Welcome to August – these summer days will soon be drawing to a close and school will begin again, but there’s still a lot of summer fun to pack into this month. We’re celebrating animals, jokes, airplanes, and more, and ending with some tips for getting your child excited for the first day of school.
But first, tomorrow August 2 is National Colouring Book Day. Colouring is a creative and relaxing activity. Your child can practise fine-motor skills by colouring inside the lines or go wild and use fun colours or even paints. We have some great colouring books for kids, including Crayola colouring books. Parents can join the fun with our popular Creative Moments Colouring Series available at Dollarama. Show us what you’re colouring on Instagram by tagging @telegraphroad.entertainment.
The August Civic Holiday weekend is a great time to get outdoors and relax in the summer sunshine.
Don’t forget to use plenty of sunscreen and drink lots of water! Here are a couple of outdoor games your child can play by themselves or with others.
Seven Up Ball Game
This isn’t the card game, but a fast-paced ball bouncing game that is a blast to play while helping children work on hand-eye coordination.
Using a small rubber ball or any other soft bouncy ball (like a tennis ball), complete each combination of bouncing and catching before moving on to the next number. Use a smooth wall or ground. This game can also be played inside if the space is cleared of breakables.
How to Play:
Sevens: Bounce the ball against the wall (or floor) seven times. Catch the ball on the seventh bounce.
Sixes: Bounce the ball against the wall, letting it bounce off the ground between you and the wall before you catch it. Repeat this six times. If you are playing without a wall, throw the ball in the air and catch it before it hits the ground.
Fives: Bounce the ball hard enough for it to bounce over your head before you catch it. Do this five times.
Fours: Bounce the ball against the ground so it hits the wall before coming back to you (opposite of sixes). If you are playing without a wall, throw the ball up and let it bounce once before you catch it.
Threes: Bounce the ball vertically and hit it with the palm of your hand so it bounces off the wall, then catch it before it hits the ground again. If you are playing without a wall, dribble the ball three times before catching it.
Twos: Throw the ball under your leg and bounce it off the wall before catching. If you are playing without a wall, bounce the ball under your leg and catch it.
Ones: Bounce the ball against the wall and spin once before catching it. If you are playing without a wall, toss the ball in the air and spin once before catching it.
Math Spinner Hopscotch
Materials needed:
Cardboard
Paperclip
Marker
Masking tape, chalk or other materials to make a hopscotch
Bean bag, coin, or other flat, easily thrown object
Directions:
1. Use the cardboard and paperclip to make a spinner with the numbers from 1 to 10 on it.
2. Use chalk on a concrete surface to make a hopscotch game with numbers from 1 to 10. If you are on grass or indoors, consider using masking tape, hula hoops, or other objects to mark the squares.
3. Write a plus sign on one side of the bean bag or coin and write a minus sign on the side.
4. Have your child spin the spinner and then hop to that number. Then, have them turn back and toss the bean bag or coin at another square. If the bean bag or coin shows the plus sign, have them add that number to the number they are standing on my hopping to the bean bag square and counting up. If the bean bag or coin lands on the minus side, have hop the same number of times as the second number counting down.
5. For older kids, replace the minus sign with a multiplication sign and practise multiplication tables.
August is also the battle of the pets. August 8 is International Cat Day while August 26 is National Dog Day. Are you Team Cat, Team Dog, or Team Both? Share pictures of your pets, tag us @telegraphroad.entertainment and use the hashtag #teamcats or #teamdogs to cast your vote. What other pets do you have? Having a pet can help teach children responsibility and care. Of course, for homes with allergies or a lack of time, even a houseplant can be a great way for children to begin learning about how to take care of something.
Daniel the Beaver loves jokes, and one of his favourite days is National Tell a Joke Day on August 16. He has a joke for you!
Check out Daniel the Beaver’s Instagram for more beaver-themed jokes and leave your favourite jokes in the comments. What tickles your funny bone? You can also check out more jokes in Daniel the Beaver’s upcoming The Fun Canada Search and Find Activity Pads at Costco. We’ll give you a heads-up when they become available, so you and your child can join Daniel the Beaver’s adventures through many fun worlds.
