Though I’m beginning to identify with the unschooling philosophy more than anything else, I still enjoy dreaming up some fun lessons to do with my kiddo. I’m always on the lookout for lesson plans that are easy and simple, with an obvious fun factor, a good lesson, and without any busy work like worksheets involved.

The Preschooler Calendar, Grades Pre-K – K is filled with a lot of these kinds of activities. Why wouldn’t it be, I suppose, since it’s made for little kids? Then again, you do occasionally see those Preschool Workbooks filled with worksheets to keep little hands busy… We have a couple of those that my daughter likes to play in once in a while, but for the most part they collect dust. Blank pages are a much better investment!

Back to Sherrill B. Flora’s Calendar. It’s organized by month with plenty of themes to go along with, beginning in September. Each month has bulletin board ideas, stories with manipulatives, art projects, fine motor activities, gross motor activities, dancing and movement ideas, language projects, coloring sheets, finger plays, songs, poems, and more. There are also recipes, games, self-awareness activities, science and animal adventures, and more.

Much of the book can be reproduced and blown up to a larger size for use. My daughter and I have used several activities in this way. We used “The Mouse and the Thunder” by photocopying it, cutting it out, gluing it to a piece of construction paper, and acting out the story with the little cut-outs. She was attracted to it, of course, because of the tiny, tiny mice and mushroom in the story.

Most activities are geared at a group setting, of course, but most can be scaled down for just one or two participants if needed. Most major holidays are covered in a secular fashion, which is very helpful, and things that kids love, from dinosaurs to animals to cars and more, are also included in the lessons. All are age-appropriate and fun from what I’ve used so far.

It really is a great investment for a year of fun activities with your child or your classroom. Some illustrations are kind of silly; the squirrel puzzle for September, for example, is pretty funky looking. When this happens, I recommend drawing your own or having the kiddos draw their own. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with silly illustrations; the kids might even enjoy them.