Publisher: Collins
Publication Date: September 2024
I started using the Children’s Almanac on the 1st of January 2025 with my seven-year-old son and it has been such a delight. As a home educator, sometimes thinking about what topics we will cover or focus on at specific points in time can feel a bit arbitrary. What this almanac has done has allowed us to put in place a structure that feels purposeful and meaningful. It has allowed us to put learning into context and shaped it to the changing seasons around us.
The book has a calendar for each month and within that key days and events are marked. For example, January bought with it the International Day of Clean Energy which allowed us to incorporate science and cover topics such as climate change and global warming. It bought out fruitful discussions around what we can do to be a little bit greener. The suggested craft activity within the book allowed us to put that learning into action. We also covered topics such as history and culture with Martin Luther King Day and also celebrated the Chinese New Year on January 29th. Literacy was also covered as we discovered there was a Winnie the Poo Day on the 18th of January (who knew!) and this allowed us to return to the 100 Acre Wood through reading the classic texts as well as plan a Winnie the Pooh escape room! Perhaps next year we can arrange a visit to the real-life wood in East Sussex.
We are using the almanac as a springboard into a world of different topics and subjects. There is a wealth of information and knowledge held within these pages and it is presented in a way that is both accessible and fun. Quizzes and puzzles are also printed in the book and so in quiet moments these can be utilised. It is a book we are going to hold very dear and will no doubt use it to shape our year of learning. A wonderful treasure trove and companion throughout the year.
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