Calendar Connection - October 2018

Without a doubt October is my favorite month of the year! I have been a Halloween fanatic for years, but it's not just because of Halloween. October brings with it a true feeling of Autumn (which is hard to find in our Oklahoma heat). October also brings with it a plethora of programming possibilities. We have events in each and every category for this month, and there's a Holiday Hoopla on nearly every day of the month. 

Movement-centric Events
October 25 - Lights on Afterschool

Club-centric Events
October 15 - Thirteen Days of Halloween Kick Off
October  17-19 - Fall Break
October 26 - Movie in the Park: HalloweenTown

Monthly Celebrations
National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15-October 15)

Weekly Celebrations
Week 1: Space Week
Week 2: Fire Prevention Week
Week 3: National Chemistry Week
Week 4: International Magic Week

Holiday Hoopla - Daily Events
October 01 - World Vegetarian Day
October 02 - Blue Shirt Day
October 03 - Techie Day
October 04 - Balloons Around the World Day
October 05 - World Teachers' Day
October 06 - Mad Hatter Day
October 08 - American Tag Day
October 09 - World Post Day
October 10 - National Cake Decorating Day
October 11 - National Coming Out Day
October 12 - World Sight Day
October 14 - Universal Music Day
October 15 - White Cane Safety Day
October 16 - Dictionary Day
October 17 - Black Poetry Day
October 18 - National Chocolate Cupcake Day
October 20 -Sweetest Day
October 21 - Reptile Awareness Day
October 24 - United Nations Day
October 25 - Pablo Picasso Day
October 26 - National Pumpkin Day
October 26 - Frankenstein Friday
October 28 - Make a Difference Day
October 28 - International Animation Day
October 29 - Visit a Cemetery Day
October 30 - Candy Corn Day
October 31 - Halloween
October 31 - Girl Scout Founders Day

How many special events do you celebrate in October? Are you creating any fun themed events within your group? Let me know!

Mid-Autumn Moon Festival

The biggest holiday for children in Vietnam is the Mid-Autumn Festival, which is also celebrated as Children's Day.  The festival takes place at the time of the harvest moon, usually sometime in September or October.  On the day of the festival, the children help their mothers make moon cakes, the special treats enjoyed by everyone on this holiday.  The round cakes are made of sticky rice and filled with nuts, raisins and other fruits.  Often local contests are held to see who can make the tastiest rice cakes.  In the evening, children walk up and down the streets carrying lighted paper lanterns.  Some of the lanterns are round and white like the moon, while others are brightly colored and fashioned into shapes such as fish, dragons, rabbits and boats.  When the children hear the sound of the drums and cymbals, they know it is time for the dragon parades.  Large and small dragons made of paper and cloth are carried through the streets by dancers.  When the parades are over, the dancers celebrated by setting off hundreds of noisy firecrackers.  Later in the evening the children and their families gather under the full moon for songfests.  The lighted lanterns twinkle far into the night as everyone joins in singing favorite folksongs.

Festival Lanterns

Vietnamese children make colored paper lanterns in various shapes for Mid-Autumn Festival.  To achieve a similar effect, let your children make pretend wax paper lanterns.  For each child cut two lantern shapes (or fish or whatever) about 12 inches wide from waxed paper.  Five the children small pieces of different colored tissue paper to glue on their shapes.  When they have finished, staple the edges of each child's shapes together with a handful of lightly crumpled waxed paper scraps inside.  Use a hole punch to make a hole at the top of the lantern and reinforce with holes with gummed reinforcement circles (or put scotch tape on the top and punch a hole through the tape and paper at the same time).  Attach pieces of colored yarn to the lanterns and allow children to hang them in front of a sunny window.

Full Moon

Sung to: "Row, Row, Row Your Boat"

Full moon shining bright,

(Flutters fingers downward.)

Shining in the night.

What a lovely face you have,

(Holding arms in a circle above head.)

Big and round and white.

Fruit Bread Moon Cakes

Let your children help make banana bread or any other bread that contains fruit and nuts.  Bake the bread in well-greased soup or vegetable cans.  Then slice the bread into rounds and let the children spread on fruit flavored cream cheese.

How do you incorporate culture into your program? Have your kids celebrated Mid Autumn Moon Festival? Let me know!

Calendar Corner for September 2018

September is the start of the most wonderful time of year, at least for me. Autumn is my favorite season; I relish the cooler weather, cozy sweaters, comfort food, and most of all the fall decor. My love of Autumn spread throughout our Club as well. Art projects begin to take on the shape of scarecrows and apples, science involves the changing colors of the leaves, and snack starts to get a little cuter. I'm always looking for fun ways to add culture and exploration to our days and Autumn is jam-packed with multicultural festivals and events.

Movement-centric Events
September 11 - National Day of Service and Rememberance
September 15 - National Day for Kids

Monthly Celebrations
Hispanic Heritage Month (begins September 15)
Women of Achievement Month
Library Card Sign Up Month
All-American Breakfast Month

Weekly Celebrations
2nd Week - National Arts in Education Week
3rd Week - Constitution Week

Daily Events
September 03 - Labor Day (Club Closed)
September 04 - National Wildlife Day
September 06 - Read a Book Day
September 08 - International Literacy Day
September 08 - Trail of Tears Commemoration Day
September 09 - Rosh Hashanah Begins
September 09 - Grandparents' Day
September 13 - Roald Dahl's Birthday
September 15 - Fall Astronomy Day
September 16 - Mayflower Day
September 17 - Constitution Day (begins Constitution Week)
September 18 - Yom Kippur Begins
September 19 - International Talk Like a Pirate Day
September 21 - International Day of Peace
September 22 - Elephant Appreciation Day
September 22 - First Post Office in the United States Opens 1789
September 22 - Mabon
September 22 - Oktoberfest Begins
September 23 - Autumn Equinox
September 23 - Sukkot Begins
September 24 - Mid-Autumn Moon Festival
September 25 - First Newspaper in the United States Published 1690
September 26 - Johnny Appleseed Day
September 27 - Ancestor Appreciation Day
September 28 - Native American Day
September 29 - National Public Lands Day
September 20 - World Rivers Day

With so many great daily inspirations to celebrate, it's not hard to make September special!