Teaching your child the days of the week is a great way to help him understand time. You can easily help him learn the days of the week by incorporating calendar time into your daily routine. Your child may also enjoy singing the weekday song and learning about the days of the week using games, worksheets, and conversations. Be consistent and reinforce what he learns frequently to help him retain information.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Use calendar time
Step 1. Buy or make a large calendar and place it at the child's eye level
You can buy a large calendar at a teacher supply store or make one with your child. Draw a grid with 31 spaces and number the spaces according to the days of the current month. Then label each column on the calendar with the day of the week. Write the name of the month at the top of the calendar.
- If your child is older, you can even allow him to make the calendar. Help him label the spaces correctly using another calendar as a template.
- Put the calendar in a place that your child can see several times a day, such as on the refrigerator or in the family room.
Step 2. Create a flag or wand to make the activity more fun
Buy a wooden peg and wrap it with decorative paper or paint to make it more beautiful. Use the bookmark to mark specific dates on the calendar when you have calendar time.
- For example, you can point to the date and then use the pointer to draw up to the day of the week that is written.
- Once the child sees you use the bookmark a few times, you can allow him to use it to point out the days of the week.
Step 3. Set aside 5-10 minutes for calendar time each day
Make calendar time right after breakfast or while your child is eating his morning snack. When you decide to do it, make calendar time a part of your daily routine to help him understand the concepts of days of the week and time.
Repetition is important in teaching a child new concepts. Having a routine will also comfort him and help him know what to expect each day
Step 4. Mark today, yesterday and tomorrow in each calendar session
Use your finger or pointer to identify what day is today on the calendar. Then trace up to the top of the column to identify the day of the week. Say what day of the week it is out loud. Then, point out what day will be tomorrow and what day was yesterday.
Once your child is used to the routine and begins to learn to identify the days on his own, you can give him the bookmark and ask him to show you what day it is. Ask questions to identify the days, such as saying "What day will it be tomorrow?" or "What day of the week is the 10th?"
Step 5. Ask questions about important dates on the calendar
Bring your attention to the holidays and other special days on the calendar by using pictures and stickers. Then, point out what day of the week that special day will be.
For example, you can say "Look! Your birthday is on a Wednesday, which is the middle of the week" or "Halloween is on a Saturday, so we can celebrate all day."
Tip:
Print small pictures that your child can color and place them on the calendar to indicate special days, like a birthday cake for someone's birthday or a present for Christmas.
Step 6. Explain the difference between days of the week and weekends
Color-code the days of the week and days of the weekend on the calendar to help your child see the difference. Tell him that Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday are the days when children go to school and many people work on those days too. However, don't forget to explain that some people work weekends depending on the type of job they have.
Explaining the difference between the days of the week and the days of the weekend can help you identify the days of the week
Method 2 of 3: Sing Weekday Songs
Step 1. Play songs about the days of the week for your child to listen to
A song can help you learn and remember the days in a pleasant way. There are many different versions of the weekday song, so listen to a few and choose the one that you think will pique your child's interest. Then show him a video of the song to introduce him.
Tip:
If you'd rather not show him a video of the song, you can just use the audio to introduce him and help him learn the lyrics.
Step 2. Sing the song with your child every day to help him learn
If you incorporate calendar time into your daily routine, chant the days of the week after that time. Teach your child a simple version of the song and accompany it with a familiar tune.
- For example, you can teach him to sing "Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday. Today is Monday, tomorrow is Tuesday, and yesterday was Sunday."
- You can accompany the lyrics with a simple melody that your child knows well, such as "Incy Wincy Spider" or "Shine, shine little star."
Step 3. Show hand gestures to accompany the song
Start the song of the days of the week with your hands open up. Then take them down to the 11:00 and 1:00 position when you say Monday, then 10:00 and 2:00 for Tuesday, and so on until they are by your side. Hand gestures are optional, but they can help reinforce the different days of the week and help the child remember them.
Another simple way to incorporate hand gestures is by ringing or snapping your fingers each time you say a day of the week
Step 4. Include a song about the weather for extra reinforcement
If you want to accompany the days with another concept, you can also sing a song about the weather. This will help your child learn the days of the week while helping him learn about different types of weather.
- For example, if the weather is nice, you can sing "Where's the sun? It's shining bright. It's a sunny Friday, so let's go outside."
- On a rainy day, you can sing "Rain, rain, go now. Come back another day. It's a very rainy Saturday."
Method 3 of 3: Try Other Strategies
Step 1. Read books that explain the days of the week
Find picture books that address the theme of the days of the week to read to your child. Have him read the book to you or explain the pictures and events. This might help reinforce the concepts of the days of the week or be a good way to introduce them, but it only works if you can read. Here are some good weekday books:
- Eric Carle's Very Hungry Caterpillar
- Today is Eric Carle Monday
- Cindy Ward's Cookie Week
- Monday is an Arthur A. Levine Day
Step 2. Post the days of the week signs in a room
Write the days of the week on signs and post them in a large room in the house or in different rooms. Then call out the days of the week one at a time and have the child run to the corresponding sign as you call out the days. Do it once a day to reinforce the days and get the child to exercise a little.
This is a great rainy day game for kids who can read
Tip:
You can also do the activity outdoors if you don't want the child to run indoors. Post signs for different days of the week in different places in your yard or local playground. Then yell out the days of the week you want me to run to.
Step 3. Write the days on cards and ask the child to order them
Turn the days of the week into a pattern organizing or memory activity by writing the days of the week on individual cards and shuffling them together. Then ask the child to put them in order by placing them on a table or desk.
This is a good way to help a child learning to read recognize the days of the week
Step 4. Give her worksheets of the days of the week for more practice
If your child is writing or can use scissors and glue, you can provide some age-appropriate worksheets. Explain how to complete the worksheet. Some exercises may involve writing the days of the week in spaces provided, while others may require cutting out the days of the week and pasting them into spaces.
There are many free worksheets available online. Pick one or more that your child can enjoy and print them out
Step 5. Mention the days of the week in conversations with your child
Repetition also helps reinforce the days of the week. Mention what day it is in conversations and talk about other days of the week with your child.
- For example, you can say something like "Today is Thursday, so we are going to the supermarket to buy food for this week."
- You can also say "Tomorrow is Friday, so we'll have pizza for dinner! We have pizza for dinner every Friday."