Get ready for National Book Lovers Day on August 9 by helping your child practise their reading skills. Our Complete Canadian Reading series help kids master phonics, word families, rhyming and more. Reading helps connect us to the world and discover new worlds and ideas. Consider helping your child read one of your favourite childhood books or go check out the children’s section at your nearest library. Looking to learn a bit more about some inspirational people? Check out our Little People, Big Dreams books.
Summer is all about those beach days, but you can bring the beach to you with this easy recipe for kinetic play sand. This fun sand will let your child shape, build, and dig in from the safety of your home.
Kinetic Play Sand
Ingredients:
5 cups sand (fine beach sand or decorative sand)
3 cups cornstarch
1 cup oil
Directions:
1. Choose a large bowl or pan with enough space to thoroughly mix all ingredients.
2. Measure out the sand into the bowl or pan.
3. Add the cornstarch. Mix.
4. Add the oil. Mix until there’s no dry sand left. Make sure to break up clumps of oil.
Have fun!
Soar into National Aviation Day on August 19 by learning more about airplanes. There are plenty of aviation museums across Canada where you can learn the fascinating history of Canada’s air force and aviation. Daniel the Beaver loves the de Havilland Beaver, a bush plane that helped people access Canada’s north. First flown in 1947 by WWII pilot Russell Bannock, the de Havilland Beaver has been used all over Canada by forestry professionals, Canadian air force pilots, and civilians. Bring the fun home and get some hands-on learning with Sassi’s Build an Airplane 3D - History of Aviation kit.
Daniel the Beaver
Have you been keeping up with Daniel the Beaver’s adventures? In July, he met a squirrel and a cow, went swimming, walking, and even strawberry picking! Along the way Daniel the Beaver learned about fire safety, the invention of the egg carton, and other fun Canadian facts. He even went on a walk and played a couple of games of hide-and-seek!
Check out Daniel the Beaver’s Instagram @daniel_the_beaver_ to see what he gets up to in August!
Paw Patrol the Movie – August 20
Get your tails wagging because Paw Patrol the Movie comes out on August 20! Check out the trailer on our website homepage! Journey with Ryder and the pups to Adventure City to stop evil Mayor Humdinger. Go on your own Paw Patrol adventure while you wait by checking out the many fun Paw Patrol activity books we offer on our website. You can colour, trace, and get excited with lots of fantastic activities – plus, you can try a little magic with our Paw Patrol Imagine Ink booklets.
Tips for Getting Back to School
We all know getting back into the rhythm of school isn’t easy, but a few simple things can help your child get prepared and excited for the first day of school.
1. Make a list of everything for the first day of school
Getting organized can help children feel confident and in control. Plus, who doesn’t love looking at all the cool new school supplies for the upcoming year? Making a list will also help you make sure nothing gets forgotten in a mad rush to catch the bus.
2. Choose an outfit
First day outfits are important – clothes help us feel comfortable in new environments. Choosing a first-day-of-school outfit will help your child get excited about the day.
3. Adjust bedtime a few days before school starts
Sleep is vital for growth and learning, but summer often lulls us into a routine of late bedtimes and later mornings. Slow adjustments to bedtimes and wake-up times will help your child get back into routine without feeling lethargic.
4. Talk to your child’s school and/or teacher to ask questions about any uncertainties
After months of online school, your child may be anxious about going back into the classroom. Parents may also be anxious, particularly about what COVID measures the school will be practising. Calling the school before the year begins will give you time to ask questions, settle fears, and start the school year with confidence.
Flash Card of the Month
This month’s Flash Card of the Month is Addition. These cards will help your child practise this foundational math skill and gain speed and accuracy in their sums. Not only is addition used in everyday life, like when adding costs while buying groceries, but it is also an important building block to learning more advanced skills, like multiplication.
Next month on the blog
September is all about literacy and giving back. We’ll be talking like pirates, practising punctuation, and even making pancakes! Plus, it’s National Food Bank Day and Orange Shirt Day.
We love hearing from you!
You can connect with us on Instagram at @telegraphroad.entertainment and @canadiancurriculumpress and by visiting our Facebook page @TelegraphRoadEntertainment.
Share your learning adventures with us by tagging us on Facebook @canadiancurriculumpress or hashtag us #canadiancurriculumpress #telegraphroadentertainment #danielthebeaver
Happy August!
