.




I thought it would be fun to share them with you too!

These are two songs in Spanish: Buenos Dias (Good Morning, How are you?), and Dias de la Semana (Days of the Week).  The days of the week song has an empty box to add the day.  You can either laminate it and use dry erase marker to write in the day, or use the printable below by printing, laminating, and cutting each day out.  Then attach Velcro to the back of each day and the song sheet and your child can add the day of the week themselves.  (The phrase Hoy es means Today is.)


(Click here and here to see videos of the songs.)

Click to print:Spanish Songs

Click to print:Spanish Days of the Week

Another element that my kids have always enjoyed is choosing the color of the day.  Usually this is Elaina’s job, but she will pass the torch on to her baby sister Olivia this year.  We will continue to use the English colors as well, but this will be a fun new tool for the older kids.  Print, laminate, and cut out the pieces.  Attach the middle section los Colores en Espanol to your flip board or calendar wall.  I use Velcro dots to the back of each color and then one single dot in the blank square for ease of use.

(Not sure how to pronounce the colors?  Click to see a video here.)

Click to print: Spanish Color Set

Just for fun, I created a calendar set with some cute clip-art you can add to your flip board or calendar wall.  Print, laminate, cut out, and add Velcro dots to the back.

(Not sure how to pronounce the Spanish months of the year?  Click here to watch a video.)

Click to print:Spanish Months and Clip Art

Click to print: Spanish Calendar

Looking for more Spanish printables?
Click here for my Spanish Calendar Journal Page.

I pray that providing these free printables will enrich your homeschool experience and make your planning a little easier! I would love to hear if you have used these printables. Just leave a comment below. Please link back directly to my blog, not the document link provided. Please do not sell or host these files on your website. Thanks!

Circle Time

I thought it would be fun to post about our morning Circle Time!

I've had these videos for a while, and contemplated re-making them,

since there was a certain, theatrical participant who was

 less than cooperative that morning. 

Then I remembered - well, she is dramatic every morning,

and re-doing them would be silly! 

Hope you enjoy them!

This first video is our Good Morning Song...

This next video is our Spanish Song, "Buenos Dias".

We learned it last year, and the kids still love to sing it!

After that we sing the Name-O song, to practice how to spell

all the names of our family members. 

We also occasionally practice grandparents, aunts, and uncles too.

I love how The Baby has already figured out how to get involved!

It's Elaina's job to choose the color of the day.

After she places it on the board, we spell the color,

and look around for that color in the room.

Here is the song, Every Week. 

It's Nate's job to find the day of the week and place it on the board.

(notice The Diva is a cat licking herself...lol!)

And another Days of the Week song to the tune of

The Adams Family...

Then we sing the Months of the Year song.

Isaac surprised me with remembering this dance from his

preschool days...too cute!

That's how we start off most of our school days!

We also do our Calender Journals first thing and then usually

go right into our praise time and Bible Study.

Hope you had fun joining us for our morning Circle Time!